Heat Exchange Unit for Siderurgical Gas Compression in Combined-Cycle Plants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combined-cycle plants face inefficiencies and energy losses due to the need to compress siderurgical gases to higher pressures, which increases temperature and reduces efficiency, and the presence of sulfur compounds that cause corrosion issues, leading to potential acid formation and reduced electrical power production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a heat-exchange unit to transfer heat generated by the compression unit to condensed steam upstream of the degasser in the steam-turbine unit, minimizing energy dispersion and preventing corrosive acid formation by maintaining boiler temperatures above the acid dew point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If siderurgical gases are compressed by a compression unit to supply the combustion chamber, then the pressure of the gases is increased to meet combustion requirements, but the temperature rises considerably and compression efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A heat exchange unit is introduced as an intermediary between the compression unit and the steam-turbine unit. This heat exchange unit transfers the heat generated during gas compression to the condensed steam, enabling energy recovery and improving overall system efficiency while maintaining the required pressure increase
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by transferring thermal energy from the compressed hot gases to the condensed steam, changing the temperature parameter of both streams. This allows the compressed gases to be cooled (improving compression efficiency for subsequent cycles) while the steam is heated (enabling energy recovery)
2Reliability
If condensed steam is supplied directly to the degasser to prevent corrosion from sulfur compounds, then corrosion is prevented, but electrical power production is reduced due to steam consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange unit acts as an intermediary that allows the condensed steam to be heated by compression heat before entering the degasser. This intermediary heating process enables the steam to reach appropriate temperatures for corrosion prevention while still being available for power production in the steam turbine
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful heat that would otherwise be wasted (potentially causing corrosion) into a beneficial resource by using it to preheat the condensed steam. This transforms the thermal energy that could cause damage into useful heating that prevents corrosion while maintaining power production capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves the efficiency of the compression and steam-turbine units, reducing energy losses and enhancing electrical power production by 3%, while preventing corrosion issues in the boiler.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-exchange unit for transferring the heat generated by the compression unit to the condensed steam upstream of the degasser in the steam-turbine unit
Implementation Method 2
Compression of siderurgical gases generates, in addition to the increase in pressure, a considerable rise in the temperature of the siderurgical gases
Implementation Method 3
a boiler, which is supplied with the exhaust gases, produced by the combustion that has taken place in the combustion chamber of the gas-turbine unit to carry out recovery of heat from said exhaust gases
Implementation Method 4
the combustion chamber requires that the combustible gas be at a higher pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A combined- cycle plant (1) for the production of electrical energy has a gas -turbine unit (3) provided with: a combustion chamber (5); a steam-turbine unit (9) provided with a degasser (11), a boiler (12), and a circuit (13) for supply of the steam that has undergone condensation to the degasser (11) and to the boiler (12); a unit for compression (14) of siderurgical gases for supplying the combustion chamber (5) with compressed siderurgical gases; and a heat-exchange unit (34) for transferring the heat generated by the compression unit (14) to the steam that has undergone condensation upstream of the degasser (11) in the steam-turbine unit (9).