Accepted Manuscript

Research Paper

Energy and exergy analyses of natural gas-fired boilers in a district heating sys-
tem

Meryem Terhan, Kemal Comakli

PII: S1359-4311(17)30927-4
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.04.091
Reference: ATE 10240

To appear in: Applied Thermal Engineering

Received Date: 11 February 2017

Accepted Date: 20 April 2017

Please cite this article as: M. Terhan, K. Comakli, Energy and exergy analyses of natural gas-fired boilers in a district
heating system, Applied Thermal Engineering (2017), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.04.091

This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers
we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and
review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process
errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Energy and exergy analyses of natural gas-fired boilers in a district heating system

Meryem Terhana,*, Kemal Comakli

a
Department of Mechanical Engineeering, Engineering and Arhitecture Faculty, Kafkas University, 36100, Kars, Turkey

Abstract

In this study, energy and exergy analyses of natural gas fired boilers in a district heating system are

performed. Mass, energy and exergy balance equations are formed for the boilers and its

components. In the boilers, energy or heat losses are examinated, and the biggest of these is

identified as the heat loss of flue gases. Energy and exergy efficiencies of the heating system are

researched, and the energy, exergy flow diagrams are illustrated by specifying locations of

irreversibilities. According to the results of the analyses, the ratio of flue gas energy and exergy

losses in the boilers are 16.81% and 6.14%, respectively. The energy and exergy efficiences of the

boilers are found to be 82% and 32.78%. The location, where the maximum of the irreversibility in

the boilers is noticed as combustion chamber, and adiabatic combustion temperature is calculated as

1846 °C.

Keywords: energy analysis, exergy analysis, district heating system, boilers, exergy efficiency, irreversibility

1. Introduction

Energy consumption is the most important indicator that demonstrates country’s development

degree. As a result of population growth, urbanization, industrialization and technological

developments, the energy consumption has been quickly increased. The fast upward trend is

emerged vital environmental problems such as pollution and greenhouse effect. At the moment,

*Corresponding author. Tel: +904742251150

Email adresses: meryembalcin83@hotmail.com (M.Terhan), kcomakli@hotmail.com (K.Comakli)
while eighty percent of electricity is generated from coal, petroleum, fuel oil and natural gas, twenty

percent of its is just obtained from different sources like hidrolic, nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal

and biogas [1]. As the energy consumption with industrial development is fastly increased, the

energy sources especially like fossil fuels are very quickly consumed. Optimum benefit from these

decreasing sources is an obligance to alive and continue life in good quality [2].

District heating system is widespread in many cold regions in the world. It has been increasingly

spread on the various countries such as Germany, Denmark, Holland, Sweden and Russia since at

the beginning of 20th century. The district heating system is based space heating and hot water

services in an extensive area, which consists of many buildings and a Heating Plant. The district

heating is more efficiency in the use of the energy sources than other heating systems [3; 4]. In

Turkey, 34% of the total the energy consumption is used in building sector, and this percent is great

when compared to the other sectors such as transportation, industry, and agriculture. Therefore;

energy efficiency systems are very important in the building sector for Turkey and the other

countries [5].

In optimum benefit from decreasing energy sources, waste heat recovery is taken center stage. The

advantages of the waste heat recovery can be classified two categories as direct and in-direct

advantages. The direct advantages are reduction of consumption and cost; the in-direct advantages

are consist of decreasing pollution and dimension equipments such as fan, stack and air channels

[6].

Recently, exergy analysis has been thought an important tool in engineering field. For permanent of

sustainable development, both quality and quantity of the energy are required to evaluation

together. During a reversible process, when a system comes to the balance with chemical

2
composition, pressure and temeperature of reference environment, the maximum work can be

produced. What defined as the exergy it is this [7].

In real process, the some part of the exergy is always disappear, and total energy input is always

much more than total exergy output. The cause of the this imbalance is the exergy destruction,

which defines as irreversibility. As the size, type and location of the waste or loss are facilitated to

determine, the exergy method is a benefit tool in use the more efficiently of the energy sources [3].

