In the global trend, where the instigator is “obsessed” – in a good way – on the ecology of Europe, the Russian economy has embarked on the transition of all branches to the principles of best available technologies (BAT). And therefore BAT is not only the most commercially effective at minimum cost and effort a method of production of a product, but an insignificant impact on the environment.
Plans (orders) of transition to NDT developed in every industry and regulated than one dozen Federal and departmental regulations. But it happens that the use of BAT in fact, not just difficult, but impossible. We are talking about once-through cooling system used at power plants during generation of electricity and heat generation.
In accordance with information technology reference best available technology of its 20-2016 “Industrial cooling systems” approved by the order of Rosstandart in December 2017, once-through technical water supply system belong to the best available technology.
That is, their use provides optimal available energy efficiency, resource conservation and impacts on the environment. But at the same time in accordance with clause 4. article 60 of the Water code of the Russian Federation (hereinafter – the Water code), the design of such systems is prohibited.
the Reason for the introduction of such norm has been mercury pollution of the Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk reservoirs in the early 2000s, And the reason for this decision, in turn, became an emergency discharge of wastewater from large pulp and paper mill, mining and ore-processing plant and several enterprises of the chemical industry.
During prohibition, in principle, understandable. However, with the same success it was possible at the time to prevent the car after the first accident. In General, anyway, but 14 years ago (Water code adopted in April 2006) “culprit” in the water pollution reason assigned technology that in 10 years in Russia (and in Europe even earlier) will recognize the best available.
help
water for the purposes of technical water (cooling) is essential for the operation of thermal and nuclear power plants. Power plants use different types of cooling systems. These systems are designed to drain from the equipment of power heat is not used to produce electricity (and heat) energy, consist of hydraulic structures, pumping stations, pipelines and heat exchange equipment of power, networks and facilities that provide supply, storage, distribution and discharge of water for cooling.
the level of efficiency of the cooling system of power plants directly affects their efficiency, that is, the amount of fuel which is necessarymo to be spent for the production of electricity. On the type of usage of cooling systems of power plants are divided into two groups: those with once-through or recycled process water.
As a rule, in the construction of power plants close to large water body (river, lake, sea) is used once-through system. If the plant is built far from the “big water”, is chosen by the flip system and create an artificial reservoir-cooler.
the Plant with direct-flow systems of technical water supply pump taking water from a water body, pass it to isolated from the production process of the production of the contour of the metal pipes and recycled back into the reservoir. The water was not involved in the creation of the final product, not in contact with nothing but a pipe goes through several purification steps and returned into the water is even cleaner than the fence.
“the Environmental risks associated with the use of direct-flow systems of technical water supply of the pulp and paper and chemical industry were unreasonably assigned to all sectors. Meanwhile, goals, and methods of using once-through systems at electric power facilities and enterprises of manufacturing and extractive industries are significantly different. This causes and their different levels of environmental impacts and risks for water bodies”, – have informed us in the Ministry of energy.
“it seems that the once-through system want to eliminate in principle – the Director of Institute of pricing and natural monopolies regulation, HSE Ilya Dolmatov, Although this system is in proper operation does not look risky. The specialists of our Institute conducted their own study, and clear arguments against the “forward flow” is not received. As for the possible accident that is a consequence of wrong operation. It is necessary to provide control, certain measures that would prevent the emergency situation. Otherwise, we all should all be banned. Because the risk is always there and everywhere.”
According to the Ministry of energy, once-through systems have several advantages in energy saving, ecology and economy. For example, they provide the highest energy efficiency of the process by reducing the temperature of cooling water (efficiency of stations with once-through systems, on average, 1.5 percent higher than with the use of working systems), which in turn leads to a proportional reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants into the environment. In addition, the “forward flow” is 1.5-2 times lower level of deadweight consumption (withdrawal) of water from waters than recycling systems of technical water supply with cooling towers. The only negative – thermal effects on water bodies.
