Energetic and exergetic analysis of steam turbine power plant in an existing

powerhouse industry using Aspen Hysys® V8.8

1Muhammad Haris Hamayun

1
Department of Chemical Engineering, Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Lahore. Pakistan.

ABSTRACT

Energy and exergy analysis of existing steam power plant is conducted by simulations in Aspen Hysys®
V8.8. Steam network is comprised of two sections; small portion of produced steam is used for paddy
drying while major portion is used for operation of steam turbine for in-house electricity production.
Mass, energy and exergy balances are applied on main equipment’s of plant. Thermodynamic parameters
are extracted from Aspen Hysys® for calculations. Exergy analysis is carried out on operating conditions
of the plant and overall plant exergy efficiency calculated is 57.10%. Maximum exergy destruction is
found in case of boiler, which is due to incomplete combustion processes & inappropriate insulation.
Other parameters are determined that caused decrease in exergetic efficiency of the plant and remedial
actions are suggested. Case studies are included in this paper to demonstrate the effect of different
operating parameters on operating efficiency of equipment.

Keywords:
Exergy Analysis; Exergy efficiency; Energy efficiency; Exergy destruction; Steam power plant; Combustion

*: Corresponding author, Email: enggharis08@gmail.com

 1. Introduction
Energy demand is increasing with time. For any country`s economic growth, power generation companies
play a vital role. However, in many countries, from power generation cycles, steam power cycles are now
being rejected because of reduced efficiency, environmental pollution, depletion of fossil fuel resources
and are now replaced with comparatively high efficiency, economical and cost effective plants. Fossil
fuels plants are posing threats to increased depletion in resources of fossil fuels along with environmental
deprivation. Many researchers in the world have done investigation and have reached to conclusion that
its intense need to shift the resources of power generation from non-renewable resources to renewables.
As time is progressing, the intention is shifting towards design of an efficient, consistent & economical
energy conversion system for low temperature heat sources utilization, which couldn`t be utilized
otherwise. Up to 80% of the power generation facilities are utilizing fossil fuels (gasoline, natural gas,
coal), and remaining 20% of them are utilizing renewable assets (such as geothermal energy, nuclear
power, dams, wind power, biomass, solar energy) [1]. It is desired to conduct a research for optimization
of these power plants. 1st and 2nd law of thermodynamics can be effectively used for energy and exergy
analysis, which provide information regarding heat losses & processes irreversibility’s. Exergy analysis is
a beneficial tool for representation of variance among energy damages and internal irreversibility’s in the
processes [2]. Rankine cycle and combined cycle energy and exergy analysis were done by Kaushik et al.
[3], concluded that although condenser is the largest source for energy losses, boiler offers maximum
exergy loss specially in the combustion processes, can happen due to incomplete combustion phenomena
& insufficient insulation. Boiler of steam power plant was analyzed on basis of energy and exergy by
Voosgah [4], concluded that exergetic efficiency is increased to 0.19% & 0.37% respectively as excess air
fraction is decreased to 0.4 and 0.15. Furthermore, decrease in temperature of flue gases, leaving the
stack, from 137°C to 90°C, the exergetic efficiency increased was about 1.5%. Hamedan Steam power
plant exergy study was done by Ahmadi et al. [5]. Analysis include effect on total efficiency due to
change in environmental temperatures and unit loads, concluded that efficiency is increased if air is
preheated before sending into boiler.

Nomenclature
mf Mass flow rate of fuel
Ψf Chemical exergy of fuel
msa Mass flow rate of secondary air
Ψsa Chemical exergy of secondary air
mpa Mass flow rate of primary air
Ψpa Chemical exergy of primary air
R Ideal gas constant
To Reference environment temperature
Et Total exergy of steam entering turbine
Eso Total exergy of steam leaving turbine
 Eci Total exergy of cooling water in to surface condenser
Eco Total exergy of cooling water out from surface condenser
Ec Total exergy of condensate
Ep Total exergy of stream leaving pump
Es6 Total exergy of condensate from production
Es4 Total exergy of saturated steam
El Total exergy of liquid
TPH Tons per hour
MW Megawatt
η Efficiency