Saidur et al. [8] studied the energy and exergy analyses in the industrial boilers. In their study,

several energy saving methods were investigated such as variable speed drive in boiler’s fan and the

heat recovery from flue gas. They have decided that combustion chamber is the major contributor

for the exergy destruction followed by heat exchanger of a boiler system. In their study, the boiler’s

energy and exergy efficiencies were calculated as 72.46% and 24.89%, respectively. Comakli and

Yuksel [9] conducted a thermoeconomic analysis for the super-heated boilers in the district heating

system of Ataturk University. As a result of the analysis, they calculated thermoeconomic variables

for the boiler. Because the exergy efficiency is low in the boiler, they obtained that big differences

between the variables such as fuel cost and product cost. The energy and exergy analyses were done

by Pattanayak and Ayyagari [10] in a 500 MW coal-fired boiler. According to the results of

analyses, the heat loss ratio of flue gases, the energy and exergy efficiencies in boiler were found as

13%, 85% and 41%, respectively. They indicated that the more fifty percent of total irreversibility

in the boiler.

The physical and chemical exergetic analysis of the steam boilers was conducted by Ohijeagbon et

al. [11]. To do the mass, energy and exergy analyses, they developed a methodology for evaluating

the thermodynamic properties, the energy and exergy input and output resources in the industrial

steam boilers. In their study, the energy and exergy efficiences obtained for the entire boiler were

3
69.56% and 38.57% at standard reference state temperature of 25 °C for an evaporation ratio of 12.

The energy and exergy analyses of the boilers were investigated by Kumar et al. [12] in a power

plant. In their study, the boiler’s exergy efficiency and ratio of the exergy destruction were found as

36.78% and 63.22%, respectively. Yazici [13] examined the energy and exergy analyses of Afyon

Geothermal District Heating System in Turkey. According to the results of the analyses, the energy

and exergy efficiencies were 46.17% and 60.63% in his study. For all of the system and each

component in the system, the balance and efficiency equations of the the energy and exergy were

formed. In the study, the energy and exergy flow’s diagrams were illustrated.

In this study, the energy and exergy analyses are investigated the natural gas fired boilers in the

district heating system of a university. The balance equations of the mass, energy and exergy are

formed. Besides, the energy and exergy efficiencies are calculated. Exergy Grassman diagrams and

energy Sankey diagrams of the boilers are illustrated. In the boilers, the locations of the

irrevesibility are indicated. The closed formula of natural gas is calculated to offset combustion

reaction. The complete combustion reaction of natural gas is formed with dry air in the boiler’s

combustor.

2. System description

In this study, the energy and exergy analyses are conducted for the natural gas fired boilers in the

district heating system of a university, located in Erzurum, which is one of the coldest cities in

Turkey. In the district heating system, three natural gas fired super-heated water boilers, which have

1,200,000.0 kcal/h equal capacity of each one have existed. Produced super-heated water in boilers

has been used for space heating and domestic hot water supply in buildings on the campus area. The

average pressure in primary network (180 /110 °C) is 15 bar, while in the secondary network (90/70

°C), the pressure depends on the atmosphere pressure. In one season, approximately 12,024,262.0

4
m3/year natural gas has been consumed in the heating system. The daily fuel consumption

measurements of the system have been taken for last five years. The monthly fuel consumptions of

the system are shown in Fig.1. To do combustion analysis, the measurements of fuel chemical

composition are taken from Regional Natural Gas Company.

Fig. 1. Monthly fuel consumptions of the system

3. Theoretical analysis

For analyses of the boilers in the system, the following assumptions are done:

- The mass, energy and exergy balances equations at steady state for the material flows in the boiler

are obtained with negligible potential and kinetic energy changes.

- In exergy analysis, the temperature and pressure of dead (environmental) state are taken as P o=1

atm and To=25 ºC.

- The flue gases outside from the boiler are assumed to be ideal gases.

- In the combustion analysis, the reaction of the combustion in the boilers is complete combustion

with dry air.

- In the energy and exergy analysis, the lower heating value (LHV) of the fuel is used [11;14].

