First- and second-law thermodynamic analyses of a combined natural gas cycle power plant: Sankey and Grossman diagrams

Abstract

The natural gas combined cycle power plant is one of the best options for generating electricity due to its use of low carbon fuels, high efficiency, and operational flexibility. These plants consist of a combination of Brayton and Rankine cycles, and investigation of these cycles is performed in this paper. Here the parameters of pressure and temperature used in the calculations are taken from a combined cycle power plant. The net power output of the system at 25 °C ambient temperature and 101.325 kPa pressure was calculated as 45 and 12 MW for Brayton and Rankine cycles, respectively. In addition, Brayton, Rankine, and combined cycle efficiencies were calculated as 37.5%, 27%, and 47.5%, while the exergy efficiencies were determined as 36%, 44%, and 46%, respectively. In the system elements, the most energy was lost in the combustion chamber and the highest exergy efficiency was achieved in the compressor at 95% level. Impacts of an increase in ambient temperature, compressor pressure ratio, and change on turbine inlet temperature were further investigated. Energy (Sankey) and exergy (Grossman) flow diagrams were further drawn based on the analyses obtained from the combined cycle power plants.