1.1. Description of Power Plant

Description provided is of powerhouse section installed in Pakistan. This plant consists of rice processing
facility for which power house section is installed in plant premise for electricity generation. Power house
technical specifications have been presented in Table 1. Power plant is operating on Rankine Cycle. Fig.
1. presents schematic diagram of power plant. Fig. 2. present schematic diagram on Aspen Hysys®.
Description of plant is as follows:

Underground raw water is extracted by deep well turbines, pumped to raw water storage tank. Raw water
is pumped through Reverse Osmosis Plant. R.O plant reduces total dissolved and suspended solids in raw
water and then passed through Mixed Bed Polisher unit to make it demineralized water. Water is pumped
to de-aerator tank where its dissolved oxygen contents are reduced by counter-current treatment with
saturated steam from low pressure header, where superheated steam generating from boiler is converted
to saturated steam by reducing its pressure. Steam is supplied to de-aerator at 7 bar (g) & 210°C. Boiler
feed water coming from de-aerator storage tank at temperature of 100.6°C is pumped by boiler feed water
pump to steam drum at a pressure of 51 bar (g). Rice husk combustion takes place in furnace which
produces flue-gases and ash. Rice husk is supplied at normal temperature and pressure. Ash produced is
dumped from the furnace. Air at 25°C is supplied through the secondary draft fan while hot air is supplied
at 162°C to the furnace by passing through the air pre-heater, where heat is transferred from flue gases to
air in counter-current operation. Water enters the steam drum at a temperature of 220°C. The increase in
water temperature from 100.6°C to 220°C is accomplished by passing it through the Economizer-1 &
Economizer-2 where temperature is increased from 100.6°C to 180°C and then to 220°C respectively.
Flue gases leaves the stack at temperature of 40°C. Saturated steam is produced in steam drum at a
temperature of 260°C and 50 bar (g) is superheated to 400°C and 49.5 bar (g) after passing through 2
super-heaters which take heat from flue gases. Steam production quantity is 20 TPH, 5 TPH is supplied to
production plant for paddy drying, parboiling purpose while 15 TPH steam is supplied to steam turbine
for generation of 2.97 MW capacity. Saturated steam at a pressure of 0.10 bar (a) and 45°C is condensed
in steam condenser by heat exchange with cooling water coming from cooling tower. Condensate from
steam condenser, condensate from production section and make-up water from mixed bed polisher is sent
to storage tank, water is supplied by means of pump to de-aerator at a temperature of 100.6°C. The
technical specifications are as follows:

Table. 1

Power Plant Operating Parameters

Operating Parameters Value Unit

Flow Rate of Fuel 5 TPH
Flow Rate of Secondary Air 69 m3/h
Flow Rate of Primary Air 134 m3/h
Temperature of Boiler Feed Water 100.6 °C
Pressure of Boiler Feed Water 51 Bar (g)
Flow Rate of Steam Produced from Boiler 20 TPH
Temperature of Steam Produced from Boiler 400 °C
Pressure of Steam Produced from Boiler 50 Bar (g)
Steam Flow Rate to Turbine 15 TPH
Steam Flow Rate to Production + Deaerator 5 TPH
Power produced 2.97 MW
Temperature of Steam supplied to Production + Deaerator 210 °C
Pressure of Steam supplied to Production + Deaerator 7 Bar (g)
Temperature of saturated steam from turbine 45 °C
Pressure of saturated steam from turbine 0.10 Bar (a)
Temperature of Condensate from steam condenser to storage tank 45 °C
Pressure of Condensate from steam condenser to storage tank 10 Bar (g)
Cooling Water Temperature at upstream of Condenser 32 °C
Cooling Water Pressure at upstream of Condenser 1.9 Bar (g)
Cooling Water Temperature at downstream of Condenser 35.9 °C
Cooling Water Pressure at downstream of Condenser 1.88 Bar (g)
 Raw Raw Water Reverse Osmosis Treated Treated Water
Water Storage Tank Unit Water Storage Tank