5
3.1. Energy analysis of boiler

A boiler can be divided into two components as combustion chamber and heat exchanger. In the

Fig. 2, these components are shown. The balance equation of the energy in the boilers is given as:

. . . .
E fuel   EW  E fg  ES (1)

where Efuel is fuel energy, and according to the lower heating value of fuel can be calculated as:

. .
E fuel  V fuel  H u (2)

In Eq. (2), Hu is lower heating value of fuel.

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of combustion chamber and heat exchanger in the boiler

The equation of the energy transferred to water from the boiler is given as:

.
 EW  mW  CP,W  (TWO  TWI ) (3)

6
In Eq. (1), ES=QS is indicated the heat loss from boiler’s out surfaces to environmet. In his study,

Comakli was taken as percent of 0,5-1 the ratio of this heat loss of the input energy [15]. In Eq. (1),

Efg is shown transferred energy from boiler to flue gases. The heat energy of the flue gases is

consisted of sensible heat energy and latent heat energy, which occurs in the cause of water vapour

in flue gases. These heat energies can be obtained by using the following formulas:

E fgsen  n fg  c p fg  (T fg  To ) (4)

E fglat  (n fg  xH 2O )  Ma H 2O  l (5)

In Eq. (4) and (5), To is temperature of environment and, l is latent evaporation heat of water vapor.

The energy efficiency of the boiler can be calculated as:

 W  CP ,W  (TWO  TWI )
m
I  .
(6)
V fuel  H u

3.2. Combustion analysis of natural gas as fuel in boiler

Natural gas consists of gas mixture such as methane, ethane, propane, butane, nitrogen etc. In Table

1, how to calculate closed formula of the natural gas are shown according to gas mixtures in fuel.

The complete combustion reaction of natural gas with dry air in the boiler’s combustor is stated as:

C(x +2y+3z+4t+5u+6d+f) H (4x+6y+8z+10t+12u+14d)O2 f N 2e  a(O2  3.76 N 2 )  CO2  H 2O  N 2  O2 (7)

    
fuel air flue gases

The flue gases (products) consists of CO2, H2O, O2 and N2. In the Eq.(7), λ is excess air ratio. Mole

numbers of the products can be calculated as:

7
  nCO  ( x  2 y  3z  4t  5u  6d  f )
2
(8)

  nH O  (2 x  3 y  4 z  5t  6u  7d )
2
(9)

Table 1. Calculation of natural gas closed formula

Chemical Mole fraction Closed formula

formula
Methane CH4 x
Ethane C2H6 y C x+2y+3z+4t+5u+6d+f
Propane C3H8 z
Butane C4H10 t H 4x+6y+8z+10t+12u+14d
Pentane C5H12 u
Hexane C6H14 d O 2f
Nitrogen N2 e
Carbon CO2 f N 2e
dioxide

a  (2x  3.5 y  5z  6.5t  8u  9.5d ) (10)

  nO  (  1)  (2 x  3.5 y  5z  6.5t  8u  9.5d )

2
(11)

  nN2    (7.52 x  13.16 y  18.8z  24.44t  30.08u  35.72d )  e (12)

Total mole number of flue gases is shown as:

n fg  nO2  nCO2  nH2O  nN2 (13)

The mole fraction and molar spesific heat at constant pressure of each component in flue gases such

as carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrogen and oxygen can be obtained by using the following

formulas [16].

8
Carbon dioxide,

nCO2
xCO2  (14)
n fg

c pCO2  22.26  5.981  102  (T fg )  3.501 105  (T fg2 )  7.469  109  (T fg3 ) (15)

Water vapor,

n H 2O
x H 2O  (16)
n fg

c pH2O  32.24  0.1923 10 2  (T fg )  1.055 10 5  (T fg2 )  3.595 10 9  (T fg3 ) (17)

