Shape and operation optimization of a thick-walled power boiler component

¹ Institute of Thermal and Process Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Al. Jana Pawła II 37, 31-864 Kraków, Poland
² Department of Mechanics and Machine Design, Opole University of Technology, Mikolajczyka 5, 45-271 Opole, Poland

^* Corresponding author: pduda@mech.pk.edu.pl

Abstract

The aim of this article is the proposition of a two-stage optimization of power boiler components subjected to transient thermo-mechanical loads. As the basis of transient load regime, the TRD 301 regulations are used. In the first stage of an investigation, the genetic algorithms are used to determine the optimal shape of the structure. As optimization constraints, the maximum total stresses in the whole cycle are assumed. In the next stage, the method for the start-up and shut-down operation optimization is shown. The problem is defined to minimize the time of start-up and shut-down processes with allowable stress constraints according to TRD regulations. These new methods are of high practical significance and can be implemented throughout the industry, wherever heating and cooling processes take place. The obtained optimization results translate directly into the power unit energy effectiveness because the shut-down and start-up losses are reduced.