Condensate Condensate Demin Mixed Bed

Storage Tank Water Polisher Unit
Condensate

Boiler Feed Water

Boiler
Process

De-aerator
Saturated

Steam
Superheated
Steam
Condensate
Turbine

Surface Steam Turbine

Condenser

Cooling Water Out

Low Pressure
Condensate Steam Steam Header
Section
Production
Water In
Cooling

Section

Cooling Tower

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of power plant

Fig. 2. Power Plant Schematic Diagram on Aspen Hysys®
 2. Analysis of Equipment
For energetic and exergetic analysis of steam power plant, following assumptions are considered:

 Steady-state and steady-flow processes.

 Kinetic and potential exergies are neglected.
 Reference state is considered as Po = 1 bar and To = 298.15 K.
 Adiabatic system is considered for calculation purpose.

For the energetic and exergetic analysis of steam power plant, thermodynamics parameters are determined
using Aspen Hysys®V8.8. Temperature and pressure conditions of the plant are used at operating
condition. Water thermodynamic properties (h, s) are calculated using Aspen Hysys® and steam tables,
while that of flue gases are calculated by modeling and simulation on Aspen Hysys ®. Mass exergy (Ψ)
values are calculated using Aspen Hysys®. Operational parameters are presented in Table 2.

Table 2

Operational Parameters of Power Plant

Temperature Pressure Flow Rate Mass Exergy Total Exergy

Stream Name
(°C) (bar) (kg/h) (Ψ) (kJ/kg) (kW)
Feed 25.00 1.00 5000 1.14 1.58
Secondary Air 30.00 1.10 57700 7.10 113.78
Primary Air 162.00 1.00 112500 23.86 745.63
Flue Gases 531.40 1.00 174200 228.30 11047.18
Ash 531.40 1.00 1059 790.50 232.54
Flue Gases 1 Out 512.20 0.98 174200 213.10 10311.67
Steam SH 2 In 320.00 50.20 20000 1126.00 6255.56
Steam SH Out 400.00 49.50 20000 1224.00 6800.00
To Turbine 400.00 49.50 15000 1224.00 5100.00
S-2 400.00 49.50 5000 1224.00 1700.00
STG Out 45.41 0.10 15000 151.70 632.08
Flue Gases 2 Out 323.30 0.98 174200 94.57 4576.14
Steam Drum In 220.00 50.20 20000 217.20 1206.67
Flue Gases 4 Out 279.90 0.95 174200 69.26 3351.41
Economizer 2 In 180.00 50.40 20000 144.50 802.78
Flue Gases 5 Out 241.10 0.90 174200 46.24 2237.50
Flue Gases 6 Out 155.50 0.80 174200 2.88 139.41
Air Inlet 25.00 1.10 112500 7.06 220.53
Primary Air 1 161.90 1.00 112500 23.86 745.63
Steam SH 1 In 260.00 50.40 20000 306.50 1702.78
Flue Gases 3 Out 300.80 0.95 174200 79.89 3865.79
BFW 100.60 1.20 20000 36.72 204.00
Economizer 1 In 101.20 51.00 20000 43.74 243.00
Flue Gases Final Out 39.91 0.80 182400 0.73 36.99
 Water + Ash 39.91 0.80 6207 1.57 2.71
Raw Water In 25.00 1.00 14410 0.00 0.00
Raw Water Out 25.02 4.00 14410 0.40 1.58
SC Out 45.41 0.10 15000 2.84 11.85
CW Out 35.94 1.99 200000 1.00 55.45
P Out 45.48 10.00 15000 4.17 17.39
S-3 210.00 8.00 5000 830.50 1153.47
Liq 100.60 1.20 20000 36.72 204.00
S-4 210.00 8.00 1500 830.50 346.04
S-5 210.00 8.00 3500 830.50 807.43
S-6 99.00 1.20 3500 35.26 34.28
From CT 32.00 1.00 200000 0.36 19.84
CW In 32.01 2.00 200000 0.49 27.24