Nitrogen,

n N2
x N2  (18)
n fg

c p N2  28.90  0.1571  102  (T fg )  0.8081  105  (T fg2 )  2.873  109  (T fg3 ) (19)

and oxygen,

nO2
xO2  (20)
n fg

c pO2  25.48  1.520  102  (T fg )  0.7155  105  (T fg2 )  1.312  109  (T fg3 ) (21)

In the equations, Tfg is flue gases temperature. Average molar spesific heat of flue gases is
expressed as:

c p fg  c pCO2  ( xCO2 )  c pO2  ( xO2 )  c pH2O  ( xH2O )  c pN2  ( xN2 ) (22)

9
Ma fg  xCO2  MaCO2  x H 2O  Ma H 2O  xO2  MaO2  x N2  Ma N2 (23)

Based on the law of mass conversation, flue gases mass per unit of time is equal to total of fuel and

air masses per unit of time. These equations are derived as [16]:

. . .
m fuel  mair  m fg (24)

Molecular mass of the fuel, air and flue gases are obtained as:

Ma fuel  ( x  Ma CH4 )  ( y  Ma C2H6 )  ( z  Ma C3H8 )  (t  Ma C4H10 )

 (u  Ma C5H12 )  (d  Ma C6H14 )  (e  Ma N2 )  ( f  MaCO2 ) (25)

Ma air  MaO2  xO2  Ma N2  x N2 (26)

.
. m fuel  4.76  a    Ma air
m air  (27)
Ma fuel

. .
m fuel  V fuel   fuel
(28)

3.3. Exergy analysis of boiler

According to solid, liquid and gaseous fuels, standard chemical exergy of fuel changes. The

standard chemical exergy of gaseous fuel such as natural gas can be written as follows[2]:

10
n fuel   X , fuel  G 0   nP  X ,P   nR   X ,R (29)
P R

G 0  H 0  T  S 0 (30)

   0
G 0    nP  h f0     n  h  R
0
f R   T 0    nP  s P   nR  s R 
0
(31)
 P   P 
P
R R

In Eq. (31), hf0 is the standard specific entalpy of formation at reference state temperature of 25°C

and pressure of 1 atm. n and εx are shown as mole number and the standard chemical exergy,

respectively.

Fuel and air input to boiler at standard reference state temperature of 25°C and pressure of 1 atm. In

this state, the balance equation of the exergy in the boilers is given in Eq. (32). In the equation,

EX,fuel is fuel exergy, EX,WO and EX,WI are exergies transferred to water, EX,S is exergy destruction

from boiler’s surface, EX,fg is exergy loss or destruction of flue gases thrown from boiler to

atmosphere; and ∑Iİ is shown as total irreversibility in boiler.

E X , fuel  E X ,WO  E X ,WI   E X ,S  E X , fg   I İ

i
(32)

Fuel exergy can be expressed as:

E X , fuel  m
 fuel / Ma fuel   X , fuel
(33)

In the boilers the irreversibilities are consist of two kinds. One of those emerges in the course of the

combustion of fuel and air in the combustion chamber. The other arises energy transferred to water

in the heat exchanger. To find irreversibility, adiabatic combustion temperature is required to know

11
during combustion [15]. Assuming that combustion is adiabatic, combustion temperature can be

obtained in Eq. (34). In the equation, R, P are reactants and products in the combustion reaction

[17].

 n  h
P
0
f  h h0    n  h 
P R
0
f R (34)

In the boiler, as a result of combustion irreversibility in the combustion chamber is shown as I1 and

can be calculated the balance equation of exergy in Eq. (35). In the equation TA is combustion

temperature.

  N
xie 
n fg    R  T0   xi  In 

I1  m fuel / Ma fuel   X , fuel    i 1 xi  (35)
 T  T   n  C  
 A 0 i i P,i 

The exergy destruction from the boiler’s surface is given as:

 T 
E X ,S  Q S  1  0 
(36)
 TS 

where, Ts is surface temperature of boiler, and QS is heat loss energy of boiler’s surface.

