Efficiency Improvements with Small Cogeneration

Abstract

Cogenera t ion efficiency is somet imes mi sund er st ood. Differ ent
views a re t ak en , dep endin g on who is eva lu ating a pr oject. Th e qu es-
tion shou ld be as ke d if th e main purpose is to gene ra te elect ricity while
pr odu cing h ea t as a by-produ ct- or- sh ould a given he at ene rgy de-
m and be considere d as a n opport un ity for highl y efficie nt gene ra tion of
el ect r ic power ?
Thi s a rticle will ta ke t he latter approac h (By -Pr odu ct Pow er
Gen erati on ) a nd will defin e some of th e r elati ons between heat en ergy,
elect r ic ene rgy a nd "lost" energy . Differ ent ways of maximizing a nd
opti mi zing th e cogene ratio n benefits will be dem on str ated . Ex ampl es
will cover st ea m t urbi ne, gas t urbine a nd combined cycle pl ant s .