Power Generation

Power generation refers to the production process that uses power generating units to convert primary energies such as hydro energy, thermal energy in coal, crude oil and natural gas and nuclear energy into electric energy. Compared with other energies, electric energy can be more easily controlled in production, transmission and use, it is therefore the most ideal secondary energy. Power generation is at the central position of power industry. It determines the scale of power industry and also influences the development of various related sectors of the power system such as power transmission, power transformation and power distribution.

Power generating units can be classified by energy type into thermal power generating units, hydro power generating units, nuclear power generating units and power generating units based on other energies. Thermal power generating units are composed of boilers, turbines, generators and auxiliary facilities. Hydro power generating units are composed of water-turbine generator sets, speed regulators, hydraulic units and auxiliary facilities. Nuclear power generating units are composed of nuclear reactors, steam generators, turbine generator sets and accessory equipment.

Hot issue: Biomass power generation 

Biomass power generation is one of power generation types based on renewable energies. Agricultural, forest and industrial wastes or urban trashes are used as raw materials to generate power through direct combustion in biomass boilers. Power can also be generated through biomass/coal mixed combustion or biomass gasification. To be specific, there are quite a few approaches such as power generation based on the direct combustion of agricultural and forest wastes, power generation based on the gasification of agricultural and forest wastes, power generation based on the incineration of trashes, power generation based on landfill gas and power generation based on biogas.

-- Direct combustion power generation: Biomass and excessive air burn in boilers. Hot flue gas generated has heat exchange with heat exchange units of boilers. High-temperature high-pressure steam generated expands and works in steam turbines to generate electric energy.

-- Biomass gasification power generation: Biomass circulating fluidized bed gasification technology is employed to convert biomass wastes such as timber, crop stalk, rice straw, grain shell and sugarcane residue and other solid wastes into combustible gases. After coke removal and purification, these gases are sent to gas internal combustion engines for power generation. In this way the purpose of replacing oil with gas and reducing the cost of power generation can be achieved. Biomass gasification power generation technology features technical flexibility, cleanness and cost-effectiveness. It is the most cost-effective power generation technology in all renewable energy technologies and is one of the most effective and cleanest methods for the use of biomass energy.