As flue gases are assumed to be ideal gas, the exergy of flue gases consists of two parts as chemical

and physical exergy. Total exergy of flue gases can be calculated as:

    
  T fg  T0   ni  C P ,i 
N
xiE
E X , fg  n fg    R  T0   xi  In
 
(37)
  i 1 xi   i 

12
In the equation, xiE is mole fraction of gas composition in reference environmental model, and

according to gas type mole fractions are taken from Tab. 2. R is universal gas constant of 8.3145

kJ/kmol. K.

Table 2. Composition of a reference-environmental model (To=25°C, Po=1 atm)[11]

Gaseous phase Mole fraction (xiE)

N2 0.7565
O2 0.2035
H2O 0.0303
Ar 0.0091
CO2 0.0003

In the Eq. (37), Cpε can be calculated following equation, and a, b,c and d constants are given Tab.3

according to gas type.


 a  b  T0   T  T0   b  c  T0  T 2  T02
  

1 2
C P   
T  T0   c  d  T0  T 3  T 3  d  T 4  T 4  a  T  In T 
    (38)
 0 0 0
T0 
 3 4

Table 3. Specific heat coefficient of some gases[15]

Gas a b c d

O2 25.48 0.0152 -0.7155x10-5 1.312x10-9

CO2 22.26 0.0598 -3.501x10-5 7.469x10-9

H2O 32.24 0.0019 1.055x10-5 -3.595x10-9

N2 28.90 -0.0016 0.8081x10-5 -2.873x10-9

13
In the boiler, exergy transferred to water can be found by Eq. (39).

E X ,WO  E X ,WI  m W  hWO  hWI   T0  sWO  sWI 

 T 
 m W  C P  TWO  TWI   T0  C P  In WO  (39)
 TWI 

In the boilers the other irreversibility emerges energy transferred to water in the heat exchanger.

The irreversibility is given as follows:

I 2  I1  E X ,WO  E X ,WI   E X ,S (40)

   T 
I 2  TA  T0   ni  C P ,i  T fg  T0   ni  C P ,i   Q S  1  0 
 i i   TS 
(41)
 T 
 m W  C P  TWO  TWI   T0  C P  In WO 
 TWI 

Total irreversibility of entire boiler is derived as:

I T  I1  I 2  E X ,S  E X , fg (42)

 T 
 
I T  m fuel / Ma fuel   X , fuel  m W  C P  TWO  TWI   T0  C P  In WO  (43)
 TWI 

The exergy efficiency of the boiler can be calculated with following equation [15].

E X ,WO  E X ,WI I
 II   1 T (44)
E X , fuel E X , fuel

14
4. Results

According to Regional Natural Gas Company’s measurements and the district heating system

opeation data, which shown in Tab. 4 and Tab. 5, the natural gas closed formula is calculated as

C1.0576H4.0526N0.046O0.0088. In the results of the calculations, the molecular mass and density of the

natural gas are found as 17.53 and 0.74 kg/m3, respectively. The combustion equation of the natural

gas with dry air is given as:

C1.0576 H 4.0526O0.0088 N 0.046  2.389(O2  3.76N 2 )  1.058CO2  2.026H 2O  9.007 N 2  0.323O2 (45)

Table 4. Average chemical composition of the natural gas taken from Regional Natural Gas
Company

Chemical composition of natural gas by volume

%Methane (CH4) 92.08
%Ethane (C2H6) 3.51
%Propane (C3H8) 0.97
%Butane (C4H10) 0.45
%Pentane (C5H12) 0.15
%Hexane(C6H14) 0.08
%Nitrogen (N2) 2.32
%Carbon dioxide (CO2) 0.44

The district heating system of the university has been consumed yearly fuel consumption of about

12,024,261.0 m3. The temperature of the flue gases output from the boilers are average 158 °C. Fuel

energy, mass flow rate, molecular mass of flue gases and heat losses of flue gases are calculated.

