Energy and Exergy Analysis of Thermal Power Plant

Abstract

Energy sector is one of the most important area of the economic development of any country. The ratio of energy available to requirement decreasing day by day around the world due to the increase in population and use of energy consuming equipment. This can be fulfilled by installing new power plants but it needs many years and huge investment. There is another way to decrease gap between demand and supply is to increase the performance of existing plant. The dissertation study deals with the exergy analysis and energy conservation of thermal power plant components. The energy analysis includes energy input, energy utilization, and energy loss and energy efficiency. The exergy analysis includes exergy input, exergy utilization, destruction of exergy, irreversibility of components and exergy efficiency. In present study component wise energy analysis, exergy analysis and coal analysis were carried out for 210 MW Thermal Power Plant. The energy and exergy study of the economizer, air preheater, super heater, reheater, various feed water heaters (four low pressure heaters and three high pressure heaters) and turbine of the plant have been carried out using the mass, energy and exergy balance. The first law efficiency (energy efficiency) and the second law efficiency (exergy efficiency) of these components were determined. Ultimate and proximate analysis of coal was carried out and based on that boiler first law efficiency is determined using direct and indirect method. Boiler efficiency found using direct and indirect method is almost similar. Based on indirect method study, dry flue gas loss and moisture loss is found to be maximum. The reason for this is rejection of exhaust gas at high temperature due to environmental constraint and more moisture content in thecoal and air. First law efficiency of components of the thermal power plant is found more than 80%. Similarly second law efficiency of components are found more than 60%. Many components second law efficiency is found to be more than 80%. It is indicates that thermal power plant components are operating satisfactorily and thus plant’s performance is also quite good.