Energy Systems Research & Testing Activities at INEEL

1. Energy Systems Research & Testing Activities at INEEL Greg Mines March 2003

2. Energy Systems Research & Testing Objective: • Develop technologies that increase economic viability of power generation • Research oriented towards • increasing component & process efficiency • decreasing capital and operating costs • Surface conversion equipment and processes Aligned with DOE’s programmatic goal of reducing the levelized cost of power

3. Increasing Conversion Efficiency Importance: • Large quantities of fluid • Cost/value associated with fluid Impact: • More equipment intensive • Plant $/kW may not decrease significantly • Total project $/kW will decrease • Cost of power will decrease

4. Current INEEL Research Tasks • Enhanced Air Cooled Condenser Performance • NCG Removal from Binary Plants • Steam Quality Monitor • Thermal Spray Coatings – Internal Surfaces • On-line Bio-film Monitor • Natural H2S Abatement - Microbial Sulfur Oxidation • Development of Power Plant Costs • Improving Existing Plant Performance

5. Enhance Air-Cooled Condenser Performance • Binary plant air-cooled condensers • Installed: 20-35% of plant cost • INEEL investigating use of vortex generators • Bench scale test results • 30-40% higher air heat transfer coefficients • expect 10-20% higher “U” – same fan power • CRADA agreement – McElroy Manufacturing • Initiate field test of prototype - 2005

6. Non-Condensable Gas Removal – Binary Plants • NCG’s not associated with binary plants • accumulate in condenser • reach threshold - operators vent • Membrane separation process for continuous removal: • 1% ncg level • increase power by 2 – 4% • WF emissions <100 lb annually • Field testing underway (SBGeo, Mammoth) • Collaborate with Membrane Technology Research • Complete extended field testing - 2004

7. INEEL ESR&T Funding YearFunding FY-98 $ 787K FY-99 $1,157K FY-00 $1,274K FY-01 $1,340K FY-02 $1,195K FY-03 $1,059K

8. Technology Transfer • Meet on regular basis with industry • Results are reported and presented at industry attended meetings (GRC, ASME) • Where appropriate pursue intellectual properties • patents • licenses for technologies

9. Accomplishments • Increased conversion efficiency (power output) • 2 to 4% with continuous ncg removal • up to 8% with mitigation of off-design operation • 2 to 5% with improved air–cooled condenser design • In-plant validation of improved process monitors • steam quality and hydrogen sulfide (ppm) • bio-film monitors

10. Accomplishments (cont’d) • Decreased costs • decreased capital cost associated with 10-20% increase in air-cooled condenser performance • CRADA to develop “tooling” for condenser modifications • developed method of applying thermal spray coatings to internal surfaces (pipes, valves); <50% cost of exotic materials

11. Future • Commercial ncg removal technology - 2004 • Bio-film monitors incorporated into plant - 2004 • Field test of prototype condenser - 2006 • Tooling commercially available to fabricate condenser tubes with fin enhancements - 2006 • ASTM specification for applying thermal spray coatings - 2006 • Continuous H2S and HCl (ppb) monitors - 2007