15
 Table 5. Operation data of the district heating system

1. boiler 2. boiler 3. boiler

Excess air ratio λ 1.16 1.17 1.13

Flue gases temperature °C 161 157 158

Fuel consumption m3/year 4,008,087.0 4,008,087.0 4,008,087.0

Combustion air temperature °C 20 20 20

The heat losses from flue gases have the highest ratio of heat losses in the boilers. There are two

types of heat losses from flue gases; sensible and latent heat losses. According to results of the

energy analysis, total heat losses ratio of flue gases is calculated as about 16%. Total heat losses of

flue gases consist of 6% of the sensible heat losses and 10% of the latent heat losses. In Tab. 6,

according to the operation measurements taken from the heating system, the results of energy

analysis are shown.

Fig. 3. Heat energy carried by flue gases

The heat energy carried by flue gases is changes with flue gases temperature. As the flue gases

temperature output from the boiler is high, sensible heat loss of flue gases increases. Though

16
sensible energy is linearly increased, change of latent heat energy is constant until dew point

temperature of water vapour in flue gas. In Fig. 3, the changes are indicated.

Table 6. Results of the energy analysis according to the operation data

1. boiler 2. boiler 3. boiler

%Sensible heat loss of flue gases 6.82 6.65 6.48

Mole fraction of H2O in flue gases 0.1619 0.1611 0.1668

%Latent heat loss of flue gases 10.16 10.16 10.16

%Total heat loss of flue gases 16.98 16.81 16.64

Dew point temperature °C 51.16 51.05 51.78

Mass flow rate of fuel kg/s 0.1 0.1 0.1

Fuel energy kj/s 4,448.0 4,448.0 4,448.0

Mass flow rate of air kg/s 1.81 1.82 1.75

Mass flow rate of flue gas kg/s 1.90 1.92 1.85

In the energy analysis, the ratio of the boiler’s surface heat loss is found as %1, and the energy

efficiency of the boiler is calculated as 82.21%. In Fig. 4, the energy flow diagram of the one boiler

is shown.

One of the important components of the system is the boiler, and the large part of the

irreversibilities emerges in the boiler.

17
 Fig. 4. Energy flow diagram of the one boiler

According to results of the exergy analysis, the standard molar chemical exergy of the natural gas

and the fuel exergy of the boilers are calculated as 862,365.68 kJ/kmol and 14,133.0 kJ/s,

respectively. The exergy destruction of flue gases comprises of two parts as the chemical and

physical exergy. These destructions of flue gases for three boilers are found to be 529.14 kJ/s, and

339.09 kJ/s, respectively. Total exergy destruction ratio of flue gases is calculated as 6.14%. The

exergy destruction or loss of the boilers surface is obtained as 10.32 kJ/s, and the ratio is 0.07%. To

calculate irreversibility in the combustion chamber of the boiler, adiabatic combustion temperature

is required to know. As a result of the exergy analysis, the adiabatic combustion temperature in the

combustion chamber is calculated to be 1846 °C.

18
 Table 7. Results of the exergy analysis for three boilers

kJ/s
Ex,fuel Fuel exergy 14,133.0
Ex,wı Exergy of return water 11,124,0
Ex,2 Net exergy in combustion chamber 9,737.1
Ex,fg=İ3 Exergy destruction of flue gases 868.29
Ex,s=İ4 Exergy destruction of boiler’s surface 10.32
Ex,wo Exergy of supply water 15,756.39
İ1 İrreversibility in combustion chamber 4,395.9
İ2 İrreversibility in heat exchanger 4,226.1
İT Total irreversibility 9,500.7

The ratio of total irreversibility and the exergy efficiency of the entire boiler are found as 67,22%

and 32.78%, respectively. The exergy Grassman diagram of the boiler is given in Fig. 5. In the

locations, which indicated in Fig.5 the exergy and irreversibility quantities are shown in Tab. 7. In

the combustion chamber, the energy input, exergy destruction and exergy efficiency are calculated

as 13,344.0 kJ/s, 4,395.9 kJ/s and 68.89% respectively. In the heat exchanger, the some analysis

results are found to be the exergy destruction is 4,226.1 kJ/s and the energy and exergy efficiencies

are 82.21% and 70.09%.

Fig. 5. Exergy Grassman diagram of the boilers

19
The energy and exergy efficiencies of entire boiler are found to be 82.21% and 32.77%. In the

boiler, the ratio of the total heat losses is determined as 17.81%. In Tab.8, the summary of the

exergy analysis is indicated.