2.1. Boiler

During combustion process in boiler, fuel`s chemical exergy is released. This exergy is transferred to
water by indirect method of heat transfer. Part of this exergy is eventually transferred to turbine in the exit
stream. Main equipment in this operational cycle is the boiler which is the main exergy destroying one.
Possible reasons of less exergetic efficiency can be due to various reasons, i.e., incomplete combustion in
the furnace because of poor fuel to air ratio etc. The power plant makes use of two types of rice husk,
having difference in calorific values, termed as new rice husk having calorific value of 14500 kJ/kg and
old rice husk having calorific value of 13700 kJ/kg, this article focuses on calculation using new rice
husk. To do the exergy calculations, first we need to determine is all exergy and all flows. For this
purpose, input and output specific exergy and flow rates are needed. Specific enthalpy and entropy values
are calculated at reference temperature (To), all stream flows exergies are calculated. For boiler, exergy
balance and efficiency are calculated as follows:

𝐸𝑑 = (𝑚𝑓 𝛹𝑓) + (𝑚𝑠𝑎 𝛹𝑎) + (𝑚𝑝𝑎 𝛹𝑝𝑎) − (𝑚𝑎 𝛹𝑎) − (𝑚𝑓𝑔 𝛹𝑓𝑔) − (𝑚𝑠 𝛹𝑠) (1)
(𝑚𝑎 𝛹𝑎)+ (𝑚𝑓𝑔 𝛹𝑓𝑔)+ (𝑚𝑠 𝛹𝑠)
𝜂𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 = (𝑚𝑓 𝛹𝑓) + (𝑚𝑠𝑎 𝛹𝑎) + (𝑚𝑝𝑎 𝛹𝑝𝑎) (2)

More calculations are required in order to calculate input streams i.e., fuel, secondary air, primary air, and
output streams i.e., flue gases, ash and steam.

2.2. Fuel Exergy

The fuel used in the boiler is rice husk. For calculation of fuel chemical exergy, its composition is
required which is presented in Table 3.

Rosen [7] has quantified an equation which is helpful in calculating chemical exergy of rice husk. Overall
exergy of fuel can be calculated given the individual component`s standard chemical exergy and molar
ratio.

𝛹𝑓 = 𝑁𝑓 × 𝛹𝑐ℎ, 𝑓 (3)
Where,

𝑁𝑓 = Mole fraction of each component in fuel

𝛹𝑐ℎ, 𝑓 = Standard chemical exergy of each component in fuel

Chemical Exergy values are listed in Table 4.

Table 3

Mole Fraction of the rice husk components

Component of Rice husk Mole Fraction (%)

Carbon (C) 36.14
Oxygen (O2) 33.62
Ash 17.93
Water (H2O) 7.08
Hydrogen (H2) 4.67
Nitrogen (N2) 0.47
Sulfur (S) 0.09

Table 4

Rice husk components chemical exergy values

Component of Rice husk Chemical Exergy

(kJ/mol)
Carbon (C) 410.26
Hydrogen (H2) 236.1
Sulfur (S) 609.6
Water (H2O) 9.49
Ash 8.2
Oxygen (O2) 3.97
Nitrogen (N2) 0.72

2.3. Flue Gases Leaving from Boiler

Flue gases produced as a result of combustion, leaves the furnace at a temperature of 532°C. Since this
gas is at high temperature, its temperature is reduced by heat exchange with boiler feed water which
increases boiler feed water temperature from 101°C to 220°C, while flue gases temperature reduces to
156°C. These flue gases come in countercurrent direct contact with raw water which removes fly ash
from the flue gas and flue gases leave the stack at a temperature of 40°C.

For demonstration of the combustion products chemical exergy, equation was stated by Kotas [8].

