Innovation in an Existing Backpressure Turbine for Ensure Better Sustainability and Flexible Operation

Aleš Hromádka, Martin Sirový and Zbyněk Martínek
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Aleš Hromádka: Regional Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitní str. 2732/8, 306 14 Pilsen, Czech Republic
Martin Sirový: Regional Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitní str. 2732/8, 306 14 Pilsen, Czech Republic
Zbyněk Martínek: Department of Electric Power Engineering and Ecology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitní str. 2732/8, 306 14 Pilsen, Czech Republic

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-20

Abstract: Cogeneration power plants have already been operated in the Czech Republic for several decades. These cogeneration power plants have been mostly operated with original technologies. However, these original technologies have to be continuously innovated during the entire operation time. This paper is focused on one of the possible innovations, which could lead to better sustainability and improved flexibility of the cogeneration power plants. Backpressure turbines are still used in many cogeneration power plants. However, backpressure turbines are currently losing suitability for cogeneration power plants, because they always need sufficient heat demand for optimal operation. Backpressure turbines rapidly lose efficiency when facing a lack of heat demand, i.e., mostly in summer season. Currently, condensing turbines are a preferable option for cogeneration power plants, which generally achieve less effective operation, as condensing turbines are able to operate with optional heat demand. Therefore, backpressure turbines are often replaced by condensing turbines with regulated outputs. In spite of the current trend, this article will present an innovative topology, which retains the original backpressure turbine with the addition of the organic Rankine cycle for residual energy utilization.

Keywords: backpressure turbine; cogeneration power plant; organic Rankine cycle; cycle synthesis; innovative topology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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