ISSN Online: 2379-1748
ISBN Flash Drive: 978-1-56700-517-2
5-6th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC)
EXERGY ANALYSIS OF A GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT USING JATROPHA BIODIESEL, CONVENTIONAL DIESEL AND NATURAL GAS
Abstract
Exergy analysis was carried out on a GE Frame 6B gas turbine power plant with the aim of comparing the effect of different fuels: Jatropha biodiesel, Conventional diesel and Natural gas as the reference fuel on its performance. The Jatropha biodiesel was produced and characterized in accordance to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for the lower heating value and other properties. The obtained
lower heating value was found to be lower than that of conventional diesel and natural gas. It further focuses
on identifying the type, location and causes of thermodynamic losses in the plant. The first as well as the second law of thermodynamics was applied to each component of the plant and the exergy balance for each of the plant components derived. The analysis was conducted by varying the ambient temperature between 294 and 306 K through the use of the Microsoft excel software. The results show that the combustion chamber with the highest exergy destruction efficiency of 53.5% for Jatropha biodiesel, 50.7% for conventional diesel and 50.2% for natural gas while the turbine component of the engine had the least of 13%, 24% and 4% for Jatropha biodiesel, conventional diesel and natural gas respectively at maximum
ambient temperature. On the other hand the highest exergy efficiency was obtained with natural gas but was observed to drop with increase in the ambient temperature. The observed drop in temperature as a result of increased temperature was also applicable to the investigated fuels.