𝛹𝑔 = Ʃ𝑥𝑖 ē𝑜, 𝑖 + Ŕ𝑇𝑜 + Ʃ𝑥𝑖 𝑙𝑛 𝑥𝑖 (4)

Where,

ē𝑜, 𝑖 = Individual component molar chemical exergy

𝑥𝑖 = Individual component mole fraction of combustion product

𝛹𝑔 = J/mole

Since, the operational condition of the boiler is considered for this article, the operating values are taken
into calculation.

2.4. Air Entering the Boiler

Two types of air are inflowing the boiler:

 Primary Air
 Secondary Air

Secondary air is supplied through the secondary forced draft fan is primarily used for spreading of rice
husk in the furnace. Primary Air entering the furnace is pre-heated to a temperature of 162°C and is useful
regarding combustion in the furnace. For exergy values calculation, values of mole fraction of air are
presented in Table 5.

Table 5

Composition of Primary Air Entering the Boiler [5]:

Component of Air Molar Fraction (%)

N2 77.09
O2 20.98
H2O 1.9
CO2 0.03

2.5. Turbine

Steam turbine is installed for electricity generation. The operating condition for electricity generation by
steam turbine is taken as 2.97 MW or 2970 kW.

Work Output = W turbine = 2970 kW

Superheated steam at temperature and pressure of 400°C and 49.5 bar (g) respectively, coming from
boiler is entered into steam turbine, its energy is utilized to produce work while saturated steam leaves the
steam turbine which is condensed in condenser.

Exergy balance is applied as follows:

Mass Balance: mt = mso (5)

Energy Balance: mt ht = mso hso (6)

Exergy Balance:

Exergy in (Ein) = Et (7)

Exergy out (Eout) = Eso (8)

Exergetic Efficiency = 𝜂 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏 = 𝑊 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏⁄𝐸𝑡 + 𝐸𝑠𝑜 (9)

Exergy Destruction (Ed) = Et – Eso – Wturbine (10)

2.6. Condenser

Saturated steam leaving the turbine is condensed in the condenser by heat exchange with cooling water
coming from cooling tower. Heat exchange causes steam to condense, condensate is pumped to deaerator.
Cooling water is pumped back to the cooling tower where its temperature is reduced by exchange of heat
with ambient air.

Mass Balance: mso + mci = mc + mco (11)

Energy Balance: mso hso + mci hci = mc hc + mco hco (12)

Exergy Balance:

Exergy in (Ein) = Eso + Eci (13)

Exergy out (Eout) = Ec + Eco (14)

Exergetic Efficiency = 𝜂 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 = Ec + Eco⁄Eso + Eci (15)

Exergy Destruction = Eso + Eci - Ec + Eco (16)

2.7. Pump

For this steam power plant, a total of 7 pumps are installed:

 2 pumps (1 working + 1 standby) to pump condense from surface condenser to de-aerator

 2 pumps (1 working + 1 standby) to pump boiler feed water from de-aerator to economizer
 3 pumps (1 working + 2 standby) to pump raw water from raw water storage tank to scrubber

Win or Wpump values are taken on operating condition to calculate exergetic efficiency. Exergetic
efficiency calculations of all these pumps are same. For condenser pump;

Mass Balance: mc = mp (17)

Energy Balance: mc hc = mp hp (18)

Exergy Balance:

Exergy in (Ein) = Ec (19)

Exergy Out (Eout) = Ep (20)

 𝐸𝑐 − 𝐸𝑝
Exergetic Efficiency = 𝜂 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝 = ⁄𝑊𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝 (21)

Exergy Destruction (Ed) = Ec – Ep + Win (22)

2.8. De-aerator

Deaerator provides boiler feed water by allowing counter current contact of water and steam, thus
removing dissolved oxygen. Condensate from surface condenser and condensate from production come in
counter current contact with steam, generated from boiler. For the calculation purpose, the steam out
through the deaerator is neglected.