Although the “negativity” of the process in question.
for example, doctor of economic Sciences, Deputy of the state Duma Mikhail Chernyshev believes that raising the water temperature to specific values is not only harmful to the inhabitants of rivers and lakes, but on the contrary, raises the level of their activity. In particular, there are so many examples of how close the direct-flow TPP and NPP is actively developing fisheries. Do not forget that the diversion of water followed by discharge is aeration, that is, enriches the water with oxygen and inhibits its flowering and stagnation – this is especially true for water bodies with stagnant water.
However, for generation companies the above mentioned norm of the Water code prohibit “only” design once-through systems. That is already designed objects with “parallel flow” it was possible to build, already built – operate. And today from the past 13-year-old was viewed dimly. Tricky wording detonated in our time: the system of forward flow in power plants impossible to upgrade, because these activities are prohibited to design. New station with a co-current, respectively, also did not build. In jeopardy were the international projects in the nuclear industry. While abroad, direct-flow system of honor, their construction is encouraged. Three quarters of all nuclear reactors in the world today is used exactly once-through cooling system. And only in Russia it is, in fact, outlawed.
Meanwhile, according to the Association “Council of energy producers”, direct-flow systems of technical water supply use 62 thermal power plants and one nuclear power plant with total installed electrical capacity of 45.4 GW (excluding stations using sea water). Their share in the total installed capacity of the UES of Russia is 23.4 percent.
in the case of preservation of the ban on the design of direct-flow systems of technical water supply and transfer of thermal and nuclear power plants, working capital investment capital expenditures for the construction of a minimally estimated at the level of 111,07 billion rubles (without VAT). Only the construction of a new tower will cost 2.5 million rubles per 1 MW of installed electric capacity is the minimum of the expert assessment costs.
it should be understood that not every “straight-through” station can be turned into a “negotiable” even if you have sufficient Finance. This applies, for example, objects within the boundaries of settlements, where it can be corny not be space for the reservoir-cooler (for information: the area of the cooling pond for a large thermal power plant or nuclear power plant is up to 25 Quadra��governmental kilometers) or cooling towers.
At the same time, this technology is also recognized as the best available and is widely used abroad, which would not be, if it represented any danger. And now we are talking about unjustified negative consequences for unfounded and baseless the transition from “forward” to “turnover”: the environmental, budgetary, tariff and, as a consequence – social.
So, the transfer of thermal and nuclear power plants in recycling systems of technical water supply will lead to an increase in specific fuel consumption on the average on 1,5-2 percent and 0.72 million tons of conventional fuel per year. And, consequently, to increased emissions of pollutants by 10.3 thousand tons per year and greenhouse gases of 2.2 million tons per year. The increase of fuel burned in the specified volume will increase particulate emissions by 1.1 million tons per year, sulfur dioxide by 1.8 million tons per year of nitrogen oxides (calculated as nitrogen dioxide) to 1.6 thousand tons per year, which may adversely affect the pace and quality of implementation of the decree of the President of the Russian Federation from may 7, 2018 N204 “On the national goals and strategic objectives development of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2024”.
in addition, such “allowances” openly contradict the Comprehensive plan of measures to improve the energy efficiency of the Russian economy and the Energy strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2035, one of the priority objectives of which is to reduce specific fuel consumption for electricity generation and energy consumption for own needs of TEK.
Conclusion: it is necessary to optimize the law and with the unconditional priority “do not harm nature” to give the opportunity to power engineers to use the best available technology of “forward flow” where the technology of recycling systems in comparison with it loses its status of the best.
energy Ministry, the initiative was developed by the bill for the elimination of the ban on the design of once-through technical water supply systems for thermal and nuclear power industry.
As reported, in may 2018, the document was submitted to the government. In the summer of 2019 was the comments received. “Now the Ministry of energy is revising the draft law according to the remarks. I hope that soon we will be able to hold a conciliation meeting and, accordingly, to introduce a bill to the State Duma already in autumn session”, – added in the Ministry of energy.
So, let’s hope that soon energy will be able to really choose the most effective and the best available technology in the design of cooling systems, taking into account all conditions and factors – direct or reverse.
