COGENERATION AND DISTRIBUTED GENERATION 159

Prime Mover: a unit of the CHP system that
generates electric or shaft power. Typically, it is a
gas turbine generator, a steam turbine drive or a
diesel-engine generator.
7.2.2 Basic Cogeneration Systems
Most cogeneration systems are based on prime
movers such as steam turbines, gas turbines, internal
combustion engines and packaged cogeneration. Table
7.1 shows typical performance data for various cogen-
eration systems. Figures in this table (and in this chap-
ter) are based on higher heating values, unless stated
otherwise.
7.2.2.1 Steam Turbine Systems
Steam turbines are currently used as prime movers
in topping, bottoming and combined cycles. There are
many types of steam turbines to accommodate various
heat/power ratios and loads. For limited expansion
(pressure drop) and smaller loads (<4000 HP) lower
cost single stage backpressure turbines are used. When
several pressure levels are required (and usually for
larger loads) multi-stage condensing and non-condens-
ing turbines with induction and/or extraction of steam
at intermediate pressures are generally used. Fig. 7.5
shows a variety of condensing and non-condensing
turbines.
Four factors must be examined to assure that the
maximum amount of power from a CHP steam plant
is economically generated based on the process heat
required. These factors are: (1) prime-mover size, (2)
initial steam conditions, (3) process pressure levels, and
(4) feedwater heating cycle.
1. Prime-Mover Type and Size. Process heat and plant
electric requirements define the type and size of the
steam generator. The type of CHP system and its cor-
responding prime mover are selected by matching the
CHP system heat output to the process heat load.
If process heat demands are such that the plant
power requirements can be satisfied by cogenerated
power, then the size of the prime mover is selected to
meet or exceed the “peak” power demand. However, co-
generation may supply only a portion of the total plant
power needs. The balance has to be imported through a
utility tie. In isolated plants, the balance is generated by

Table 7.1 Basic cogeneration systems.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————
Cogeneration Unit Elec. Heat Rate2 Electrical3 Thermal Total Exhaust 125-psig Steam
Systems Capacity (Btu/kWh) Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency Temperature Generation
(kW) (%) (%) (%) (°F) (lbs/hr)
———————————————————————————————————————————————————
Small reciprocating 1-500 25,000 to 14-34 52 66-86 600-1200 0-2001
Gas Engines 10,000

Large reciprocating 500-17,000 13,000 to 26-36 52 78-88 600-1200 100-10,0001

Gas Engines 9,500

Diesel Engines 100-4,000 14,000 to 24-36 50 74-86 700-1500 100-15001

9,500

Industrial Gas 800-10,000 14,000 to 24-31 50 74-81 800-1000 3,000-30,000

Turbines 11,000

Utility Size Gas 10,000- 13,000 to 26-35 50 76-85 700-800 30,000 to

Turbines 150,000 9000 300,000

Steam-Turbine 5,000- 30,000 to 10-35 28 38-63 350-1000 10,000 to

Cycles 200,000 10,000 200,000
———————————————————————————————————————————————————
NOTES
1Hot water @ 250° is available at 10 times the flow of steam
2Heat rate is the fuel heat input (Btu—higher heating value) to the cycle per kWh of electrical output at design (full load) and ISO conditions
(60°F ambient temperature and sea level operation)
3The electrical generation efficiency in percent of a prime mover can be determined by the formula Efficiency = (3413/Heat Rate)100

Sources: Adapted from Limaye (1985) and Manufacturers Data.