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AFRIGAN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING

. A QUARTERLY COLLECTION OF RECENT RESEARGH ON ENGINEERING
VOLUME 5. IULY 2OL2 NUMBER 8.
* 4 CENTRB FOR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN AFRICA
KEFFE HOUSE, #8O IK\ryERRE ROAD
PORT_HARCOURT,
RTVERS STATE, NIGERTA.

*."- *,..a*.-,"*-.-,.,
%-dn*-
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ISSN: 1597-6645
@ 2012 centre for Developmenf sfrafegr'es in Africa
 -

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING

CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN AFRICA
PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE NIGERIA
Vol.S. No. 8, JULY ZOL}

THERMODYNAMIC ASSESSMENT OF AFAM GAS TURBINE EXHAUST

HEAT
Prof. Engr. H. t. Hart, phD
, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rivers State University of Science ahd technology,
Nkpolu,
port Harcourt

And

Engr. H. t. Njoku
Department.of Mechanical Engineering
University of port Harcourt,
Choba,
port Harcourt
E-mail : njokuhi@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
A complete thermodynamic ossessment of the exhoust heot
from on
open-cycle gos turbine unit is described. The onalysis work
uses the
conventional first law - Energy onolysis in addition to the
more recent
Exergy method to evoluote the quontity ond quolity of
thermal energy
exhousted from the turbine unit. The results of a similar
analysis
performed on o 75MW gos turbine unit operoted
ot Afam power
stotion, Nigerio, showed that by using the Energy method,
tlie exhoust
heat rate determined was 2o7.gMW white the Exergy method gave
an
exhdust heat rote of 59.3MW. The difierence in the results
is explained.
The results should assist in future improvements on plant
design dnd
wd ste- recove ry effo rts.
Keywords - gos turbine, energy, exergy, onalysis, exhoust
heot
INTRODUCTION
Most of the performance studies conducted on simple gas
turbine units in the past have
shown that about 65%-75% of the fuel energy in a simple gas
turbine unit is lost as
exhaust heat, depending on the thermal efficiency of the
unit [Leibowitz and schochet,
200L; Hart, 1990; L9941. Based on these resurts, many proposars
and preriminary
designs of waste heat recovery systems focused on using
this exhaust heat have been
Prof. Enar, H. t. Hort. PhD & Enor: H. t. Nioku Thermodvnamic Assessment Ol Afam....
andpractieingengiheers'However,.moStofresults,i
'of
were obtained from applying only the first law ther.modynamics or the .Energy.
analysis. Performance'studies of thermal systems using only thb Energy'analysis tan
therefore be regarded as incomplete [Simpson and Kay, 1989]. The first law is
concerned with the conservation of energy,'which states that as energy is converted
from one form to another; energy. is neither lost nor destroyed. lt does, howeVer; lose a
certain quality, wtiich can be described as its ability to do work. Since it isthe ability bf
energy to do work which gives its value to society, it is then necessary to deteiririne the
quality of an energy source before putting it to use.
By using 'the Exergy analysis, which is basbd 'on the Second law.' of
thermodynamics, a measure of the quality or the capdcftrT, of energy sources to cause
change or'do useful "thermodynamic work" [Rogers and Mayhew, 1985]"can be
determined.. Many researcherp propose that the thermodynamic.performance of a
process is best evaluated with Exergy analysis [Kotas, 1995]. The objective of this paper
is to thermodynamically assess the quantity and quality of the thermal energy
exhausted from a gas turbine unit using the Afam power station in Nigeria as a case
study. Both the Energy and Exergy analyses are used to actualize this objective. lt is
hoped that results from this work would give insights that will aid future designers and
policy makers in the selection of proper waste heat recovery options.
Brief Description of Afam Gas Turbine Unit
The GT-18 75MW gas turbine unit at Afam was installed and commissioned in
1982 by Brown, Boveri & Company of Switzerland. The primary supply of fuel to the
plant is from the Afam Gas Wells from which natural gas is supplied. All the Gas turbine
units at the Afam Power station are based on the Direct, Open cycle single-shaft
arrangement (operating on the principle of the Brayton Cycle) and using air as the
working fluid, as shown schematically in Figure L.
Fuel

Combustor

Power
Output

Air Exhaust
I nta ke Gases Out

Fig. 1: Flow Diagram of a Simple Open Cycle Gas Turbine Plant.

