True steam prices

Whenever possible, true steam prices should be set in the very early stages to foster plant energy efficiency. With steam priced based on its cost, engineers and operators will strive to reduce energy operating cost and identify beneficial... 

DETERMINING TRUE STEAM PRICES TABLE 17.4. Comparison of Steam Prices... 

The critical question for enthalpy-based, work-based, and FE-based stem pricing methods is Do the steam prices from these methods reflect the true costs The question can be answered the best with the following example. 

For tackling this challenge, the method based on marginal analysis can indicate true steam costs at point of use. The reason why the marginal price method (Chapter 17) can provide the true steam cost is that it is based on the last incremental amount of steam saved or generated. Determination of marginal steam prices relies on an overall steam and power balance model, which takes into account the effects from steam balances. 

There is usually little problem in obtaining capital costs from the vendors, but operating costs cure often more difficult to establish. This is particularly true if the equipment utilizes an unconventional form of "fuel (such as steam, waste heat or a pressure drop) instead of or in conjunction with the more common fuels (such as coal, oil, or electricity). Not only can it be more difficult to price accurately the unconventional fuels, but also variations in the rate at which these fuels cure used may have significant impact on the flows and balances in the rest of the plant, of which the equipment is to be a part. 

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