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Title: Cogeneration-wave of the future

Journal Article · · Spec. Eng.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6866202

Cogeneration is a method for producing process steam or heat, together with electric power, which optimizes the use of the fuel input to obtain maximum energy output. Two classes of cogeneration, topping cycles, and bottoming cycles, are studied in this paper. When heat is a byproduct of an electrical generating system, it is called a topping cycle; when the electricity is a byproduct of a system's excess heat, it is a bottoming cycle. Three cogeneration plant types--reciprocating engine, gas turbine, and steam turbine--are compared. Gas turbines have a wide fuel flexibility, produce high heat output, and have low atmospheric pollution. Steam turbines have the greatest flexibility, are efficient at partial load, and have the highest heat output per unit of electricity. Rankine and Brayton steam cycles are the two most common bottoming cycles.

OSTI ID:
6866202
Journal Information:
Spec. Eng.; (United States), Vol. 49:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English