 AJE CEDSAF Vol.S, No.8, IULY 2OL2
A direct open cycle single shaft gas turbine for generating
electricity is a prime mover
that takes in atmospheric air and compresses it in the compressor.
The compressed air
is mixed with fuel in the combustor and burnt under constant pressure
conditions
(ideally)' The resulting hot gases are allowed to expand
through the turbine to perform
work before being exhausted into the atmosphere. The mechanical
work produced in
the turbine during the expansion is used to drive the compressor (and
other ancillary
equipment) in the cycle, and the balance provides the useful
woik of the unit that
rotates a shaft in a magnetic field tof,roduce electricity.
ln order to produce expansion
through a turbine, a pressure ratio must be provided, and
the first necessary step in the
cycle of a gas turbine plant must therefore be compression
of air. lf after compression
the air was to be expanded directly in the turbine, and there
were no losses in either
component, the power developed by the turbine would just
equal that absorbed by the
compressor' But power developed by the turbine can
be increased by the addition of
energy to raise the temperature of the working fluid prior
to expansion.
when the working fluid is air, a very suitable means of doing
this is by
combustion of fuel in the air, which has been compressed.
Expansion of the hot fluid
then produces a greater power output from the turbine,
so that it is able to provide
useful output in addition to the power necessary to
drive the compressor. ln practice,
losses occur in both the compressor and turbine,
which increase the power, absorbed
by the compressor and decrease the useful power output
of the turbine. A certain
addition to the energy of the working fluid and hence
a certain fuel supply, will result in
a useful power output' However, for a given flow of
air, there is a limit to the rate at
which fuel can be supplied and therefore to the net power
output. The maximum
air/fuel ratio that may be used is governed by the working
temperature of the highly
stressed turbine blades and components, which the
temperature must not exceed a
certain critical value depending on the metallurgical properties
of the turbine materials
and the working life required.
Turbine Exhaust Heat Anatysis
To perform the exhaust heat analysis to determine
the heat rate of the gases
leaving the turbine unit, some thermodynamic
characteristics of Afam GT.18 are as
follows: (obtained from the power station as shown
in Table 1); the supplied Fuel
(natural gas) composition analysis (presented
in Table 2); the combustion reactions
shown in Table 3 and the Approximate combustion products
analysis in Table 4
(determined by calculations) are utilized
[Njoku, ZOO4!.
 prof. Enor. H. t. Hart. PhD & Enor.'H. t. Nioku Thermodinornic Assessment Of Afom ;... :

Table 1: Afam GT-18 Thermodynamic Ch

jracteristics. I a .

PLANT DATA
Averaged Readings taken for the month of May 2002
Turbine inlet Temperature fz = 942"C = 1215K
Turbine exhaust Temperature Ta = 493'C = iOOf
Power output (specific) = 68MW = 68,000kW
Co m presso r i n I et te m.pe ratu re, T1 =)J'$" Q=' 300.5K
Air flow rate G" = 295m3 /s
Density of Air @ 27.5"C = i:tllkg/rn3
t
Mass flow of Air, Ma=1.177 x 295 = 347'.22kgls

Plant pressure Ratio, Pz/Ptor fo, = 82 bar

Volume flow rate of Fuel, Gr = 5.3 x 1000m3/hr

Table 2: Fuel Composition Analysis of the Afam GT-18 Gas Turbine.

Constituent Molar Kmoles Mole Specif ic .Enthalpy XiPi (n i/s)

Mass per fraction weight of
(Mr) kmole (X')x (p,) formation
of fuel molar (kg/m') at 298K,
(x) mass (M;) at 290K hor

= (XiMi) (kJlkmole)
CHq 16.043 0.9686 15.5392 0.6664 -74873 0.6455 0.05923

CzHo 30.070 0.0151 o.4841 L.2478 -84740 0.0201 0.00098

CrHe 44.094 0.0067 0.2954 1.8293 -103900 0.0123 0.00041

CqHro 58.124 0.0034 0.1976 2.4124 -1262A0 0.0082 0.00021

CsHro 72.L51 0.0012 0.0866 2.9939 :146500 0.0036 0.00007

Ce Hrq 86.L78 0.0005 0.0431 3.5753 -167300 0.0018 0.00003

CzHro 100.205 0.0003 0.030r. 4.L584 -187900 0:0012 0.00002

CaHra 1,L4.232 0.0006 0.0685 4.7499 -208600 0.0028 0.00004

Nz 28.013 0.00Q9 0.0252 '1.1645 0 0.0010 0.00006

Coz 44.L01 0.0017 0"o748 1,.8293 -3.93522 0 0013 0.00010

xX;M;= IX,n.
-"rrl
= Xn;/s =
L6.845ke/ 0.6996kg/rn3 0.06lls
J
kmolof = Pr kmoles/sec
fuel
 l-

AJE CEDSAF Vol.S, No.8, IULY 2OL2

Mass flow rate of the fuel, M1, kg/s

= pt x Volume flow rate of fuel (G1) (1)

= 0.6()9fr5 3x1000
,r*
Mr=1.02996=1.03kg/s

No of moles of fuel per second (N/s) l'03

* = :-L_-* (2)
Ix,M, 16.g45 r
= 0.06i.15 kmoles/sec

Table 3: Combustion Reaction Equations.