Mass Balance: mp + ms6 + ms4 = ml (23)

Energy Balance: mp hp + ms6 hs6 + ms4 hs4 = ml hl (24)

Exergy Balance:

Exergy in (Ein) = Ep + Es6 + Es4 (25)

Exergy Out (Eout) = El (26)

Exergetic Efficiency = 𝜂 𝑑 = 𝐸𝑙⁄𝐸𝑝 + 𝐸𝑠6 + 𝐸𝑠4 (27)

Exergy Destruction = Ep + Es6 + Es4 - El (28)

3. Results and Discussions:

Steam power plant analysis is done by means of energy and exergy. In accordance with the schematic
diagram, mass exergy values for all the points are calculated using Aspen Hysys ®. In Table 6, energy and
exergy analysis results are observed.

Maximum exergy destruction observed in case of boiler, which covers maximum portion of exergy
destruction i.e., 93.97%. This higher value of exergy destruction is caused due to various reasons i.e.,
incomplete combustion of rice husk in the furnace, poor ratio of fuel (rice husk) to air etc. Rice husk
combustion in boiler for conversion into thermal energy by chemical energy, results in exergy
consumption. This heat is transmitted to working fluid across larger difference of temperature. In boiler,
various heat exchange equipment`s i.e., primary and secondary super-heaters, economizers 1 & 2, air
preheater is arranged in such a way to get maximum heat transfer from flue gas to preheat the incoming
boiler feed water to steam drum in order to decrease fuel and air consumption. On the basis of this energy
analysis, the thermal efficiency of boiler found out to be 55%. On the basis of exergy analysis, observed
exergetic efficiency of boiler is 55.90%. Various components i.e., primary forced draft fan, secondary
forced draft fan, induced draft fan, boiler stop valve etc. are neglected in this analysis. On the basis of
exergy analysis of steam turbine, mass exergy values for upstream and downstream are determined using
Aspen Hysys®. Thermal efficiency/Poly-tropic efficiency calculated is 60.12%, while that of exergetic
efficiency is 66.5%. Two cooling water pumps are used for flow of cooling water into condenser. Cooling
tower system is installed at a considerable distance from other utilities section. This has increased in
cooling tower power requirements as two pumps needs to functional for effective cooling water flow.
This thing is not only increasing the power requirement but also increasing utilities cost. If this is replaced
with single cooling water pump with high flow rate pump, which will not only decrease in cost but will
increase exergetic efficiency of the plant.

Table 6:

Exergy Balance and Exergy Destruction Calculation for Steam Power Plant

Equipment Exergy Destruction % age ratio of total loss Exergy Efficiency

(Ed) (MW) (%)
Boiler 36.90 93.97 55.80
Turbine 1.50 3.81 66.50
Surface Condenser 0.34 0.86 62.60
Raw Water Pump 0.00 0.00 52.80
Cooling Water Pump 0.30 0.76 56.90
Boiler Feed Water Pump 0.03 0.08 55.70
Condensate Pump 0.00 0.01 55.50
De-aerator 0.19 0.49 51.30
Overall Plant 39.27 100 57.10

100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
%age

50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
Conden Deaerat
Boiler Turbine RWP CWP BFWP Con WP
ser or
Exergy Loss 93.97 3.81 0.86 0.00 0.76 0.08 0.01 0.49

Fig. 3. Comparison of equipment contributions towards power plant exergetic loss

Different case studies are carried out on Aspen Hysys® to present the parameters contributing towards
increase of exergetic efficiency of the system.

Case Study-1:

Effect of primary air temperature on combustion efficiency:

Fig. 4. represents the case study. This case study is done to demonstrate the consequence of temperature
of primary air on efficiency of combustion. Graph demonstrates the linear relationship b/w primary air
temperature and flue gases production rate. Primary air, before entering into the boiler, is passed through
the air pre-heater where it takes heat from the flue gases coming from economizer-1. As the temperature
of primary air is increased, production rate of flue gases increases showing that increase in temperature
contributes to increased combustion efficiency. Comparatively reduced amount of carbon is un-
combusted, decrease in ash/residue production rate which helps in improved exergetic efficiency of the
boiler.

