Volume 4: Innovative Solutions for Energy Transitions: Part III

Thermodynamics Analysis and Performance Optimization of a Reheat – Regenerative Steam Turbine Power Plant with Feed Water Heaters Oyedepo, S.O, Fakeye B. A, Mabinuori, B, Babalola, P.O, Leramo, R.O, Kilanko, O, Dirisu J, O, Udo, M, Efemwenkiekie U. K, Oyebanji J.A

Abstract

Steam power plants have a huge potential to meet the growing energy demand but its viability has been hampered by its dependence on conventional fossil fuels. One of the ways to minimize fuel consumption and improve effectiveness of thermal power plant is by introducing feed water heaters (FWHs). In this study, thermodynamics performance analysis of a reheatregenerative steam power plant was carried out using CyclePad version 2 software. The impact of the available feed water heaters on the functionality indices of the selected power was examined. Results of the study show that as the number of feed water heater increases from one to ten, the thermal efficiency and boiler efficiency improve from 42.17% to 45.97% and 79% to 96.4 %, respectively. While the fuel consumption, heat rejected to condenser, heat rate and heat input to the power cycle decreases from 9.697 kg/s to 4.686 kg/s, 209.32 kJ/kg to 129.68 kJ/kg, 8536.87 kJ/kWh to 8318.48 kJ/kWh and 361.11 kJ/kg to 237.98 kJ/kg, respectively. This implies decrease in operation cost of the plant and environmental impacts can be achieved by increasing the number of FWHs. Hence, the importance of FWH revamp performance of steam turbine power plant is established.

Keywords Thermal efficiency, feed water heater, performance optimization, specific steam consumption, heat input, thermodynamic analysis