A new method and an algorithm of ensuring the uniformity of normalized samples of technical and economic parameters of power units of thermal power plants are presented. Uniformity and normalization are obligatory conditions at estimation of integrated parameters characterizing the efficiency of power units. The method is based on the fiducial approach. Boundary values of fiducial interval are traditionally calculated based on the statistical function of distribution and a set significance value, i.e. are calculated, in fact, "mechanically". As the "mechanical" approach is appropriate for homogeneous statistical data, whereas technical and economic parameters are multivariate data, application of this approach to the statistical function of fiducial distribution is associated with a high risk of an erroneous decision. The set of possible realizations of actual values of technical and economic parameters includes realizations caused by "gross" mistakes at data input in automated systems or at manual performance of individual calculations. Quite often, unconventional realizations are observed, e. g., in case of low-load operation for 10 days of a month. These data form boundary intervals that the authors refer to as “boundins” (or prigrins in Russian). Automated search and removal of boundins provides reliability of comparison and ranking of integrated parameters. It is shown that rate of variation of boundins is considerably below the rate of variation of typical realizations of technical and economic parameters. This fact was the basis for recognition of boundins.

Today, the fuel and energy complex (FEC) is the basis of Russian economy. It includes the most dynamically developing industries, such as petrochemical, oil refining, etc., associated with the production, transportation and processing of various fuels, as well as industries engaged in the production and distribution of electricity: thermal engineering, hydropower engineering and nuclear power engineering. The nomenclature of FEC centrifugal pumps includes a wide list of names: singleand multistage centrifugal pumps of low, medium and high pressure for clean water, water with impurities and various aggressive media [1, 2], pumps for oil production and transportation (trunk, booster, electric centrifugal production pumps, pumps for pumping leaks, etc.) and special pumps used in oil refining (cracking, cantilever chemical, etc.) [3]. The development of technical solutions aimed at improving energy efficiency as well as reliability and durability is one of the trends in the development of centrifugal pumps FEC that are most widely covered in engineering literature [4.9]. Along with this, reducing the complexity and cost of production of these pumps due to the automation of the design process remain just as important. In the given article, questions of development of a method of automated profiling of components of flow passage of centrifugal pumps for needs of FEC are considered. The description of the proposed method and the results of its approbation on the example of profiling of the flow passage of the impeller of the centrifugal cantilever chemical pump AH 12.5/50 are presented. Comparison with other known methods is carried out. The estimation of time costs for design works is carried out. It has been found that the automated profiling of the flow passage of the impeller according to the presented method took 720 times less time than manual profiling using conventional methods.

A survey has been held of a BG-2600 natural draft cooling tower of thermal power plants, in the reduced hydraulic load mode. The technical condition of the reinforced concrete tower, the skeleton frame, the irrigation device, the water distribution system and the air duct windows has been inspected. Defects of the cooling tower structural elements have been identified. These include: horizontal sagging of the irrigation device, considerable gaps between its blocks and their partial destruction, problems with nozzles and structures of air duct windows. The identified defects are attributed to the causes of irregular water and air flows. The degree of irregularity of irrigation density and air flow in the tower has been estimated. Over the cross-section of the tower, a significant standard deviation from the average value or irregularity of irrigation density (30%) and irregularity of air flow (23.5%) has been established. The temperature and cooling curves of the cooling tower have been plotted taking into account irregularities of irrigation density and air flow rate. Normal and defective sections of the cooling tower have been identified based on working characteristics. Standard characteristics of the BG-2600 cooling tower have been plotted based on a nomogram. A comparative analysis of the working and standard characteristics has been held. The degree of influence produced by irregularities in water and air flows on the cooling process has been established. It has been found that the established irregularities in water and air flows result in a decrease in the temperature difference on average by 2°C and a decrease of cooling capacity by 7.3 Mcal/m2∙hr with a hydraulic load of 8840 m3/h. The results indicate a significant impact produced by irregularities of flows on cooling effect. The tasks to eliminate irregularities in distribution of flows as well as to increase the tower cooling efficiency have been formulated.

