NAME: MUSAFIRI MAROY
REG. N°: 20/370/BSEE-J
POWER PLANT TECHNOLOGY (Assignment).
COMBINED CYCLE
1. DEFINITION
A Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) is a type of power generation facility that utilizes a combination of
two thermodynamic cycles to generate electricity efficiently. It incorporates a gas turbine cycle, known
as the Brayton cycle, and a steam turbine cycle, known as the Rankine cycle, in a coordinated manner.
This combination allows for the efficient utilization of high-temperature exhaust gases from the gas
turbine to produce steam, which drives a steam turbine to generate additional electricity. CCPPs are
renowned for their high thermal efficiency, which makes them an attractive choice for both base load
and peaking power generation.
A Combined cycle power plant is a highly efficient power generation unit. They are the cleanest and
most efficient. The process of combined cycle power generation recovers the temperature from the
exhaust gas and utilizes that heat in power generation. It is believed that they produce around 50
percent more electricity from the same fuel consumption. So combined cycle power plants are
economical as compared the conventional ones.
2. COMPOSITION
The main components of a combined cycle power plant are
I. a Gas Turbine (GT)
II. an HRSG or heat recovery steam generator
III. a Steam Turbine and
IV. Other accessories or associated items.
1) Gas Turbine
A gas turbine in a combined cycle power plant converts natural gas or fluid into mechanical energy. A
simple gas turbine has three sections: a compressor, a combustor, and a power turbine. It operates on
the Brayton cycle principle. The working philosophy of gas turbines is simple. The compressed air is
mixed with fuel and then burned under constant pressure. Then the hot gas flows through the turbine to
produce work. Here’s how it works:
Compression: Air from the atmosphere is drawn into the compressor, where it is compressed to a high
pressure and temperature. This compressed air is then directed into the combustion chamber.
Combustion: In the combustion chamber, fuel is injected and ignited, producing high-temperature, high-
pressure exhaust gases. The combustion process releases a significant amount of thermal energy.
Expansion: The hot exhaust gases flow through a turbine, causing it to spin. This spinning motion drives
the gas turbine’s shaft, which is connected to a generator, thus converting the thermal energy into
mechanical energy.
Exhaust: After passing through the turbine, the exhaust gases exit the gas turbine at a lower pressure
and temperature, typically at a velocity high enough to drive the compressor, creating a closed-loop
cycle.
2) HRSG or Heat Recovery Steam Generator
The HRSG receives the exhaust gases from the Gas Turbine discharge. The exhaust gas, flowing in the
counter-flow direction with respect to the steam/water coils, cools down by transferring heat to the
steam/water. The flue gas temperature at the stack is about 110°C. Lower temperatures of 93°C can be
used if the fuel gas is very clean and sulfur-free.
The HRSG is similar to a heat exchanger in which the shell side carries the flue gas and the tube side
carries steam or water. It also has the characteristics of a boiler because there are steam drums, where
the generated steam is separated from boiling water before entering the super heaters.
The HRSG can be horizontal or vertical, according to the direction of the flue gas path. The horizontal
HRSGs are the most common. The vertical ones mainly are limited to installations where space is very
tight.
HRSG Pressure and Temperature Levels
The HRSG can have one, two, or three pressure levels according to the size of the plant.
For plant sizes of 200–400 MW, the pressure levels used are HP, IP, and LP.
Plants down to 30–60 MW usually have two pressure levels (HP and LP),
Smaller units only have one pressure level. Sometimes, with three pressure levels, the LP section
produces the steam needed for desecration only.
The following tube banks are used for each pressure level (starting from the GT exhaust): 1) steam super
heaters, 2) evaporator, and 3) economizer.
3) Steam Turbine
Steam turbines in a combined cycle power plant extract energy from the steam and convert it to work,
which rotates the shaft of the turbine. The amount of energy that the steam turbine extracts from the
steam depends on the enthalpy drop across the machine.
The enthalpy of the steam is a function of its temperature and pressure. As inlet and outlet temperature
and pressure are known, one can use a Mollier diagram to determine the amount of energy available.
Steam turbine (Fig. 4) sizes range from a few kilowatts to over 1000 megawatts.
4) Other Accessories of Combined Cycle Power Plant
Air Cooled Condenser
The air-cooled steam condenser (ACC-Fig. 5) condenses the turbine exhaust steam or the de-
superheated steam from the turbine bypass. The condensate collected in the steam/condensate
headers drains under gravity to the condensate tank, from where it is pumped by the condensate
extraction pumps to the boiler system on level control.
The turbine back pressure is controlled by fans using pressure transmitters on the ST exhaust. Pressure
transmitters protect the ACC in case of overpressure. The control system modulates a number of fans
into operation and fan speed and steam isolating valve position to meet the back pressure set point.
Temperature transmitters in the main steam duct protect the condenser against overheating.
3. MODE OF OPERATION
The operation modes of a combined cycle power plant vary from base load
operation with constant rate power generation to the fast-cycling plant operation
that follows the continuously changing load. Industrial power plants follow the
electricity and steam consumption of the processes or their heat customers.
4. SCHEMATIC OF COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT
5. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Advantages of Combined Cycle Power Plant
The major advantages of a combined cycle power plant are:
Increases overall plant efficiency: plant efficiency increases by 50% or more
Reduced investment cost: Investment cost is reduced by 30% as compared to a conventional
steam power plant.
Reduced water requirement.
Phased installation is possible.
Fully Automatic Operation, so less staff is required.
Lower environmental impact.
Highly reliable and Flexible
Can start up and shut down quickly.
Lower maintenance and installation costs.
The lowest global warming effect
Lower construction time.
Disadvantages of Combined Cycle Power Plant
Some disadvantages of a combined cycle power plant are:
Technologies are complex and expensive which increases the initial investment.
The efficiency of part-load demand is poor.
To operate at high temperatures and pressure, special metals are required.
Limited fuel switching capability.