Why Are Heat Recovery Steam Generators Essential for Maintaining Performance of Operations
Heat recovery steam generator installations can be observed in almost any chemical process industry plant and there are two main ways of operating them: the co-generation mode, where the heat recovery steam generator produces steam to be used in various applications, or the combined-cycle mode, where turbines are power generators.
This type of installation has plenty of advantages and cost-effective benefits, reasons why it is extensively used in a wide range of industries. The fact that it can be easily operated, with power outputs widely ranging, its high-efficiency and low maintenance requirements are all reasons accounting for this type of installation’s popularity.
Heat recovery steam generators have been constantly developed and nowadays industries can benefit from larger capacity units, lower emissions and higher operating temperatures. This translates as more efficiency, as high as 75% in the cogeneration mode, and cost-effectiveness. Multi-pressure units, super heaters and auxiliary firing devices are only a few of the latest developments in steam generator designs, being able to improve fuel utilization by maximizing steam generation.
This type of installation has plenty of advantages and cost-effective benefits, reasons why it is extensively used in a wide range of industries. The fact that it can be easily operated, with power outputs widely ranging, its high-efficiency and low maintenance requirements are all reasons accounting for this type of installation’s popularity.
Heat recovery steam generators have been constantly developed and nowadays industries can benefit from larger capacity units, lower emissions and higher operating temperatures. This translates as more efficiency, as high as 75% in the cogeneration mode, and cost-effectiveness. Multi-pressure units, super heaters and auxiliary firing devices are only a few of the latest developments in steam generator designs, being able to improve fuel utilization by maximizing steam generation.
In a nutshell, the heat recovery steam generator produces steam by using the waste gas in the turbines. Some plants are even capable of producing steam while the gas turbine is off, by using a burner to generate gases which are used to produce the steam.
There are four major parts a heat recovery steam generator consists of:
1. The economizer- a mechanical device specially designed for the reduction of energy and recovery of waste energy. Its other applications include preheating fluids and acting as a heat exchanger.
2. The evaporator- as the name implies, this device allows or turns a chemical from liquid to gaseous form.
There are four major parts a heat recovery steam generator consists of:
1. The economizer- a mechanical device specially designed for the reduction of energy and recovery of waste energy. Its other applications include preheating fluids and acting as a heat exchanger.
2. The evaporator- as the name implies, this device allows or turns a chemical from liquid to gaseous form.
3. The superheater- placed in the combustion chamber, it converts saturated steam into dry steam. Main advantages are reduction of water and fuel requirements.
4. Water preheater.
When it comes to common methods of recovering waste heat, there are several worth mentioning, but not all of them are cost-effective and efficient compared to the price of installation, while others are not optimized for collecting a high percentage of the waste heat.
The recovery of heat is possible at low temperatures, but the procedure becomes more efficient when low temperature exhaust heat is converted in order to be high enough to be able to operate systems such as heat amplifiers, refrigeration processes, heat pumps and absorption chillers.
Another method of recovering waste energy is by converting low temperature heat into power and this is made possible by the Rankine steam cycle that converts high temperature fluid streams into electric power. The steam and the organic Rankine cycles are better known for their efficiency in such processes.
4. Water preheater.
When it comes to common methods of recovering waste heat, there are several worth mentioning, but not all of them are cost-effective and efficient compared to the price of installation, while others are not optimized for collecting a high percentage of the waste heat.
The recovery of heat is possible at low temperatures, but the procedure becomes more efficient when low temperature exhaust heat is converted in order to be high enough to be able to operate systems such as heat amplifiers, refrigeration processes, heat pumps and absorption chillers.
Another method of recovering waste energy is by converting low temperature heat into power and this is made possible by the Rankine steam cycle that converts high temperature fluid streams into electric power. The steam and the organic Rankine cycles are better known for their efficiency in such processes.
Cogeneration energy systems also have the capability of recovering waste heat by using hot water at moderate pressure ( up to 150 psig) but, in most cases, additional firing from gas burners is needed. An air-to-air heat exchanger is also a possibility in some applications, where the exhaust gases can be mixed with the air and directly transmitted to the heating system for recovering heat.
This type of system is very popular in a wide range of industries because it provides high efficiency while being safely operated and having low maintenance requirements. This type of innovative waste heat recovery systems allow increased productivity and enhanced performance of existing applications. Where conventional methods fail to recover energy in an easy and safe manner, this type of system is more cost-effective and applicable to low temperature and dirty or corrosive waste streams, otherwise inaccessible.
This type of system is very popular in a wide range of industries because it provides high efficiency while being safely operated and having low maintenance requirements. This type of innovative waste heat recovery systems allow increased productivity and enhanced performance of existing applications. Where conventional methods fail to recover energy in an easy and safe manner, this type of system is more cost-effective and applicable to low temperature and dirty or corrosive waste streams, otherwise inaccessible.