Constituents Kmole Reaction Eq uation Stoichiometric Coz Hzo
of Fuel per 02 Reqd. Produced (n'ls)
second (nils)
i njected
(n i/s)

CH+ 0.05923 CHa + 2Oz + CO2+ 2H2O 0.1,L846 0.05923 0.1L846

CzHs 0.00098 CzHs + 7f2o2 -) 2Co2 + 0.00343 0.00196 0.oo294
3H20
CeHg 0.00041 C:Hs + 5O2 -+ 3CO2 + 4H2O 0.0020s 0.00123 0.00294
C+H ro 0.00021 caHls + 13 2C,2 -> 4CO2 + 0.00137 0.00084 0.0010s
5H20
CsHrz 0.00007 C5H12 + 8Oz -+ 5CO2 + 6H2O 0.00056 0.0003s 0.00042
CoHr+ 0.00003 Colir+ + l9l2o2,+ 6Co2 + 0.00029 0.00018 0.00021
7HzO

CzHre 0.00002 C7H16 + LL0z -+ 7CO2 + BH2O 0.00022 0.00014 0.00016

CeH re 0.00004 CsHls + 25l2oz -+ BCo2 + 0.00050 0.00032 0.00036
9H20
Coz 0.00010 0.00010

N2 0.00006

Total, I = 0.12688 0.06435 0.1,2524

kmol/s
But volume of air inclucted at compressor from ."rtrr".n"nt
= 295mr/s and mass flow rate, m" = 34l.22kgls
 ' Assessment OI Afgm::.
Prof. Engr. H. l. Hort, PhD & Engr. H.l. Nioku Thermodynamic

341'22x0'l'9"
contained in air ih kmoles per second -
molar mass of air
347.22 .
= 9.501kmol/s
28.81
Total Nz in products = Nz in fuel + Nz in Air (3)
-x;.l9=
= 0.00006 + 9.501= 9.5011kmoles/sec
347'22
Kmoles of oz contained in inducted =x0.21= 2.5257 kmol/s
^i, 28.87
Hence excess Oi in the products wil{ be 2.5257 -Stoich'iometric Oz'rred' for. combustion
',.i: .

=2.5257-0.12588 =2.39882kmoles/sec. :' .

A. Energy Analysis !
Applying the Steady Flow Energy Equation between inlet to combustion chamber
and outlet from Turbine [Rogers and Mayhew, 1985] i.e. between points 2 and 4 as in +

Figure 1, and taking values from Tables 1", 2 and 3, we have:

_n | *ml.
e,r-w,,,b,,=4+V'; *nnl
"
t+l
+?(n,
l,

Where Q.* = quantity of heat exhausted from the turbine unit in Kw or Mw

ZL(rl+A/rl =nro,(t'; * nni)rr.*h,.r(t''; *u'),.u*no.(ni * nn)" * n. ,!t 0r;

\ /
n Ldn*
ls 14

(s)

At the exhaust temperature of 493'C (766'K)

= 0.06435 (-393522 + 21097) + 0.t2524 (-24L826 + 76697)
+ 2.39882 (1.4779) + 9.5011 (L3989)
= 116036.8KW
At air inlet temp of'602.7"K.and fuel entry temp of 298"K

I?t"!rb',+ m j'1,

= ncno{r;). n",r,@"r)* nr,n,@;). nr,r,,@i)* n",r,.@;). ,r,n,^@"r)

t nr,r,u@i. n",r,,@"r)* no.(Lhuor.r*-rnr*)* r, (Lhuor.,*-rnr*) (6)

= 0.05923 (-748731+ 0.00098 l-84740) + 0.00041 (-103900)

+ 0.00021 (-1-26200)+ 0.00007 (-146s00) + 0.00003 (-103900)

6
 AJE CEDSAF Vol.S, No.8, JULY 2012
+ 0.00002 (-187900) + o.0o0o4 (-208600) +
0.12688 (933s)

+ 9.5011 (8e73)

