An Exergy Analysis of Novel Power Generation Systems

The present paper describes the application of the exergy method to several power cycles of current interest in the Brazilian power scene. The ability of the exergy method to highlight component irreversibilities is of particular interest in this investigation.In this paper the exergy analysis for a simple gas turbine cycle, a combined gas/steam cycle, a combined gas/steam/freon cycle and a chemically recuperated gas turbine have been performed.As a yardstick for comparison a standard gas turbine engine with and without a steam bottoming cycle has been employed. The fuel considered is natural gas. The analysis of this system has been carried out using the exergy method.For the simple gas turbine cycle a biomass fuel has been employed as an alternative. The attraction of this fuel is its low impact on the environment and its plentiful supply in many regions in Brazil.Copyright © 1998 by ASME