Coal- and gas-based power plants currently supply the largest proportion of the world's power generation capacity, and are required to operate to increasingly stringent environmental standards. Higher temperature combustion is therefore being adopted to improve plant efficiency and to maintain net power output given the energy penalty that integration of advanced emissions control systems cause. However, such operating regimes also serve to intensify degradation mechanisms within power plant systems, potentially affecting their reliability and lifespan.Power plant life management and performance improvement critically reviews the fundamental degradation mechanisms that affect conventional power plant systems and components, as well as examining the operation and maintenance approaches and advanced plant rejuvenation and retrofit options that the industry are applying to ensure overall plant performance improvement and life management.Part one initially reviews plant operation issues, including fuel flexibility, condition monitoring and performance assessment. Parts two, three and four focus on coal boiler plant, gas turbine plant, and steam boiler and turbine plant respectively, reviewing environmental degradation mechanisms affecting plant components and their mitigation via advances in materials selection and life management approaches, such as repair, refurbishment and upgrade. Finally, part five reviews issues relevant to the performance management and improvement of advanced heat exchangers and power plant welds.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Power plant life management and performance improvement is an essential reference for power plant operators, industrial engineers and metallurgists, and researchers interested in this important field. - Provides an overview of the improvements to plant efficiency in coal- and gas-based power plants - Critically reviews the fundamental degradation mechanisms that affect conventional power plant systems and components, noting mitigation routes alongside monitoring and assessment methods - Addresses plant operation issues including fuel flexibility, condition monitoring and performance assessment

Probabilistic safety assessment methods are used to calculate nuclear power plant durability and resource lifetime. Successful calculation of the reliability and ageing of components is critical for forecasting safety and directing preventative maintenance, and Probabilistic safety assessment for optimum nuclear power plant life management provides a comprehensive review of the theory and application of these methods.Part one reviews probabilistic methods for predicting the reliability of equipment. Following an introduction to key terminology, concepts and definitions, formal-statistical and various physico–statistical approaches are discussed. Approaches based on the use of defect-free models are considered, along with those using binomial distribution and models based on the residual defectiveness of structural materials. The practical applications of probabilistic methods for strength reliability are subsequently explored in part two. Probabilistic methods for increasing the reliability and safety of nuclear power plant components are investigated, as are the use of such methods for optimising non-destructive tests, hydraulic tests, technical certification and planned-preventative maintenance. Finally, the book concludes with information on the use of probabilistic methods in ensuring leak tightness of nuclear power plant steam generator heat exchanger pipes.With its distinguished authors, Probabilistic safety assessment for optimum nuclear power plant life management is a valuable reference for all nuclear plant designers, operators, nuclear safety engineers and managers, as well as academics and researchers in this field. - Discusses the theory and application of probabilistic safety assessment methods used to calculate nuclear power plant (NPP) durability and lifetime - Reviews probabilistic methods in their application to NPP components and ageing pipelines for the forecasting of NPP resource lifetime and safety - Addresses the key areas of probabilistic safety analysis, optimization of the operations through in-service inspection (ISI) utilising non-destructive testing, and maintenance, service and repair approaches

Current fleets of conventional and nuclear power plants face increasing hostile environmental conditions due to increasingly high temperature operation for improved capacity and efficiency, and the need for long term service. Additional challenges are presented by the requirement to cycle plants to meet peak-load operation. This book presents a comprehensive review of structural materials in conventional and nuclear energy applications. Opening chapters address operational challenges and structural alloy requirements in different types of power plants. The following sections review power plant structural alloys and methods to mitigate critical materials degradation in power plants.

