Cooling systems |
ACC West Plant South
CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model of Ferrybridge 1. Computational fluid dynamics modelling provides an evidence-based approach to windscreen configuration. Air flow is applied to remote surfaces of the model on two faces, to simulate the direction of the airflow, considering infrastructure near the ACC
East Bundle Fan bell Fan Motor
South-east detail of Ferrybridge 1 ACC within CFD model. The digital twin considers the dimensions of the main ACC components: fan, tube bundles, header pipes and wind walls, as these affect airflow
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at the University of East London, in July 2024. Over three days, leading suppliers, industry professionals and consultants gathered to exchange insights on best practices and strategies for optimising ACCs, focusing on the complexities of ACC operations in different environments. Below, two delegates share their experience of how windscreens have improved their plant operations.
Overcoming wind challenges at enfinium’s Ferrybridge 1 plant enfinium’s Ferrybridge 1 (see photo, p 29) is a waste to energy (WtE) facility in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, UK, with a generating capacity of up to 85 MW (gross). The plant processes around 725 000 tonnes of residual waste per year. Lee Rhodes took over as operations manager at Ferrybridge in 2022 and immediately noticed performance issues. “During my first summer, I noticed we were experiencing thermal performance loss, and our ACC wasn’t operating at the levels expected. Despite regular cleaning and analysis confirming that our dissolved oxygen levels and steam mass flow were fine, our performance lagged behind our sister site, Ferrybridge 2,” Lee explains . “Ferrybridge 2 had more consistent backpressure even though our operating parameters were the same. That’s when we started to explore the impact of wind shear on our ACC – something I’d studied during my Master’s degree.” “The positioning of Ferrybridge 1, combined with incoming south-westerly winds, meant wind shear was starving one street of our ACC fans,” Lee continues.
The knock-on effects were twofold: plant de-rating reduced power output, while the reduced boiler feed capacity slowed down the entire waste to energy process. “Not only were we losing generation on the backend, but it was also impacting the amount of feedstock we could process at the front end, causing a bottleneck in operations.”
Tackling the problem
Given the scale of the problem, enfinium sought a solution that would offer clear financial justification. For Lee, CFD modelling played a crucial role in the decision-making process. “CFD modelling was key in giving us the confidence to
Analysis of CFD results, Ferrybridge 1. The unique arrangement of the ACCs at Ferrybridge lead to more affected fans due to the division of the two ACC units. Prevailing westerly winds affect more than half of the fans on unit 2, leading to low flow regions. The diagram shows air velocity through the fans. Blue areas on the fan cells represent areas of low or negative airflow
30 | October 2024|
www.modernpowersystems.com
proceed,” Lee states. “We provided 12 months’ worth of weather data and detailed information on our plant layout to Galebreaker. From that, they created a digital twin of Ferrybridge 1, allowing us to test different configurations of perimeter and cruciform windscreens.” The digital twin offered performance projections that were vital to justifying the capital
Top view South view
outlay. “What was crucial for us was that the model could accurately show the thermal and mechanical benefit of the windscreens before committing to installation,” Lee explains. The results were clear: a payback period of just seven months was forecast based on increased megawatt output, translating into a financial benefit of £150 000.
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