Case Study-2:

Influence of superheated steam pressure and temperature on steam flow rate:

Fig. 5. presents case study. This case study is done to illustrate the effect of temperature of superheated
steam to turbine inlet on steam turbine poly-tropic efficiency. Graph reflects increase in poly-tropic
efficiency by a considerable margin of 0.3% by increasing steam temperature from 350°C to 450°C.
Currently system is operated at 400°C. Increase in temperature of the system means more superheating it
leads towards better efficiency of steam turbine.

Case Study-3:

Influence of superheated steam pressure and temperature on efficiency of steam turbine:

Fig. 6. presents the case study which is done to illustrate the effect of increasing superheated steam
temperature and pressure on requirement of steam flow rate by steam turbine. Graphs reflects that as
pressure and temperature of superheated steam is increased, steam flow rate requirement by steam turbine
is decreased for producing the same amount of electricity. Increasing temperature and pressure increases
superheating of steam and with reduced steam flow rate, same amount of electricity can be generated.
 1.744E+05 3000
FG Production
1.742E+05
Ash Production
2500
Flue Gases Production (kg/hr)

1.740E+05

Ash Production (kg/hr)

1.738E+05
2000
1.736E+05
1.734E+05 1500
1.732E+05
1000
1.730E+05
1.728E+05
500
1.726E+05
1.724E+05 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Primary Air Temperature (°C)

Fig. 4. Effect of Temperature of Primary Air on Flue Gases & Ash Production

490 15.2
Temperature
Superheated Steam Temperature (°C)

Steam Flow Rate Requirement (kg/h)

480
15
470 Flow Rate

460 14.8

450
14.6
440
14.4
430
420 14.2
410
14
400
390 13.8
50 52 54 56 58 60
Superheated Steam Pressure (bar)

Fig. 5. Influence of superheated steam pressure and temperature on steam flow rate
 490 60.32
Temperature of Superheated Steam In (°C)
480 60.3
Temperature
60.28

Steam Turbine Efficiency (%)

470
Efficiency
60.26
460
60.24
450
60.22
440
60.2
430
60.18
420
60.16
410 60.14
400 60.12
390 60.1
50 52 54 56 58 60
Pressure of Superheated Steam In (bar)

Fig. 6. Effect of temperature & pressure of superheated steam on steam turbine efficiency

4. Conclusion and Recommendations:

As per the exergetic loss analysis, boiler offered the maximum loss through the power house section.
Reduction in this loss can be done by optimization of combustion of rice husk in the furnace, by
optimization of fuel to air ratio which is currently not meeting. Variable Flow device needs to be installed
on the draft fans, and their interlock with incoming feed to be developed to maintain effective air to fuel
ratio. Cascade loop is preferable for such conditions. Ash contains approximately 50% carbon contents,
so special care must be given regarding fuel burning in the furnace. % age excess air currently in the
system is approx. 70-80% which is too high. This high excess air is demonstrated by increase in %age
oxygen in flue gas analysis. This excess air needs to be reduced to greater extent i.e., it should not be
above 10%. Insulation across the furnace and heating parts needs to be improved as it is another factor
towards exergy loss through the boiler. Improvement in insulation of heating surfaces lead to reduction in
exergy loss by a margin of 5%.

Steam turbine also offers exergetic loss in this cycle which is 3.81% with exergetic efficiency of 66.5%.
Just like boiler, it is also operated below its design or standard conditions, i.e., design conditions are 60
bar (g) & 480°C while operating conditions are 49.5 bar (g) & 395°C. It also causes decrease in thermal
efficiency and exergetic efficiency. Just like boiler is operated below its design conditions, turbine
efficiency goes down. As per recommendations, increase in boiler efficiency results in increase of turbine
efficiency. Operating boiler close to its operating conditions will decrease load on boiler, as
comparatively reduced amount of steam is required for the similar electricity generation. Operating
cooling tower with single pump can result in improved exergetic efficiency of the plant. It will result in
improved plant`s net exergetic efficiency, eventually resulting in improved cost of the plant.
Acknowledgement:
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or
not-for-profit sectors.

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