Abstract
The use of various biofuels, usually of relatively small Lower Heating Value (LHV), affects the gas turbine efficiency. The present paper shows that applying the proposed air by-pass system of the combustor at the turbine exit causes tan increase of efficiency of the turbine cycle increased by a few points. This solution appears very promising also in combined gas/steam turbine power plants. The comparison of a turbine set operating according to an open cycle with partial bypassing of external combustion chamber at the turbine exit (a new solution) and, for comparison, a turbine set operating according to an open cycle with a regenerator. The calculations were carried out for different fuels: gas from biomass gasification (LHV = 4.4 MJ/kg), biogas (LHV = 17.5 MJ/kg) and methane (LHV = 50 MJ/kg). It is demonstrated that analyzed solution enables construction of several kW power microturbines that might be used on a local scale. Such turbines, operated by prosumer’s type of organizations may change the efficiency of electricity generation on a country-wide scale evidently contributing to the sustainability of power generation, as well as the economy as a whole.
Highlights
An increase in the demand for energy and its carriers, as well as the growing legal requirements in the aspect of harmful emissions cause [1,2,3] the necessity to continuously increase the share of energy from renewable sources [4,5,6]
If the fuel of low value of Lower Heating Value (LHV) is used in gas turbine units, the mass flow flow rate of a turbine exhaust air can be remarkably higher than mass flow rate of compressor air
For biomass fuel, the variant with the external combustion chamber (V2) appears worse than the classic turbine set with the regenerator (V1)
Summary
An increase in the demand for energy and its carriers, as well as the growing legal requirements in the aspect of harmful emissions cause [1,2,3] the necessity to continuously increase the share of energy from renewable sources [4,5,6]. The observed dynamic changes in the structure of the electricity mix are caused, among others, by changes in the development strategy of individual countries, which are motivated by principles of sustainable development and, as a consequence, climate policy being an indispensable element of planning reforms in the power sector [23] This leads to a visible increase in the number of prosumer generation centers being built ( biogas production plants/biorefineries with polygeneration devices) [24,25]. Turbines burning biofuels in external combustion chambers arouse particular interest In this solution, clean air flows in compressor and turbine during the whole period of operation. If the fuel of low value of Lower Heating Value (LHV) is used in gas turbine units, the mass flow flow rate of a turbine exhaust air can be remarkably higher than mass flow rate of compressor air.
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