Thermodynamic and Economic Assessment of Steam Generation with Heavy Fuel Oil and Electric Boilers in a Brazilian Thermoelectric Power Plant

Haylemar de Nazaret Cardenas-Rodriguez (), Yohan Ali Diaz Mendez, Angel Edecio Malaguera Mora, Robson Bauwelz Gonzatti, Rosa Martins, Tiago Diogenes Batista da Silva, Luzivan Da Cruz Moura, Wagner Anderson Souza Figueiredo, Danilo Deivison Santos Silva, Anderson Helmiton Alves de Lima, Arthur José da Silva, André Leon Dias, Erik Leandro Bonaldi, Luiz Eduardo Borges-da-Silva and Frederico De Oliveira Assuncao
Additional contact information
Haylemar de Nazaret Cardenas-Rodriguez: Gnarus Institute, Itajuba 37500-052, MG, Brazil
Yohan Ali Diaz Mendez: Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao (PRPPG), Itajuba Federal University, Itajuba 37500-903, MG, Brazil
Angel Edecio Malaguera Mora: Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao (PRPPG), Itajuba Federal University, Itajuba 37500-903, MG, Brazil
Robson Bauwelz Gonzatti: Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao (PRPPG), Itajuba Federal University, Itajuba 37500-903, MG, Brazil
Rosa Martins: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
Tiago Diogenes Batista da Silva: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
Luzivan Da Cruz Moura: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
Wagner Anderson Souza Figueiredo: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
Danilo Deivison Santos Silva: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
Anderson Helmiton Alves de Lima: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
Arthur José da Silva: Energética SUAPE II S.A., Cabo de Santo Agostinho 54590-000, PE, Brazil
André Leon Dias: Gnarus Institute, Itajuba 37500-052, MG, Brazil
Erik Leandro Bonaldi: Gnarus Institute, Itajuba 37500-052, MG, Brazil
Luiz Eduardo Borges-da-Silva: Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao (PRPPG), Itajuba Federal University, Itajuba 37500-903, MG, Brazil
Frederico De Oliveira Assuncao: Gnarus Institute, Itajuba 37500-052, MG, Brazil

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Heavy fuel oil (HFO) is a widely used fuel in compression ignition engines, primarily in Brazilian thermoelectric plants, mainly due to its availability, low cost, and low operational expenses. However, heavy fuel oil is not compatible with most diesel engines and combustion systems in use and must be treated to maintain combustion process efficiency. The high viscosity of heavy fuel oil must be reduced before being introduced into the engine. To achieve this, appropriate heating devices are added to the fuel lines, with steam being the primary working fluid in these devices. Steam-generating boilers that burn fossil fuels, including HFO itself, are the most viable option from an economic standpoint and in terms of utilizing locally available fuels for this function. However, the need to mitigate the effects of environmental pollution has encouraged the adoption of other types of boilers, such as electric ones. In this work, a case study of a combustion steam generator installed in a Brazilian thermoelectric plant is developed. This study involves the thermodynamic and combustion modeling of the steam generator through the balancing of the respective thermodynamic and combustion equations. The models and the proposed chemical formula of HFO were validated, and through simulations using real data collected during the boiler’s operation throughout 2024, it was also possible to estimate the carbon dioxide emissions produced. Additionally, a hypothetical scenario was simulated in which the combustion boiler currently installed in the plant is replaced by two electric boilers. A simple economic analysis demonstrated that such a replacement would result in a total steam production cost of only 25% of the amount spent on the current combustion boiler, in addition to reducing C O 2 emissions to the atmosphere by 62.55 tons.

Keywords: heavy fuel oil (HFO); thermoelectric plants; steam-generating boilers; combustion efficiency; thermoeconomic analysis (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: 2025
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