Photo: Etelä-Savon Energia Oy
The power plant at Pursiala, Etelä-Savon Energia, produces annually about 200 GWh of electricity, about 400 GWh of district heat and about 20 GWh of industrial steam. Most of the fuel used is forest based wood, industrial wood and peat. The power plant is currently undergoing a fuel receiving station modernization, which will enable the plant to introduce real-time fuel quality measurement. Inray’s system will be taken into use by the end of 2017.
The X-ray technology-based fuel quality measurement method analyzes fuel moisture and impurities in real-time. The method allows the determination of the energy content of the fuel load immediately after the load is unloaded. When real-time quality information is available to the power plant and fuel suppliers, it is possible, for low-quality fuels, to take preventive measures and reduce the additional costs they incur.
In recent years, similar measurement systems have been delivered to several power plants. The results have been good. Fuel has been more homogeneous and cleaner and the energy efficiency of power plants has been improved. Savings have also been got in operation and maintenance costs for fuel handling equipment, ash handling, staff working time and fuel analysis costs.
More information: mika.muinonen@inray.fi