Exergetic utilization of solar energy for feed water preheating in a conventional thermal power plant

Abstract

SUMMARYThis communication is based on exergy concept for the utilization of solar thermal energy in a Rankine cycle-based fuel-fired thermal power plant (FFTPP). It has been shown that solar thermal energy as an aided source for feed water preheating helps to reduce the exergy loss in feed water heater (FWH) of Rankine cycle and develops more work than that could have been produced in a solar thermal power plant (STPP). It has been found that this enhancement in work increases for low-pressure FWHs. For further illustration, a case study has been carried out of a typical 50 kW STPP and a 220 MW FFTPP. The effect of utilizing the same input solar thermal energy of typical STPP, if used as an aided source in a 220 MW FFTPP for feed water preheating is investigated. The work output of STPP is 59.312 kW, while the extra work output of FFTPP by using solar thermal energy of STPP is 90.27 kW. It has been found that the efficiency of work conversion of aided solar thermal energy in FFTPP is higher than the efficiency of work conversion in STPP.

Thermodynamic performance evaluation of solar and other thermal power generation systems: A review

“…The exergy losses have a significant effect on environmental impact and can be used as a criterion for assessing the depletion of natural resources [15]. Thermodynamic assessment of any system is incomplete, unless the exergy concept becomes a part of the analysis [15,17,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. Exergy is a generic term for a group of concepts that define the maximum work potential of a system, a stream of matter or a heat interaction; the state of the (conceptual) environment being used as the datum state.…”

“…The main conclusions of all such investigations are that the major energy loss is in the condenser or during heat rejection, while major exergy loss is in the boiler/heat recovery boiler of combined cycle/combustion chamber/solar collector field or associated with heat supply [19][20][21][22][23][24]. Limited literature is available on the exergy analysis of solar thermal power generation systems.…”

Thermodynamic analysis of a solar aided coal-fired power plant

“…Solar energy is one of the most potential renewable energies [1][2][3] , which has been studied for decades and some solar thermal power station has been put into commercial operation in America, South Africa etc. [4][5] . During the "13th Five-Year Plan", more than 20 solar thermal power stations would be built in China.…”

Exergetic and Parametric Study of a Solar Aided Coal-Fired Power Plant

“…Solar thermal power generation attracts most attention, but an integrated solar combined cycle system seems promising since Gupta and Kaushik concluded that heating feedwater of a thermal power plant using solar energy is more efficient than using the same solar energy in a stand-alone solar thermal power plant [7,8]. It can be used to improve system costs and efficiency and to reduce coal consumption and CO 2 emissions as a supplementary energy source in existing coal-fired thermal power plants.…”