Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Department of Mechanical, Electrical & Environmental Engineering


MAJOR COURSEWORK - A


COURSEWORK TITLE: Feasibility study of Combined Gas-Vapour Power Plant

Module Title & Code: Energy Conversion Technologies (M3J920502)

Hand-out Date Friday 7
th
March 2014

HANDIN DATE: TUESDAY 22
nd
April 2014





Important Note: This Coursework carries a maximum of 50% of the total mark of
the Energy Conversion Technologies (M3J920502) module

Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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Important Information: Please read this carefully before you start your coursework
Dear student,
Last year the module team experienced a number of cases of suspected plagiarism/cheating in
relation to ECT coursework. This manifested itself in many different forms; namely:
Some students took the whole coursework report of another person and transformed it
in some way, for example by changing the font or layout, and then handed it in as
their own assignment.
Some students took bits from two or three assignments and patched them together.
Some students willingly allowed others to copy their own coursework. The fact that
you willingly allow somebody to copy your work means you have committed an
offence (collusion).
Others commissioned some web sites agencies and presented this as their own work.
All cases of suspected plagiarism were thoroughly investigated and, where an offence had
occurred, the appropriate penalty was imposed. This was either resubmission of the
coursework or reduction in the mark for the coursework up to and including a mark of zero.
For the major offences the cases were referred to a Plagiarism Assessor, via the Academic
Secretariat.
It isn't surprising that students sometimes find the world of assessment confusing. At times
we expect them to demonstrate the key skills of working together and sharing good practice
and then at other times we blame them for sharing ideas when we want them to work as
individuals
1
. As a module team we encourage the students to work together to discuss the
coursework and learn from each other however, our requirement is that each student MUST
SUBMIT AN INDIVIDUAL COURSEWORK reflecting their understanding in their
own words and style.
We have already stated few examples, and that by no means is comprehensive, of cheating
and suspected plagiarism and what it means in practice trying to make you aware of what
cheating and plagiarism entail. Further Information on plagiarism and how to avoid it can
be found at: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/student/coursework/regulations/plagiarism/

If you are subsequently unsure about any aspect of what is expected for academic
writing, you will consult with one of the Academic Development Tutors in the Learning
Development Centre (M534), a librarian, or another appropriate member of staff.

Kind Regards
Prof M El-Sharif
1.http://jisctechdis.ac.uk/assets/Documents/resources/database/id430_cheating_and_plagiarism.pdf

Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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COURSEWORK
Coursework Title: Feasibility Study of Combined Gas-Vapour Power Plant
Assigned date: Friday 7
th
March 2014 Due date: TUESDAY 22nd April 2014
The coursework should be completed individually. The report should be
typed and it should not exceed 25 pages.
Total maximum mark is 50% of your Energy Conversion Technologies
(M3J920502) module final mark.
Introduction:
The past two decades have seen a technical revolution in the power generation industry.
This has been driven by rapid developments in gas turbine technology, the large-scale use
worldwide of natural gas as a fuel, and the increased level of awareness concerning the
consequences of environmental pollution. Since the early 1990s, thermal efficiencies of
the best power stations have risen from 40% to 55% and are now approaching an
astonishing 60%. These very high efficiencies are usually achieved by using a gas turbine
to top a steam cycle, the so-called combined-cycle power plant
2
.
Gas-turbine cycles typically have higher operating temperatures than vapour cycles. For a
modern steam power plant the maximum fluid temperature at the turbine inlet is about
600 C, but over 1500 C for gas-turbine power plants. Recent developments in cooling
turbine blades and temperature-resistant materials (ceramics) made it possible to use such
high operating temperatures. In gas-turbine cycles the average temperature at which heat
is supplied is very high, and hence it has a great potential for higher thermal efficiencies,
but, gas leaves the turbine at very high temperatures of around 500 C, which demolishes
the potential gain in thermal efficiency.

As a result of this disadvantageous characteristic of the gas-turbine cycle it is possible to
take advantage of the high temperature exhaust gases as energy source for a bottoming
cycle such as a steam power cycle. The resultant power plant is known as the combined
gas-steam power cycle. In this cycle, energy recovery occurs by a heat exchanger, which
transfers the hot exhaust gases into steam. In general practice, the sufficient heat is
supplied by more than one turbine and the steam cycle might involve regeneration as well
as reheating.

Innovative technological developments in turbine design made the combined gas-steam
power cycle economically very attractive. This cycle increases the efficiency without
increasing the initial cost greatly. For this reason, many new power plants operate on
combined cycles, and many more existing gas or steam turbine plants are being converted
to combined power cycles. Industrial statistics show that thermal efficiencies well over
55% are achieved because of the conversion.




