Combined energetic and exergetic assessment of a biomass-based integrated power and refrigeration plant

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Abstract

In this study, an integrated power and refrigeration plant, based on biomass gasification, has been modeled and analyzed. The producer gas generated by gasification of solid biomass undergoes full combustion in a combustor-heat exchanger (CHX) and heats up compressed air for an indirectly heated gas turbine (GT) cycle. The waste heat of the CHX exhaust is further recovered in a recovery boiler to produce steam for the generator of an absorption refrigeration (VAR) unit. Energetic and exergetic assessments have been performed for this integrated plant. Major plant parameters, viz. GT cycle pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature were varied to find optimized plant configuration. The results show that at a GT cycle pressure ratio 10, the plant yields highest electrical efficiency of 27% when the GT inlet air temperature is 1100 °C. At this point, the plant has the lowest cooling-to–power ratio (CTPR, value being 1.18), although this point also gives best exergetic performance; with a combined exergetic efficiency of 27.6%. The plant also gives lowest exergetic specific biomass consumption of 0.7 kg/kWh and highest fuel energy savings ratio of about 45% at the same point.

Keywords

Biomass Gasification Exergy Power Vapor absorption refrigeration Efficiency 

Abbreviations

ABS

Absorber

AHX

Air heat exchanger

C

Compressor

CHX

Combustor-heat exchanger

COMB

Combustor

CON

Condenser

EVP

Evaporator

FP

Feed pump

GASF

Gasifier

GEN

Generator

GT

Gas turbine

RB

Recovery boiler

RCT

Rectifier

REV

Refrigerant expansion valve

RHX

Refrigerant heat exchanger

SEV

Solution expansion valve

SHX

Solution heat exchanger

SP

Solution pump

VAR

Vapor absorption refrigeration

Greek symbols

β

Ratio of fuel exergy to the LHV

η

Efficiency

λ

Air–fuel equivalence ratio

Symbols

cp

Specific heat, kJ/kg-K

COP

Coefficient of performance

CTPR

Cooling-to–power ratio

ECOP

Exergetic coefficient of performance

Ex

Exergy rate, kW

ExD

Exergy destruction rate, kW

ExSBC

Exergetic specific biomass consumption, kg/kWh

FESR

Fuel energy saving ratio,  %

LHV

Lower heating value, kJ/kg

m

Mass flow rate, kg/s

p

Pressure, bar

PR

Pressure ratio of gas turbine cycle

Q

Rate of heat transfer, kW

s

Specific entropy, kJ/kg-K

T

Temperature,  °C

TIT

Turbine inlet temperature,  °C

W

Power, kW

Subscripts

a

Air

b

Biomass

B

Boiler

C

Compressor

e

Electrical

ex

Exergetic

fg

Flue gas

FP

Feed pump

G

Electricity generator

i

Isentropic

in

Input

mc

Mechanical

ov

Overall

pg

Producer gas

R

Refrigeration

ref

Reference

SP

Solution pump

1, 2…
Represent state points in Fig. 1
Fig. 1

Schematic of the integrated power and refrigeration plant

o

Dead state

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Notes

Acknowledgements

The first author acknowledges the support provided by the Thermal Simulation and Computation (TSC) Lab at Mechanical Engineering Department of IIEST, Shibpur for carrying out the research work.

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Copyright information

© The Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Mechanical EngineeringIndian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, ShibpurHowrahIndia

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