Power plant thermal efficiency

Heat Rate - The ratio of fuel energy input as heat per unit of net work output a measure of a power plant thermal efficiency, generally expressed as Btu per net kilowatt-hour. 

Since the oceans comprise over 70% of the earth s surface area, the absorbed solar energy that is stored as latent heat of the oceans represents a very large potential source of energy. As a result of variation in the density of ocean water with temperature, the ocean water temperature is not uniform with depth. Warm surface ocean water with low density tends to stay on the surface and cold water with high density within a few degree of 4°C tends to settle to the depths of the ocean. In the tropics, ocean surface temperatures in excess of 25° C occur. The combination of the warmed surface water and cold deep water provides two different temperature thermal reservoirs needed to operate a heat engine called OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion). Since the temperature difference of the OTEC between the heat source and the heat sink is small, the OTEC power plant cycle efficiency... 

A nuclear system supply steam may be used to power a steam turbine to produce electricity. This is done in HTR-PM. At reactor outiet temperature of 750°C, the plant thermal efficiency is 40%. 

Data for determining the size of natural-draft towers have been presented by Chilton [Proc. Inst. Elec. Eng., 99,440 (1952)] and Rish and Steel (ASCE Swuposium on Thermal Power Plants, October 19.58). Chilton showed that the duty coefficient Df of a tower is approximately constant over its normal range of operation and is related to tower size by an efficiency factor or performance coefficient as follows ... 

A comparison of the effect of the various cycles on the overall thermal efficiency is shown in Fig. 29-40. The most effective cycle is the Brayton-Ranidne (combined) cycle. This cycle has tremendous potential in power plants and in the process industries where steam turbines are in use in many areas. The initial cost of the combined cycle is between 800- 1200 per kW while that of a simple cycle is about 300- 600 per kW. Repowering of existing steam plants by adding gas turbines can improve tne over plant efficiency of an existing steam turbine plant by as much as 3 to 4 percentage points. 

In a combined cycle plant, high steam pressures do not necessarily convert to a high thermal efficiency for a combined cycle power plant. Expanding the steam at higher steam pressure causes an increase in the moisture content at the exit of the steam turbine. The increase in moisture content creates major erosion and corrosion problems in the later stages of the turbine. A limit is set at about 10% (90% steam quality) moisture content. 

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