Superposition, A Unique Cogeneration Opportunity

Abstract

Industrial steam systems provide opportunities for the economic cogeneration of heat energy and shaft power. Progressive plant owners and managers have utilized these potentials. Too often opportunities are not exploited.

A plant that is expanding, is being substantially modernized, or is converting from petroleum fuels to coal, should carefully examine cogeneration design options. Depending on the thermodynamic condition of throttle steam for its major turbines, a high pressure/temperature power plant may be SUPERPOSED on the existing plant. Extraction/backpressure turbogenerators can exhaust into retained high performance turbines and to process steam loads. They will produce high value, favorably priced power for in-plant use and/or sale to the franchised utility.

The concepts are not new, but increasing tendencies to fuel conversion and the combining of cycles should prompt unique applications. Microcomputer modeling and systems analyses are used to develop examples.