THERMODYNAMICS – II

MEng-123n
COGENERATION AND THE BINARY CYCLE

Our society can use fuel more effectively through greater use
of cogeneration systems, also known as combined heat and
power systems. Cogeneration systems are integrated
systems that simultaneously yield two valuable products,
electricity and steam (or hot water), from a single fuel input.
Cogeneration systems typically provide cost savings relative
to producing power and steam (or hot water) in separate
systems.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

Lesson 2.6: Introduction

Our society can use fuel more effectively through greater use of cogeneration systems, also known as combined heat and
power systems. Cogeneration systems are integrated systems that simultaneously yield two valuable products, electricity
and steam (or hot water), from a single fuel input. Cogeneration systems typically provide cost savings relative to producing
power and steam (or hot water) in separate systems.
Learning Outcomes
1. sketch the T– s diagram of the regenerative vapor power cycle with one open feedwater heater.
2. fix each of the principal states and retrieve necessary property data.
3. apply mass, energy, and entropy principles.
4. calculate performance parameters for the cycle.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

OTHER VAPOR POWER

CYCLE ASPECTS
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
WORKING FLUIDS
Demineralized water is used as the working fluid in the vast majority of vapor power systems because it is plentiful,
low cost, nontoxic, chemically stable, and relatively noncorrosive. Water also has a large change in specific enthalpy as
it vaporizes at typical steam generator pressures, which tends to limit the mass flow rate for a desired power output.
With water, the pumping power is characteristically low, and the techniques of superheat, reheat, and regeneration are
effective for improving power plant performance.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
WORKING FLUIDS
The high critical pressure of water (22.1 MPa, 3204 lbf/in.2) has posed a challenge to engineers seeking to improve
thermal efficiency by increasing steam generator pressure and thus average temperature of heat addition. Although
water has some shortcomings as a working fluid, no other single substance is more satisfactory for large electrical
generating plants. Still, vapor cycles intended for special applications employ working fluids more in tune with the
application at hand than water.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

ORGANIC CYCLE
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
ORGANIC CYCLE
The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is an evolving energy system
for power production utilizing geothermal resources and
recovered waste-heat.

While the Rankine Cycle utilizes thermal heat to convert water

to steam, which expands through a turbine (screw or other
expander) in order to generate electricity, the Organic Rankine
Cycle (ORC) uses an organic fluid (instead of water) that has a
much lower boiling point, thus capable of utilizing heat from
sources with lower temperatures. The fluids that are commonly
used are refrigerants and hydrocarbons (Butane, Pentane and
their derivatives) that have lower boiling temperature than water.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
ORGANIC CYCLE
The ORC can aid the achievement of the carbon
footprint reduction targets of many industrial
processes (waste heat recovery, biomass). The ORC
enables the use of low, medium and high enthalpy flows
from renewable sources (solar, geothermal, etc.) to be
utilized in thermodynamic cycles based on Rankine
architecture.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE IN RECOVERED ENERGY GENERATION
Waste heat recovery is one of the most important development fields for the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). It can be
applied to heat and power plants (cogeneration plant), industrial and farming processes (such as organic products
fermentation, hot exhausts from ovens or furnaces, lime and cement kilns), flue-gas condensation, exhaust gases from
gas turbines (compressor stations), condenser of a power cycle, etc.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE IN GEOTHERMAL ENERGY POWER PLANT
Geothermic heat sources vary in temperature from 50 to 350°C. The ORC is therefore perfectly adapted for this kind of
application. Air cooled ORCs operate on a closed loop, do not consume any water and are therefore free of the
environmental consequences that accompany water based systems.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE IN GEOTHERMAL ENERGY POWER PLANT
Air-cooled condenser technology enables us to re-inject almost 100% of all extracted geothermal fluids, thereby
avoiding the use of geothermal steam condensate or external water resources for cooling and preventing the need for
chemical additives. The 100% re-injection also sustains reservoir life and productivity.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

BINARY CYCLE
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
BINARY CYCLE
A binary vapor cycle couples two vapor cycles so the energy
discharged by heat transfer from one cycle is the input for
the other. Different working fluids are used in these cycles,
one having advantageous high-temperature characteristics
and another with complementary characteristics at the low-
temperature end of the overall operating range.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
BINARY CYCLE
Depending on the application, these working fluids might
include water and organic substances. The result is a
combined cycle having a high average temperature of heat
addition and a low average temperature of heat rejection,
and thus a thermal efficiency greater than either cycle has
individually.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
BINARY CYCLE
The figure shows the schematic and accompanying T–s diagram of a binary vapor cycle. In this arrangement, two ideal Rankine cycles
are combined using an interconnecting heat exchanger that serves as the condenser for the higher-temperature cycle (topping cycle)
and boiler for the lower-temperature cycle (bottoming cycle). Heat rejected from the topping cycle provides the heat input for the
bottoming cycle.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

COGENERATION
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
COGENERATION
Cogeneration systems are widely deployed in industrial plants, refineries, paper mills, food processing plants, and
other facilities requiring process steam, hot water, and electricity for machines, lighting, and other purposes. District
heating is another important cogeneration application.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
COGENERATION
District heating plants are located within communities to provide steam or hot water for space heating and other
thermal needs together with electricity for domestic, commercial, and industrial use. For instance, in New York City,
district heating plants provide heating to Manhattan buildings while also generating electricity for various uses.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
BACK-PRESSURE PLANTS
The plant resembles the simple Rankine cycle plant but with an important difference: In this case, energy released
when the cycle working fluid condenses during flow through the condenser is harnessed to produce steam for export
to the nearby community for various uses. The steam comes at the expense of the potential for power, however.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
BACK-PRESSURE PLANTS
The power generated by the plant is linked to the district heating need for steam and is determined by the pressure at
which the cycle working fluid condenses, called the back pressure. For instance, if steam as saturated vapor at 100C
is needed by the community, the cycle working fluid, assumed here to be demineralized water, must condense at a
temperature greater than 100C and thus at a back pressure greater than 1 atm. Accordingly, for fixed turbine inlet
conditions and mass flow rate, the power produced in district heating is necessarily less than when condensation
occurs well below 1 atm as it does in a plant fully dedicated to power generation.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
EXTRACTION PLANTS
Steam extracted from the turbine is used to service the district heating need. Differing heating needs can be flexibly
met by varying the fraction of the steam extracted, denoted by y.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
EXTRACTION PLANTS
For fixed turbine inlet conditions and mass flow rate, an increase in the fraction y to meet a greater district heating
need is met by a reduction in power generated. When there is no demand for district heating, the full amount of steam
generated in the boiler expands through the turbine, producing greatest power under the specified conditions.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

CARBON CAPTURE AND

STORAGE
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased significantly since preindustrial times. Some of
the increase is traceable to burning fossil fuels. Coal-fired vapor power plants are major sources. Evidence is mounting
that excessive CO2 in the atmosphere contributes to global climate change, and there is growing agreement that
measures must be taken to reduce such emissions.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
Since fossil fuels will be plentiful for several decades, they will continue to be used for generating electricity and
meeting industrial needs. Accordingly, reducing CO2 emissions at the plant level is imperative. One option is greater
use of low-carbon fuels—more natural gas and less coal, for example. Another option involves removal of carbon
dioxide from the exhaust gas of power plants, oil and gas refineries, and other industrial sources followed by storage
(sequestration) of captured CO2.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

GEOTHERMAL POWERPLANT
IN LEYTE
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
GEOTHERMAL POWERPLANT IN LEYTE
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

HIDECO SUGAR MILLING

COMPANY
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 2.6: Cogeneration and the Binary Cycle

END