Thermodynamic Study of Environment Friendly Air / Steam Combined Cycle

Abstract

Gas/Steam combined cycle power plants are extensively used due to their better thermal efficiency but the natural gas or other hydrocarbon fueled gas turbine plants create adversities for the environment. The present work deals with a combined cycle having a gas turbine cycle run on air which is brought up to the state of being expanded using a compressor and a heliostat based heating system. The discharge from the gas turbine is sent to a heat recovery steam generator for generating steam at the desired pressure and temperature for expansion in the steam turbine. The considered combined cycle configuration has been analyzed using thermodynamic modeling based on the first law of thermodynamics. The study involves parametric investigations for insight into the combined cycle which is free from carbon emission and environment friendly.