Thermodynamic Analysis and Improvement Potential of Helium Closed Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant at Four Loads

Vedran Mrzljak (), Igor Poljak, Maro Jelić and Jasna Prpić-Oršić
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Vedran Mrzljak: Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Igor Poljak: Department of Maritime Sciences, University of Zadar, Mihovila Pavlinovića 1, 23000 Zadar, Croatia
Maro Jelić: Maritime Department, University of Dubrovnik, Ćira Carića 4, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Jasna Prpić-Oršić: Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-26

Abstract: This paper presents thermodynamic and improvement potential analyses of a helium closed-cycle gas turbine power plant (Oberhausen II) and dominant plant components at four loads. DESIGN LOAD represents optimal operating conditions that cannot be obtained in exploitation but can be used as a guideline for further improvements. In real plant exploitation, the highest plant efficiency is obtained at NOMINAL LOAD (31.27%). Considering all observed components, the regenerator (helium-helium heat exchanger) is the most sensitive to the ambient temperature change. An exact comparison shows that the efficiency decrease of an open-cycle gas turbine power plant during load decrease is approximately two and a half or more times higher in comparison to a closed-cycle gas turbine power plant. Plant improvement potential related to all turbomachines leads to the conclusion that further improvement of the most efficient turbomachine (High Pressure Turbine—HPT) will increase whole plant efficiency more than improvement of any other turbomachine. An increase in the HPT isentropic efficiency of 1% will result in an average increase in whole plant efficiency of more than 0.35% at all loads during plant exploitation. In the final part of this research, it is investigated whether the additional heater involvement in the plant operation results in a satisfactory increase in power plant efficiency. It is concluded that in real exploitation conditions (by assuming a reasonable helium pressure drop of 5% in the additional heater), an additional heating process cannot be an improvement possibility for the Oberhausen II power plant.

Keywords: thermodynamic analysis; Oberhausen II; closed cycle gas turbine power plant; helium; various plant loads; improvement potential (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: 2023
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