2. http://to.eng.cam.ac.uk/teaching/courses/projects/yr3_proj/descriptions/proj_GA1.html

Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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Coursework Statement:
A Pulp and paper production plant generates its own power using a plant based on the
Brayton cycle shown in Figure 1. The facilities at the plant require a reliable electric
power supply. The power demand is expected to increase to 34MW due to the planned
expansion. The engineer working on the project proposal to increase the existing capacity
left the company for a new position. However, before leaving he/she has submitted three
possible draft proposals as listed below, with no supporting calculations or conclusions,
on how to increase the capacity of the existing power plant to meet the future demand.
The company has hired you as a consultant engineer to investigate the feasibility of the
three proposals and to present your recommendation in a report with supporting analysis
and calculations as stated under the Requirements section (please see the end of this
coursework).
Information related to the existing Brayton cycle:

The Brayton gas power cycle shown in Figure1 uses air as the working fluid. The cycle
has a pressure ratio of 13.5. The air enters the compressor at 300K and the turbine at
1700K. The mass flow rate of air is 50kg/s, and the turbine and compressor each has an
isentropic efficiency of 90%. The air can be treated as an ideal gas with variable specific
heats.
Important Note:
Please note that Ideal Gas Properties of Air were provided as part of your
ECT Part A Distance Learning Pack:
Appendix 1: PROPERTY TABLES AND CHARTS (SI UNITS) (Table A17)
Index to Tables in SI Units (TABLE A-22)



















Figure1. The Existing Brayton gas power cycle

Compressor
Shaft
Fuel


Combustion
Chamber
Atmospheric
Air
Exhaust
Gases
1

3

4
Turbine
2
Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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The three possible draft proposals

Proposal I:
The first proposed plant modification is that the combustion gases leaving the gas turbine
are used to heat the steam to 520
o
C in a simple Rankine cycle as shown in Figure
Proposal I . The Rankine cycle operates between the pressure limits of 8 MPa and 10kPa.
The combustion gases leave the heat exchanger at 450K. The isentropic efficiency of the
pump is 85 %, and that of the steam turbine is 87 %.























Figure Proposal I


Proposal II:

The second proposal of plant modification is that the combustion gases leaving the gas
turbine are used to pre-heat the steam to 520
o
C in a heat exchanger as shown in Figure
6
Pump
8
Heat exchanger
7
9
Compressor
Shaft
Fuel


Combustion
Chamber
Atmospheric
Air
Exhaust
Gases
1
Steam
Turbine
PT
2
3
4
5
Turbine
Condenser
Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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Proposal I I . The steam then goes through a boiler and is heated to 700 C before entering
the high pressure turbine. Steam exits the high pressure turbine at 1 MPa and is reheated
to 520 C. The exhaust from the low pressure turbine is at 100 C. Water enters the pump
as saturated liquid at 10kPa and leaves at 8MPa. The isentropic efficiency of the pump is
85 %, and that of the high pressure turbine is 87 %.























Figure Proposal II
Proposal III:

The third proposed plant modification to the existing Brayton cycle is shown in Figure
Proposal I I I . The proposal suggests that the addition of reheat Rankine cycle that will
utilise the turbine exhaust gas as a source of heat by transferring it to the steam in a heat
exchanger that serves as the boiler. The data for the reheat-regenerative Rankine cycle
are:
Steam is heated in heat exchanger at a rate of 7.51 kg/s by the exhaust gases
9
6
Pump
10
Heat exchanger
7
11
12
Compressor
Shaft
Fuel


Combustion
Chamber
Atmospheric
Air
Exhaust
Gases
1
LPT HPT
2
3
4
5
Turbine
Condenser
Boiler
Q
in

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Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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leaving the gas turbine at the rate of 50kg/s.
The exhaust gases leave the heat exchanger at 197C.
Steam enters and leaves the first turbine (HPT) at 8.0 MPa and 1.0 MPa
respectively.
Steam is reheated to 400C in the heat exchanger before it expands in the low
pressure turbine (LPT).
The pressure in the condenser is 10.0 kPa. The steam exit the condenser as a
saturated liquid
The isentropic efficiency of the pump is 85 %, and 87% for each turbine (HPT &
LPT)

























Figure Proposal III

8
6
Pump
9
Heat exchanger
7
10
11
Compressor
Shaft
Fuel


Combustion
Chamber
Atmospheric
Air
Exhaust
Gases
1
LPT HPT
2
3
4
5
Turbine
Condenser
Prof El-Sharif, Mahmoud: ECT (M3J920502): COURSEWORK A (2013 2014)

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REQUIREMENTS:

Consider the three proposals. Apply engineering modelling compatible with that used in
your course of study (ECT module) for Rankine cycles and air-standard analysis of gas
turbines. Write a final report justifying your specifications together with supporting
calculations and conclusions.

1. For the original Brayton cycle:
a) Assumptions
b) Net power output
c) Thermal efficiency
d) Draw a T-S diagram, and collect all the results into a table

2. FOR EACH PROPOSAL:
a) Assumptions
b) Net power output
c) Thermal efficiency
d) Draw a T-S diagram, and collate all the results into a table
e) Determine the moisture content at the exit of steam turbine of proposal I
and low-pressure turbine (LPT) for proposals II and III

3. Discuss the significant impact of moisture content on operation of steam turbines
and make recommendation on how to avoid the damage caused by the high
moisture content in steam turbines.
Report structure and marks distribution (Important)
It is an engineering report and should follow the following structure:

I ntroduction: a brief review on recent development of the Combined
Gas-Vapour Power Plant listing their advantages and disadvantages.
(5 marks)
Analysis:
Justifying the assumptions and simplifications. (8 marks)
Control volumes and calculations. (82 marks)
Plots (12 marks)
Tables (8 marks)
Discussions on the proposals results. (15 marks)
Recommendations and suggestions. (15 marks)

Conclusions and summaries. (5 marks)

Total Mark: 150 marks (100%)