= 81823.55KW
Prurbine = Power developed by Turbine
Prurbine = P.o.pr"rro, * Pn"1
(7)
Pnsl lrne ssured) = 68000kW
P.orp.urro, = Power absorbed by compressor
= 10555 1,.72kW
Prurbine = 105551.72 + 68000
= I73S51..7ZkW
Qe, = 116036.8 - 81823.55 + 17355 172
= 2O776SkW
= 207.8MW
Table 4: Approximate combustion products Analysis
of Afam GT_18
Products ni/s Molar Mass Gas -\[;R, pecif ic
^h
(krlkg) s_-1
S ,l [ ,('o ,
(Kmole/per . Mass, fra ctio n,
r
\_l'1
i
s Co nsta nt ,):l heat Cp,
second) Mi
IT
4930C- )Ii D
_D at 4930c
25'C R=" = Cp o.,
,vl i itl (kJlkg"K)

21.097 CO, 0.06435 44.0I0 0 0081 0.1889 0.0015 L.L54 0.0093

1.471,9 { t- 2.39882 31.999 76.850 0.22060 0.2598 0.0s73 1..047 4.2310
13989 N2 9.50110 28.013 266.154 0.7648 0.2968 0.2270 1.114 0.8520
1.6697 Hzo 0.1,2524 19"01s 2.256 0.0065 0.461s 0.0030 2.124 0.0130
d I=348.00 I=0.2888 I=1.1061
Hence Co^,
cp"* = specific heat at constant pr"r** oitr,. .*tar;ag;ari-tr,€
= 1.1061 = 1.1_1 kJlkg"k
And R"" = exhaust gas constant = 0.2gBB kJ/kg"K
Ro = Universal gas constant g.31,4kJ/kg.kmol.K
=
' Assuming the exhaust gas mixture is an ideal gas
at low pressure of 1bar, we can use ihe
equation of state - p = pRT
(g)
P
p., (density) = ;+ = 1.01325x105
R.. 4. 0.2ggg x l 0r x 766
p.,, = O.4580kg/m3.
 :.
B. Exergy Analysis ' . '. :
Emptoying slcbnd Law (eiergy bnalysis),.the physical'ekergy (i.e. ability to cdusd:
change) oitf,. .ih.urtgases leavint the tulbine unit can be determined'by inserting a
heat recovery process just at thb exit of the turbine, betwben the turbine unit and the
exhaust stack, as shown below.

i.

1 (Exhaust gases @ Tr, Po)

2 (Exhaust gases @ T2, Po)

Pt. 0 (Environment, To, Po)

Fig.2. Schematic of a Turbine Heat Recovery System discharging to the environment.

According to Kotas [1995], physical exergy of a stream of substance is naturally
divisible into two components:
a. The thermal component resulting from the temperature difference between the
stream and the environment at constant pressure.
b. The pressure component resulting from the pressure difference between the
stream matter and the environment.

Thus (e)
Epn= Eoho'+ EonAP
For an ideal gas, physical exergy is given as:
(10)
Eprr =tcp (T - To) - To (Cp ln T/To - R ln P/P")l
rr1

Usually, analysis of a physical process requires the difference in Epn for two states rather
!he separate values, thus
' Epnr Epr,z m (Tr Tz) To.(cp lnTJrz-'R ln PlP")]. (1r1
- = [cp - -
Tr = 493"C = 766K= exhaust temperature of gases leaving turbine"
Tz = 185'C = 458K = assumed exhaust temperature of gases leaving heat recovery
system (To avoid eondensation of exhaust gases in order not to produce acidic
corrosive solutions, it is recommended that combustion products be kept at
temperatures above 17O"C [Njoku, 2OO4]
To = 27 .5"C = 300.5K = temperature of the environment.
 -

AJE CEDSAF Vol.S, No.8, JULY 2012

Po = Atmospheric pressure = 1.01-325 bar.