Table 8. Summary of exergy analysis of combustion chamber, heat exchanger and entire boilers

Combustion chamber
Energy input kJ/s 13,344.0
Energy efficiency % 100
Exergy destruction kJ/s 4,395.9
Exergy efficiency % 68.89
Heat exchanger
Heat losses kJ/s 2,376.6
Energy efficiency % 82.21
Exergy destruction kJ/s 4,226.1
Exergy efficiency % 70.09
Entire boiler
Energy efficiency % 82.21
Overall exergy destruction kJ/s 9,500.7
Overall exergy efficiency % 32.77

4. Conclusions

In this study, the energy and exergy analyses of natural gas fired boilers in district heating system

are performed. Mass, energy and exergy balance equations are formed for the boilers and its

components. In the boilers the energy losses are examinated, and the biggest of these is identified as

flue gases loss. The energy and exergy efficiencies of the heating system are researched, and the

energy and exergy flow diagrams are drawn by specifying locations of the irreversibilities.

20
According to the measurements of the Natural Gas Company and the heating system operation data,

the natural gas closed formula is obtained as C1.0576H4.0526N0.046O0.0088. It has been found that flue

gases are the main part that contributed loss of energy in the boiler. The heat loss ratio of flue gases

in the district heating system is calculated as about 16.81%. The ratio of the boiler’s surface heat

loss is found as %1, and the energy efficiency of the boiler is calculated as 82.21%.

The standard molar chemical exergy of the natural gas and the fuel exergy of the boilers are

determined as 862,365.68 kJ/kmol and 14,133.0 kJ/s. The exergy destruction ratio of flue gases is

found out to be 6.14%. In the combustion chamber, the adiabatic combustion temperature is

calculated as 1846 °C. It has been found that the combustion chamber and heat exchanger are the

major contributor for the exergy destruction in the boiler. The ratio of the total irreversibility and

the exergy efficiency of the entire boiler are obtained to be 67.22% and 32.77%.

Acknowledgment

The authors gratefully acknowledge that this work was financially supported by TUBITAK-BIDEB.

Nomenclature

Cp Spesific heat, kJ/kg.K

Cpε Exergetic spesific heat, kJ/kmol.K
Ė Energy, kJ/s
Ėx Exergy, kJ/s
G° Standard Gibbs function, kJ
h° Standard specific enthalpy, kJ
hf° Standard specific enthalpy of formation, kJ
H° Standard enthalpy, kJ
Hu Lower heating value of fuel, kJ/m3
l Latent heat of water vapor, kJ/kg
Ma Molecular mass, kg/kmol
ṁ Mass flow rate, kg/s
n Mole number, kmol
ṅ Mole number per unit of time, kmol/s
P Pressure, kPa, atm
R Universal gas constant, kJ/kmol.K
S° Standard entropy, kJ/K
Q Heat transfer rate, kJ/s
T Temperature, °C

21
To Environment temperature, °C
Vfuel Flow rate of fuel, m3/s
x Mole fraction
xε Mole fraction of gas in reference environmental model

Greek symbols

Δ Used for a change in any parameter

εx Standard chemical exergy, kJ/s
λ Excess air ratio
ρ Density, kg/m3
ηI Energy efficieny, %
ηII Exergy efficieny, %

Chemical symbols

CH4 Methane
C2H6 Ethane
C3H8 Propane
C4H10 Butane
C5H12 Pentane
C6H14 Hexane
N2 Nitrogen
CO2 Carbon dioxide
H2O Water
O2 Oxygen
Ar Argon

Subscripts

a Coefficient of stoichiometric combustion

fuel Fuel
fg Flue gases
I Component
I Irreversibility
lat Latent
o Environment state
P Products
R Reactants
S Surface
sen Sensible
T Total
w Water
wi Inlet water
wo Outlet water
_
Unit of mole
.
Unit of time

