Exergoenvironmental optimization of Heat Recovery Steam Generators in combined cycle power plant through energy and exergy analysis

Combined cycle power plants (CCPPs) are preferred technology for electricity generation due to less emission and high efficiency. These cycles are made of a gas turbine, a steam turbine and Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). In the present research study, a combined cycle power plant with dual pressure and supplementary firing is selected. The optimum design procedure included designing objective function, exergy destruction per unit of inlet gas to the HRSG subject to a list of constraints. The design parameters (design variables) were drum pressure and pinch temperature difference as well as steam mass flow of HRSG high and low pressure levels. The influence of HRSG inlet gas temperature on the steam cycle efficiency is discussed. The result show increasing HRSG inlet gas temperature until 650 degrees C leads to increase the thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency of the cycle and after that has less improvement and start to decrease them. And also from the exergy analysis of each part of HRSG, it is cleared that the HP-EV and 2st HP-SH have the most exergy destruction respectively. In other hand, effects of HRSG inlet gas temperature on SI (sustainability index) and CO2 emission are considered. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.