ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF OPERATION OF THERMAL POWER PLANT BASED ON SOLAR COLLECTORS USING PROGRAMMING IN THE MATHCAD APPLICATION ENVIRONMENT

The reduction of reserves of traditional energy sources – coal, gas, oil, uranium, which humanity has used irrationally, and the pollution of the environment directs world powers to search for new sources of energy – such as renewable energy sources. In this case, solar ener- gy has great potential, as it can be used to generate heat and electricity for hot water supply and heating. Solar energy is considered one of the most efficient sources of energy that can be used to heat a coolant, in particular water. This is not only an environmentally friendly way to obtain energy, but also an opportunity for significant savings on utilities. Modern technolo- gies make it possible to use solar energy to heat water in private homes, hotels, swimming pools, industrial enterprises and other establishments. One of the options for heating water can be solar collectors (solar collectors), with the help of which it is possible to effectively meet the needs for hot water and heating without using traditional energy sources. Solar col- lectors are used for both seasonal and year-round operation of thermal power plants. The article presents a comparative calculation of the energy efficiency of using single- circuit solar systems in thermal power plants for hot water supply and heating of premises for various purposes with calculations of the operation of boiler units that operate on natural gas. The calculation of the reduction of harmful emissions by more than 300 kg of harmful sub- stances into the environment prevented environmental pollution. The use of a single-circuit solar system in a thermal power plant showed that the savings of 100 m³ of natural gas from all 210 m² of the collector will amount to UAH 167160 per year. The use of a single-circuit solar system in a thermal power plant allows: – to reduce the cost of thermal energy by reduc- ing material consumption and equipment costs, to save organic fuel; to produce thermal ener- gy; to reduce the heat load and environmental pollution. The automation system allows the thermal power plant to be controlled without human intervention.