COGENERATION

Complex Problem
 Steam available at different levels
 Cooling system
 Steam use/generation in processes
 Interaction between processes and utility
system
 Interaction between processes through steam
mains
 Cogeneration
 What is Cogeneration?
• Production of useful heat and power from the
same heat source

• Power can be the generation of electricity or

shaft work driving a process machine
(e.g. steam turbine driving a compressor)

• The by-product heat must be useful - making

steam to drive a condensing turbine is not
cogeneration
 Benefits of Cogeneration
• The most efficient way to produce heat and
power
• Large energy savings (overall)
• Lower emissions of greenhouse and other gases
• Lower energy costs
Motives to introduce cogeneration and
improve the utility system:
• Energy cost reduction
• Increased demands on utility system
• New processes
• Process shutdown
• Replacement of old utility plant
• Reduction of flue gas emissions
• Utility security
 Summary:

• Site utility systems involve complex

interactions.
• Cogeneration is often an important feature of
utility systems.
• There are many options for improvement and
we need a structured approach.
 Steam Systems
 Steam Used Extensively on Most Sites
• indirect heating
• direct heating (live steam)
• vacuum ejectors
• stripping agent in distillation
• diluent in reactors
• atomizing fluid
• steam turbines
 Steam Systems: Why is steam used so
extensively for process heating?
• energy can be generated at one point and distributed
• convenient form to transfer energy around
• high heat content (latent heat)
• temperature easy to control through change in pressure
• can be used to generate mechanical energy (motive
power) locally (steam turbines, vacuum ejectors)
• safe
• cheap
 Steam Systems
 Major components of the steam system
• boiler feed water treatment
• steam boilers
• steam turbines (next lecture)
• steam distribution
• steam users
 Steam Systems
1. BOILER FEEDWATER TREATMENT
 Principal problems with raw water
• suspended solids
• dissolved solids
• dissolved salts
• dissolved gases (oxygen and carbon
dioxide)
1. BOILER FEEDWATER TREATMENT
 2. STEAM BOILERS

 Many different types, depends on:

• steam pressure
• steam output
• fuel type
 Types of steam boilers:
• Fire-Tube (Shell) Boilers
• Water-Tube Boilers
• Fluidized-Bed Boiler
 2. STEAM BOILERS

• 100 barg Power generation

• 40 barg Normal maximum pressure for distribution
• 40-10 barg Conventional distribution pressure levels
• 5-1.5 barg Low pressure steam from HP/MP steam or
from waste heat
 Boiler Blowdown
• Build-up of solids in boiler causes fouling and
corrosion in the boiler and carry-over of solids
to steam system.
• Total dissolved solids (TDS) and silica (SiO2)
are both important.
• Remove solids in boiler by blowdown.
Boiler Blowdown
Steam Boiler Efficiency
3. STEAM TURBINES
 3. STEAM TURBINES

 Use low pressure steam rather than high

pressure:
• allows power generation in steam turbines
• higher latent heat at lower pressure
• lower capital cost heat transfer equipment
and pipe work
4. STEAM DISTRIBUTION
 4. STEAM DISTRIBUTION

• normally distribute with several levels

• letdown stations control the mains pressure (with
boiler feed water injection for desuperheating)
• normal maximum pressure for distribution around
40 bar
• heat losses in distribution can be 10% to 20% of
fuel fired in boiler
5. STEAM USERS
 5. STEAM USERS
• needs steam trap (opens to allow water to
pass but closes to prevent steam passing)
• steam trap should preferably also let any
trapped air to pass
 Steam trap
 Good practice to recover flash steam
 Summary
• Steam system an important feature of most
sites.
• Many different designs of steam boilers.
• Condensate return and flash steam recovery
important features of the steam system.
 Working Session

A small package fire-tube boiler has make-up water which

contains 750 ppm dissolved solids. The steam system
operates with 50% condensate return. Estimate the
blowdown rate. Assume the maximum limit for the total
dissolved solids (TDS) is 4,500 ppm.
Solution
 Solution
 Overall mass balance: M + CR = B + E = F
M = F – CR
 TDS balance: M.x. + CR.0 = F.s = B.c + E.0
M.x = F.s = B.c
(F - CR).x = B.c
and CR = 0.5E
(F – 0.5E) .x = B.c
(E + B – 0.5E).x = B.c
(0.5E + B).x = B.c
0.5E.x = B.c – B.x
B = (0.5)x
E (c – x)