Contents

## **Preface XI**


Preface

power plants.

and heat production process.

solar power management.

and to its members for the help and support.

The demand for electricity and heat production is still largely covered by conventional ther‐ mal power plants based on fossil fuel combustion. Thermal power stations face a big chal‐ lenge to meet the environmental requirements constantly keeping high process efficiency and avoiding lifetime shortening of critical components. In recent years, many activities have been observed to reduce pollutant emissions and optimize performance in thermal

Increased share of renewable sources of energy in domestic markets enforces flexible opera‐ tion of plant units and fast adjustment to actual electricity demand. Gas power plants start to play a very important role in this process, allowing for rapid change of load and to reduce emission of gas pollutants. Operation under changing load together with keeping emissions at the accurate level requires constantly introducing new solutions and technologies as well as carrying out many research and development activities for optimization of the electricity

The present edited book intends to cover recent research and development activities dedi‐ cated to thermal power plants, new approaches and future perspectives. This book consists of 8 chapters covering research issues as analysis of coal-fired power unit operation for flexi‐ bility improvement, algorithm dedicated to detect certain abnormal conditions and malfunc‐ tions of coal mills, numerical analysis of creep-fatigue damage in a steam turbine rotor. The book also includes work on new potential solutions to enhance fluid flow and heat ex‐ change, modelling of dilute phase transportation, engineering approach for fast fluidization dynamics and also recent trends and discussions about a concept strategy for concentrating

The editor is indebted to all the colleagues who have contributed to this volume and pre‐ sented results of latest research, to InTechOpen for the opportunity to work on this book

**Paweł Madejski**

Kraków, Poland

PGE Energia Ciepła S.A. Research and Development