References

[1] S. C. Kaushik, V. S. Reddy, S. K. Tyagi, Energy and exergy analyses of thermal power plants: a
review, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 1857-1872.
[2] S. C. Kaushik, O. K. Singh, Estimation of chemical exergy of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels
used in thermal power plants, J Therm Anal Calorim 115 (2014) 903-908.
[3] M. Gong, S. Werner, Exergy analysis of network temperature levels in Swedish and Danish
district heating systems, Renewable Energy 84 (2015) 106-113.
[4] K. Comakli, B. Yuksel, O. Comakli, Evaluation of energy and exergy losses in district heating
network, Applied Thermal Engineering 24 (2004) 1009-1017.

22
[5] C. T. Yucer and A. Hepbasli, Thermodynamic analyses of a building using exergy analysis
method, Energy and Buildings 43 (2011) 536-542.
[6] A. E. Atabani, R. Saidur, S. Mekhilef, A review on energy savings strategies in industrial sector,
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 150-168.
[7] M. Ghazi, P. Ahmadi, A. F. Sotoodeh, A. Taherkhani, Modeling and thermo-economic
optimization of heat recovery heat exchangers using a multimodal genetic algorithm, Energy
Conversion and Management 58 (2012) 149-156.
[8] R. Saidur, J. U. Ahamed, H.H. Masjuki, Energy, exergy and economic analysis of industrial
boilers, Energy Policy 38 (2009) 2188- 2197.
[9] K. Comakli, B.Yuksel, Energy and Exergy Analysis of District Heating System, Proceedings of
the Fourth International Exergy, Energy and Environment Symposium, 18-23 April 2009, AUS,
Sharjah, UAE 1-5.
[10] L. Pattanayak, S. K. Ayyagari, Use of energy and exergy analysis in coal fired boilers,
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences and Engineering 5 (2014) 17-23.
[11] I. O. Ohijeagbon, M. A. Waheed, S. O. Jekayinfa, Methodology for the physical and chemical
exergetic analysis of steam boilers, Energy 53 (2013) 153-164.
[12] K. Kumar, D. Patel, V. Sehravat, T. Gupta, Performance and exergy analysis of the boiler,
International Journal of Science and Research, 2015, 4 (1) 3011-3015.
[13] H. Yazici, Energy and exergy based evaluation of the renovated Afyon geothermal district
heating system, Energy and Buildings 127 (2016) 794-804.
[14] A. Atmaca, R. Yumrutas, Thermodynamic and exergoeconomic analysis of a cement plant:
part I- methodology, Energy Conversion and Management 79 (2014) 790-798.
[15] K. Comakli, Energy and exergy analysis of district heating plant of Ataturk University, Ph. D.
Thesis, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey, 2003.
[16] Y.A. Cengel and M.A. Boles, Thermodynamics an engineering approach, Guven Scientific
Press, Izmir, Turkey, 2008.
[17] D. N. Ozen, Use of the natural gas assisted with hydrogen in the condensing combi and exergy
analysis, Ms Thesis, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey, 2006.

23
 Table and Figure captions

Table 1. Calculation of natural gas closed formula

Table 2. Composition of a reference-environmental model (To=25°C, Po=1 atm)[11]

Table 3. Specific heat coefficient of some gases[15]

Table 4. Average chemical composition of the natural gas taken from Regional Natural Gas
Company
Table 5. Operation data of the district heating system

Table 6. Results of the energy analysis according to the operation data

Table 7. Results of the exergy analysis for three boilers

Table 8. Summary of exergy analysis of combustion chamber, heat exchanger and entire boilers

Fig. 1. Monthly fuel consumptions of the system

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of combustion chamber and heat exchanger in the boiler

Fig. 3. Heat energy carried by flue gases

Fig. 4. Energy flow diagram of the one boiler

Fig. 5. Exergy Grassman diagram of the boilers

Highlights
 The combustion analysis is examinated for the boilers.

 Energy and exergy efficiencies are obtained the boilers in a district heating system

 Standard molar chemical exergy of natural gas is calculated.

 İrreversibilities are researched in the boiler.

24