CP = CP", = L.LL kJ/kg.K
R = R", = 0.2BBB kl/kg.K
m = mass flcw rate of exhaust gases = 348.54 kg/s
Putting,.rrl'i3s into equation (11), assuming a mixt'.ri'e oi::<he,-tr.; gases @ Iow
pressure = ideal gls at constant pressure, the:hange in physii.al ei(ei'.j,/ rn a process
between states L:nd 2 (as shown in fig.2) is determined as:
= 59.37 MW
I(esults and Discussion
The result, ii'om ihe analysis sc far indicates ihat u;ing:h'l Energy-based
method, the quaniity of thermal energy exhausted from the Afam gas i:r"bine plant is
about 207.8MW. which is over 70% of the fuel energy in the :lant r,vfiile the Exergy
Analysis indicates lhat the physical exei'gy obtainable from the stream oi exhaust gases
is about 59.37MW which is around 25% of the fuel energy in the plant. The latter
i'epresents the maximum capacity of the turbine exhaust heat to cause iurther change
(e.g. heat up a space) or the ability to do useful work. However, the concept of work
meant here is generalized to represent all forms of thermodynamic work and not
limited to mechanical or shaft work [Rogers and Mayhew, 1985]. The difference
between the Energy and Exergy approaches is that exergy analysis considers the amount
of entropy production (which occurs in all real processes) and degradation In the quality
of energy as it is transferred across the boundary of a system" For simplicity, a
hypothetical heat recovery process has been used to determine the physical exergy of
exhaust gases; economics and part-load operations are not considered. The results and
findings are thus correspondingly limited. Also, Some simplifying assumptions are used
(e.g. ideal gas theory, negligible potential and kinetic energies) to keep the paper
concise and direct, while still permitting the difference between the energy and exergy
results to be highlighted.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the foregoing that though a relatively large amount of
energy is contained in the turbine exhaust heat, not all that is available to do work.
Since work is the highest quality of energy, the ability of energy sources to do useful
thermodynamic work must be assessed before putting to use. This can only be done
using a complete thermodynamic approach that involves applying the energy and the
exergy analyses. Thus, assessments and proposal made based only on the energy
analysis can be misleading. Future designers and pollcy makers who wish to utilize the
waste heat of the Afam gas turbine units or similar plants are hereby guided to use the
exergy results in their analysis. The concept of thermodynamic work has been used to
indicate that though the exhaust gases leaves the turbine unit at low pressure, and
 -

Hort,:'PhD &

hence could not be elpdnde{. to do friither irqchanical ry-oik, the exhaust heat can still
be directly converted'into,oth'er useful forms of energy pioducts. For:example, it can be .

used in direct conversion systems like thermionic converters, therm'oelectric converters

[Rogers and Mayhew, 1985] and steam generators to generate electricity. lt.can.also be
used in absorption refrigerators to generate cooling [Njoku, 2OO4] and in industiial .

processes requiring.heating and drying [Hart, 1990]. ,

Nomenclature
oK)'
T.= Temperature (oC or
Q = H€at rate (MW)
W - Power (MW)
n = No. of moles
s = second
M = molar mass (kg)
m = mass flow rate {kg/s}
h] = Enthatpy of formation (kJlke)
Aft = change in enthalpy (kJlke)
E = Exergy rate (MW)
Cp = Specific heat at constant pressure {ki/,kg
oK}

ft = g?s constant (kJ/kg "K)

P = pressure (bar)
p = density (kelm3)
.x = mole fraction
G = volume ftow rate (m'/s)

Subscripts
o = ambient or environmental state
.f = fuel
a=air
1= inlet to compressor
2 = exit from compressor
3 = inlet to turbine
4 = exit from turbine
ph = physicalexergy
i = constituent of fuel
p = product of combustion ..
r = reactants of combustion
ex = exhaust gases
e = exit
Superscripts
At temperature difference
=
[P = pressure difference

1U
AJE CEDSAF Vol.S, No.8, JULY 2012

References
Leibowitz, H. and Schochet, D. N. (2001): "Generating Electric Power from Compressor
Station Residual Heat" Pipeline & Gas Journol, yol.2ZB, No. 11, pp" 24-26.

Hart, H. !. {1994): "Design for Gas Turbine Performance tn-rpr :/.ment in the Niger Delta
Area cf Nigeria" /V.5.E. TechnicalTransoctions, Vol, 2g, i't,'t i, pp.46-i:7

Hart, l. (1990): "Putting Afam Gas Turbine Plant into More Use" Proc. oi En,qineering
l-1.

& Technological Development Conference, FEC 48. Uni,rei"sity of Benin, Nigeria, pp.
373-379.
Simpson, M. and l(ay, J. (1989): "Availability, Energy, the:recond Law ancl All That."
o
Online source: www.fes.uwaterloo.ca, April 2004.

Rogers, G, F. c. andMayhew, Y. R. (1985): Engineering Thermodynomics. 3'd ed.

E.L.B.S/Longmans, U.K. Pp. 300 - 340;458 4G7.

Kotas, T. J. (1995\: The Energy Method of Thermal Plarrt Analysis. Reprint edition,
Krieger, Malabar, Florida. Pp. 29 - 51

Njoku, H. l, (2004): "Design of An Absorption Refrigeration System Using Gas Turbine

Exhaust Heat", M.Tech. Thesis, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Rivers State
University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. pp.21,- 69

11
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