Due to their continuing role in electricity generation, it is important that coal power plants operate as efficiently and cleanly as possible. Coal Power Plant Materials and Life Assessment reviews the materials used in coal plants, and how they can be assessed and managed to optimize plant operation. Part I considers the structural alloys used in coal plants. Part II then reviews performance modelling and life assessment techniques, explains the inspection and life-management approaches that can be adopted to optimize long term plant operation, and considers the technical and economic issues involved in meeting variable energy demands. - Summarizes key research on coal-fired power plant materials, their behavior under operational loads, and approaches to life assessment and defect management - Details the range of structural alloys used in coal power plants, and the life assessment techniques applicable to defect-free components under operational loads - Reviews the life assessment techniques applicable to components containing defects and the approaches that can be adopted to optimize plant operation and new plant and component design

Plant life management (PLiM) is a methodology focussed on the safety-first management of nuclear power plants over their entire lifetime. It incorporates and builds upon the usual periodic safety reviews and licence renewals as part of an overall framework designed to assist plant operators and regulators in assessing the operating conditions of a nuclear power plant, and establishing the technical and economic requirements for safe, long-term operation.Understanding and mitigating ageing in nuclear power plants critically reviews the fundamental ageing-degradation mechanisms of materials used in nuclear power plant structures, systems and components (SSC), along with their relevant analysis and mitigation paths, as well as reactor-type specific PLiM practices. Obsolescence and other less obvious ageing-related aspects in nuclear power plant operation are also examined in depth.Part one introduces the reader to the role of nuclear power in the global energy mix, and the importance and relevance of plant life management for the safety regulation and economics of nuclear power plants. Key ageing degradation mechanisms and their effects in nuclear power plant systems, structures and components are reviewed in part two, along with routes taken to characterise and analyse the ageing of materials and to mitigate or eliminate ageing degradation effects. Part three reviews analysis, monitoring and modelling techniques applicable to the study of nuclear power plant materials, as well as the application of advanced systems, structures and components in nuclear power plants. Finally, Part IV reviews the particular ageing degradation issues, plant designs, and application of plant life management (PLiM) practices in a range of commercial nuclear reactor types.With its distinguished international team of contributors, Understanding and mitigating ageing in nuclear power plants is a standard reference for all nuclear plant designers, operators, and nuclear safety and materials professionals and researchers. - Introduces the reader to the role of nuclear power in the global energy mix - Reviews the fundamental ageing-degradation mechanisms of materials used in nuclear power plant structures, systems and components (SSC) - Examines topics including elimination of ageing effects, plant design, and the application of plant life management (PLiM) practices in a range of commercial nuclear reactor types

Surface engineering is considered an important aspect in the reduction of friction and wear. This reference text discusses a wide range of surface engineering technologies along with applications in a comprehensive manner. The book describes various methods in surface engineering technology with a thorough explanation of various aspects of each process that comes under this domain. Apart from an enhanced explanation of the process and its attributes, this book also gives insight into the types of materials, applications, and optimization of surface engineering techniques. It discusses important topics including surface engineering of the functionality of graded materials, materials characterization, processing of biomaterials, design, surface modification technologies and process control, smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning applications. The book: discusses computational and simulation analyses for better selection of process parameters covers optimizations of processes with state-of-the-art technologies discusses applications of surface engineering in medical, agricultural, architecture engineering, and allied sectors covers processing techniques of biomaterials in surface engineering The text is useful for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers working in diverse areas such as industrial and production engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, and manufacturing science. It covers a hybrid process for surface modification, modeling techniques, and issues in surface engineering.