Flow-accelerated corrosion is a common type of damage to heat engineering equipment and pipelines. This process is subject to almost all elements of the condensate-feed and steam pipelines of turbine sets of nuclear and thermal power plants. Other types of metal thinning, in most cases, occur in conjunction with this process. In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Norms and Rules in Nuclear Energy, it is necessary to conduct regular non-destructive testing of thermal mechanical equipment using the method of ultrasonic thickness measurement to measure the thickness of walls, followed by assessment of compliance of the product quality and determination of the predictive value for the next in-service inspection. To estimate the rate of thinning and predict the value of thinning, it is necessary to know the values of actual wall thicknesses of pipeline systems at the initial time, which is usually not known. The actual wall thickness at the initial time is usually assumed to be equal to the nominal value without taking into account possible deviations, which is not always a reasonable solution in terms of assessing the rate of flow-accelerated corrosion. Functions are obtained that describe the profile of thinning with high accuracy. The coefficients included in the equation have a physical meaning: the actual wall thickness, the value of thinning and the area of local corrosion on the inner surface of the reducer. The developed approach is based on approximation of results of non-destructive testing, which allows to distinguish between areas exposed and not exposed to the mechanism of flow-accelerated corrosion in conical reducers. This makes possible to determine the thickness of the wall of a conical reducer of pipeline at the time of its being put in operation and to assess the rate of thinning based on a single control procedure, which reduces the possible rejection of metal and increases the accuracy of predictive calculations. This approach increases the safety and reliability of operation of conical reducers.

The article deals with the problem of waste disposal and, accordingly, landfills in the Moscow Region, which have now become the number 1 problem for the environment in Moscow and the Moscow Region. To solve this problem, incineration plants (IP) will be established in the near future. 4 plants will be located in the Moscow Region that will be able to eliminate 2800 thousand tons of waste per year. Burning of waste results in formation of slag making 25% of its volume, which has a very high temperature (1300.1500°C). An arrangement is considered, in which slag is sent to a water bath and heats the water to 50.90°C. This temperature is sufficient to evaporate any low-temperature substance (freons, limiting hydrocarbons, etc.), whereupon the steam of the low-temperature working medium is sent to a turbine, which produces additional electricity. The creation of a low-temperature thermal power plant (TPP) increases the reliability of electricity generation at the IP. The operation of low-temperature TPPs due to the heat of slag is very efficient, their efficiency factor being as high as 40.60%. In addition to the efficiency of TPPs, capital costs for the creation of additional devices at the IP are of great importance. Thermal power plants operating on slag are just such additional devices, so it is necessary to minimize the capital costs of their creation. In addition to equipment for the operation of TPPs, it is necessary to have a working medium in an amount determined by calculations. From the wide variety of working media, which are considered in the article, it is necessary to choose the substance with the lowest cost.

At electric power substations, post insulators are designed for isolation and fastening of conductive parts of electrical installations. Insulators are installed on outdoor switchgear of substations as part of the main switching equipment. During operation, they are exposed to external atmospheric effects, mechanical and dynamic loads. Timely replacement of post insulators increases significantly the reliability of the main substation equipment at power substations. The question of improving reliability at transformer and traction substations is considered, external and internal factors associated with destruction of porcelain post insulators (PPI) are presented. It is established that the main cause of damage to PPI are sharp changes in ambient temperature, especially the transition of temperature values through 0°C. A model of a porcelain post insulator with an insulating body of elliptic shape is proposed. Operation of the proposed device is described. Analysis is presented of the ratio of the lengths of the axes of a circle and ellipse (major-to-minor) as related to spatial positioning in power loads. It has been determined by calculation that a post insulator should be installed in such a way that the major axis of the ellipse be aligned in the direction of the temperature gradient — sunlight, to reduce the impact of heating on the minor axis of the insulator.

Fires and accidents at nuclear power facilities that occurred in the past resulted in considerable property damage, both direct and indirect one. The emerging threats had a negative impact on the fire-fighting process that had to be interrupted, which contributed to spreading of fire. One way of solving the problem is to develop and use robotics, and in order to achieve the effectiveness of robotics equipment, this must be designed taking into account the specifics of the facility, where it is planned to be used, and operate throughout the plant premises, while being of the light class. Having analyzed the peculiarities of origination and development of fires at NPPs, as well as taking into account the specifics of the facility, technical requirements for the design of the robotic equipment were developed, which formed the basis for the creation of a prototype implemented in a mobile robotic fire-fighting unit (MRUP). In order to check the stated tactical and technical characteristics, MRUP was subjected to tests for its running performance, operability of its components and assemblies, and fire-extinguishing properties. The test of running performance was carried out on dedicated stands with a variety of inclined surfaces, climbing angles and heights. For MRUP firefighting efficiency to be tested, a model hotspot was extinguished, the range of delivery and the consumption of fire-extinguishing agents were measured.