Power production limitations due to the environmental effects on the thermal effectiveness of NDDCT in an operating powerplant

In this paper, the recorded operational data regarding one of the Heller towers in Shahid Montazeri powerplant has been analyzed by a 3-dimensional numerical study on its thermal effectiveness under different headwind and air temperature conditions. The detailed thermodynamic cycle of this powerplant unit was simulated which has corroborated that the net power generation in this unit has been affected considerably by wind speed and air temperature. The results indicate that in conditions of increasing wind speed and ambient temperature, the Heller tower effectiveness decreases and consequently power generation in this powerplant unit is diminished. The negative effects resulting from the increased temperature is more beyond than that of the wind speed. However, both temperature and wind speed increase simultaneously will result in significant effects on the cycle thermal efficiency. Therefore, as the ambient temperature reaches as much as 25 degrees C higher than the designed temperature of the tower and wind speed is about 5 m/s, the limitation of power generation in this powerplant will be 50 MW. The average amount of power lost was calculated 24221.5 Mwh for 4 hot months of a typical year. This amount of power lost rated about 11% of the total energy that could be produced at this period of time in the design condition which is significant.