Materials for Ultra-Supercritical and Advanced Ultra-Supercritical Power Plants provides researchers in academia and industry with an essential overview of the stronger high-temperature materials required for key process components, such as membrane wall tubes, high-pressure steam piping and headers, superheater tubes, forged rotors, cast components, and bolting and blading for steam turbines in USC power plants. Advanced materials for future advanced ultra-supercritical power plants, such as superalloys, new martensitic and austenitic steels, are also addressed. Chapters on international research directions complete the volume. The transition from conventional subcritical to supercritical thermal power plants greatly increased power generation efficiency. Now the introductions of the ultra-supercritical (USC) and, in the near future, advanced ultra-supercritical (A-USC) designs are further efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption in power plants and the associated carbon dioxide emissions. The higher operating temperatures and pressures found in these new plant types, however, necessitate the use of advanced materials. - Provides researchers in academia and industry with an authoritative and systematic overview of the stronger high-temperature materials required for both ultra-supercritical and advanced ultra-supercritical power plants - Covers materials for critical components in ultra-supercritical power plants, such as boilers, rotors, and turbine blades - Addresses advanced materials for future advanced ultra-supercritical power plants, such as superalloys, new martensitic and austenitic steels - Includes chapters on technologies for welding technologies

In March 2011 the Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) in Japan was hit by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami which resulted in the release of significant amounts of radioactive material. The incident led to the suspension of nuclear programmes by a number of countries. This book provides a definitive account of the accident. - Outlines the main sequence of events of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, considers the responses of central and local government, and evaluates the response of the plant owner TEPCO - Describes and assesses the effectiveness of the evacuation process and subsequent decontamination of the site and local area - Offers recommendations for improving the safe design and operation of nuclear power plants and considers the future of the Fukushima plant and nuclear power generation in Japan

Combined cycle power plants are one of the most promising ways of improving fossil-fuel and biomass energy production. The combination of a gas and steam turbine working in tandem to produce power makes this type of plant highly efficient and allows for CO2 capture and sequestration before combustion. This book provides a comprehensive review of the design, engineering and operational issues of a range of advanced combined cycle plants.After introductory chapters on basic combined cycle power plant and advanced gas turbine design, the book reviews the main types of combined cycle system. Chapters discuss the technology, efficiency and emissions performance of natural gas-fired combined cycle (NGCC) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) as well as novel humid air cycle, oxy-combustion turbine cycle systems. The book also reviews pressurised fluidized bed combustion (PFBC), externally fired combined cycle (EFCC), hybrid fuel cell turbine (FC/GT), combined cycle and integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) systems. The final chapter reviews techno-economic analysis of combined cycle systems.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Combined cycle systems for near-zero emission power generation is a standard reference for both industry practitioners and academic researchers seeking to improve the efficiency and environmental impact of power plants. - Provides a comprehensive review of the design, engineering and operational issues of a range of advanced combined cycle plants - Introduces basic combined cycle power plant and advanced gas turbine design and reviews the main types of combined cycle systems - Discusses the technology, efficiency and emissions performance of natural gas-fired combined cycle (NGCC) systems and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems, as well as novel humid air cycle systems and oxy-combustion turbine cycle systems

Modern gas turbine power plants represent one of the most efficient and economic conventional power generation technologies suitable for large-scale and smaller scale applications. Alongside this, gas turbine systems operate with low emissions and are more flexible in their operational characteristics than other large-scale generation units such as steam cycle plants. Gas turbines are unrivalled in their superior power density (power-to-weight) and are thus the prime choice for industrial applications where size and weight matter the most. Developments in the field look to improve on this performance, aiming at higher efficiency generation, lower emission systems and more fuel-flexible operation to utilise lower-grade gases, liquid fuels, and gasified solid fuels/biomass. Modern gas turbine systems provides a comprehensive review of gas turbine science and engineering.The first part of the book provides an overview of gas turbine types, applications and cycles. Part two moves on to explore major components of modern gas turbine systems including compressors, combustors and turbogenerators. Finally, the operation and maintenance of modern gas turbine systems is discussed in part three. The section includes chapters on performance issues and modelling, the maintenance and repair of components and fuel flexibility.Modern gas turbine systems is a technical resource for power plant operators, industrial engineers working with gas turbine power plants and researchers, scientists and students interested in the field. - Provides a comprehensive review of gas turbine systems and fundamentals of a cycle - Examines the major components of modern systems, including compressors, combustors and turbines - Discusses the operation and maintenance of component parts