TECHNOLOGY SURVEY ON ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS

INDUSTRYANDENERGYDEPARTMENTWORKINGPAPERENERGYSERIESPAPERNo.11TechnologySurveyReportonElectricPowerSystemsFebruary1989te:6~~~~~~.','-wBeTheWorldBankIndustryandEnergyDepartment,PPRPublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorizedPublicDisclosureAuthorizedTECHNOLOGYSURVEYONELECTRICPOWERSYSTEMSbyLionel0.BartholdPowerTechnologies,Inc.Schenectady,NewYorkFEBRUARY,1989Copyright(c)1989TheWorldBank1818HStreet,N.W.Washington,DC20433U.S.A.ThisreportisoneofaseriesissuedbytheIndustryandEnergyDepartmentfortheinformationandguidanceofBankstaff.ThereportmaynotbepublishedorquotedasrepresentingtheviewsoftheBankGroup,nordoestheBankGroupacceptresponsibilityforitsaccuracyorcompleteness.PowerTechnologies,Inc.ABSTRACTThisreportpresentsanoverviewofthestatusoftoday'spowersystemtechnologyandexpectationsforfuturedevelopment.Thereportexaminesallthemainareasofthepowersystem--supplyanddemand,generation,energystorage,transmissionlines,transmissionsubstations,systemoperation,distribution,systemdesign,software,andutilitymanagement.Throughouttheworldshortageofinvestmentfundsisrequiringutilitiestogivegreateremphasistooperationalimprovementstoextendplantlife,improvecapacityfactorsandeffectenergyconservation.Combinedcycleunits(gasturbinespluswasteheatboilerandsteamturbine)areemergingasthepreferredgeneratingsourcebecauseoftheirlowcapitalcostandhighefficiency,particularlywheregasisavailable.Theseunitscanalsobeadaptedtocoalfuelingthroughcoalgasificationtominimizeusingoilasafuelandtoutilizeindigenousresources.Increasedenvironmentalconcernoverconventionalcoalthermalemissionsinmanycountriesisgivingimpetustothedevelopmentoffluidizedbedandcoalgasificationtechnologiestopermitwideruseofcoalforelectricityproduction.Unlesseconomichydroisavailable,dieselswillcontinueasthepredominantsupplysourceonsmallsystemsuptoabout100MW.Publicconcern,lowoilpricesandhighcapitalcostwilllimittheuseofnuclearpowertoonlyafewdevelopingcountries.Itwillbemanyyearsbeforenewtechnologiessuchasfuelcellsoroceanthermalenergyconversioncouldbeconsideredforthedevelopingcountries.Thelimitofactransmissionvoltageshaslevelledoffatabout800kVbecausedctransmissionisavailableforlongdistancetransmissionandthemaximumgeneratingunitsizehasalsolevelledoff.Thereisconsiderablescopeforimprovingutilityproductivitythroughcomputerautomationinspecificareassuchasgenerationdispatch,distributionoperationandsystemcontroloptimization.PowerTechnologies,Inc.TECHNOLOGYSURVEYREPORTONELECTRICPOWERSYSTEMSPREFACEThereportwaspreparedbyPowerTechnologies,Inc.(PTI)ofSchenectady,N.Y.andisthereforebasedlargelyonPTI'sexperience,insightsandopinions.Whilethereportincludesapplication-readinessrankingaswellaseconomiccomparisonsforeachtechnology,generalizingoneithersubjectisrisky,particularlywhenoneconsidersthepoweroftechnicalbreakthroughs.Wherecircumstancesmakeatechnologyparticularlyinteresting,itisbettertohavetheapplicationstudiedbyexpertsthantorejectitbasedonanarbitraryrankingsystemasusedherein.TABLEOFCONTENTSPowerTechnologies,Inc.TABLEOFCONTENTSPAGEPREFACEINTRODUCTIONPOWERPRODUCTION&SUPPLY/DEMANDBALANCE.......I-lA.SUPPLY,DEMANDANDTECHNOLOGYDRIVINGFORCES...1-lConservation.........................1-2Control...........................1-6DispersedGeneration.....................1-7EnvironmentalAccommodation.................1-8ExpertSystemApplication...................1-9Fast-Valving.1........................1-9InspectionandMaintenanceScheduling.1............I-10LifeExtensionandPlantBetterment.1.............I-10LoadManagement......................I-liPerformanceMonitoring....................1-13Repowering.........................1-14Stabilizers..........................I-14Uprating..........................I-17B.GENERATIONTECHNOLOGYOPTIONS,STATUSANDDEVELOPMENTI-18CoalDesulphurizationandGasification.............I-18CombinedCycles.......................1-18IntegratedGasification/Combined-CyclePowerPlants(IGCC)..I-18PressurizedFluidizedBedCombinedCycle.1...........1-22CombustionTurbinePlants.1..................1-24GasTurbines.1........................1-24CombinedCycles.1......................1-28LowGradeGasTurbineFuels.1................1-28ConventionalSteamPowerPlants.1...............I-29Cycles&SteamTurbine/Generators.1..............I-30OtherEquipment.1......................I-31DieselGeneration.......................1-32DirectConverters.......................1-34Magnetohydrodynamics(MHD).1................I-34ThermionicGenerators.1...................I-36FluidizedBedCombustion...................1-37FuelCells.1.........................1-39Fusion,BreedersandFastReactors.1............I-45GeothermalPlants.1.....................1-46HydroelectricPlants.1.....................1-47-1-PowerTechnologies,Inc.TABLEOFCONTENTS(continued)PAGELiquidMetalToppingCycles..................1-48NuclearPower.1.......................1-49OceanCurrent........................1-51OceanThermalEnergyConversion.-.5.0............I-S0SolarThermal-ElectricPowerPlants.1..............I-51SolarVoltaic.........................I-52StirlingEngines......