Web-Notes 3

Energy Conversion Efficiency

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University

Objective
This module introduces students to heat engines, refrigerators, thermal efficiency and coefficient of performance.

Motivation and Relevance

A thermal power plant, also known as a heat engine, converts chemical energy in fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil into electric power. Nearly sixty percent of the U.S. power generation capacity is fossil fuel based. These power plants are a major source of pollutants and global warming gases that have become core issues in the current debate on the environment and the global climate. Building high efficiency power plants has become an important societal goal for conserving fossil energy resources and reducing adverse impact of fossil fuels on the global environment and climate. Thermodynamic laws govern the heat to work energy transformations in thermal power plants and the knowledge of these laws is important prerequisite for analyzing and improving energy conversion efficiency of these power plants.

Concepts, Definition and Analysis

Thermal Efficiency (th) of a Heat Engine Cycle A cyclical heat engine shown in Fig. 3.1 converts part of the supplied heat (QH) from a high temperature thermal reservoir (TH) into work (Wnet) and the remaining energy QL ( QH-Wnet) is transferred to a low temperature reservoir (TL) as waste heat. In a real life thermal power plant, the thermal reservoir is replaced by a fossil fuel furnace as a source of heat QH. The thermal reservoir TL is generally a lake or a water reservoir or a cooling tower to which the heat engine cycle rejects heat.

The thermal efficiency (th) of a heat engine cycle is defined as,

= =

3.1

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University

Higher efficiency would imply larger output of work and small amount of waste heat (QL).

TH

QH
Wnet QL TL
Figure 3.1 Schematics of a heat engine cycle

Coefficient of Performance (COP) of a Refrigerator or a Heat Pump A refrigerator is a cooling device that operates in a cycle. The net result of the cycle is the removal of heat QL from a low temperature reservoir due to input of work Wnet to the cycle. The total energy QH ( QL+Wnet) is discharged to a thermal reservoir (TH) in form of heat. As shown in Fig. 3.2, in a real life refrigerator, the low temperature interior of the refrigerator acts as the low temperature heat source and the room, where refrigerator is located, acts as the sink for total energy QH. The coefficient of performance of a refrigerator or an air conditioner () can be expressed as

= =

3.2

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University

TH

QH (Heat)

Wnet (Work)

TL
Figure 3.2 Schematics of a refrigerator or a heat pump cycle

If the above device is used as a heat pump for heating purposes (water heating, space heating), the heat QH becomes the relevant or desired outcome of the cycle. In the heat pump mode, house that needs to be maintained at a temperature TH in winter months becomes the thermal reservoir TH. The outdoor air from which heat is pumped out and into the house becomes the low temperature source of heat (TL). The coefficient of performance of the cycle in the heat pumping mode () is defined as

= =

3.3

Since QH = QL + Wnet, substitution in Eq. (3.3) yields,

+ = + = +

3.4

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University

Parameters th, and can also be defined exactly as before but in terms of rate quantities, namely Q H , QL and Wnet .

Exploration
Practical Aspects One may ask what are the typical ranges for efficiency parameters such as th and for real life thermal power plants and refrigerators. It should be noted that current practice is to define power plant efficiency in terms of a parameter known as the heat rate (HR). The heat rate parameter is defined as,

3.5

One notes that HR is defined in an inverse fashion compared to the definition of thermal efficiency (th = Wnet QH ). Furthermore HR is defined in mixed units instead of consistent units as in the th definition. The HR value of most thermal power plants ranges from about 8000 to 14000. A higher value of HR means lower thermal efficiency and vice-versa. In consistent units where Btu/hr is converted into kW, HR values of 8000 and 14000 correspond to about 45% and 28% respectively, for thermal efficiency.

For refrigerators and air conditioners one faces a similar dilemma of mixed units in the definition of the energy efficiency parameter used in the HVAC industry. The terms energy efficiency ratio (EER) or the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) are often used to characterize performance of cooling and heating systems. The parameter EER is defined as the ratio of the heat removed by the air conditioner or refrigerator in BTU/hr and the power required in Watts.

3.6

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University

The seasonally averaged value of EER is designated as SEER. The federal government has established a minimum value for SEER that must be exceeded by products of all manufacturers. Although currently this value is 10, many manufacturers market air conditioners as well as heat pumps with SEER values as high as 20. In consistent units (kW/kW), a SEER value of 10 corresponds to a of about 2.8.

Advanced Concepts The heat rejected in heat engine cycles is known as waste heat. In most power plants this heat is dissipated in a body of water such as a lake or a pond or to the atmosphere through a cooling tower. There have been several schemes proposed to enhance the efficiency of power cycles and reduce the amount of waste heat. One such method involves using a dual power cycle shown schematically in Fig. 3.3. The waste heat from the topping gas power cycle is utilized to generate steam to power the bottoming steam power cycle.

TH QH

Topping Gas Power Cycle

QLI Bottoming Steam Power Cycle

(Wnet)gas

(Wnet)steam QL TL

Figure 3.3 Schematics of the dual power cycle

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University

If the thermal efficiencies of the gas and steam power cycles are (th)gas and (th)steam respectively, the overall efficiency of the dual cycle can be expressed in terms of ( th)gas and (th)steam.

=1

= 1 Or, = 1

= 1

= 1 1 1

=1

= 1 1

Thus.

3.7

Consider an example where (th)gas = 35%, (th)steam = 20%. The overall thermal efficiency of the dual power cycle is, (th)overall = 0.35 +0.2 0.35*0.2 = 0.48 = 48% The dual cycle power plants are currently being built to increase power conversion efficiency and to reduce the amount of waste heat. The downside is that the capital cost of dual cycle power plants is much higher compared to conventional power plants.

Note: Practice problems for this section are provided at the end of Web-notes 4.

Author: Dr. Sushil Chaturvedi Old Dominion University