Port Said University Energy Economics

Faculty of Engineering 2020/2021 , 4th Year

Mechanical Power Eng. Dept.

Practice Problems

Problem 1- Six Alternate plans of supplying Energy for a given circumstance are investigated and found to
require the investment and annual operating costs given in Table 1.

Table 1

Plan A, $ Plan B, $ Plan C, $ Plan D, $ Plan E, $ Plan F, $

Investment 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000
Annual operating cost 36,000 27,000 20,000 15,000 12,000 10,000

a) Find the optimum plan for a fixed charge rate of 10%.

b) Find the optimum plan for a fixed charge rate of 5%.

c) Find the optimum plan for a fixed charge rate of 15%.

d) Compare the total annual costs for the optimum plans of (a), (b), (c ), and discuss.

e) Assuming that the operating costs are 20 % greater than given, find the optimum plan at a fixed charge
rate of 10%.

f) Assuming that the operating costs are 20 % less than given, find the optimum plan at a fixed charge rate
of 10%.

g) Compare the total annual costs for the optimum plans of (a), (e), (f), and discuss.

Problem 2.1- Determine the maximum demand for each group of energy consumers shown in Table 2:

Table 2
Consumer Class Total Connected Demand Group Diversity Peak Diversity
of Service load, kW Factor, % Factor Factor
Public Buildings 100 35 1.6 1.00
Apartments 1,000 55 4.0 1.20
Hospitals 200 45 1.5 1.05
Theaters 150 60 1.6 1.00
Laundries 50 70 1.8 1.05
Residences 3,000 40 4.5 1.20
Stores 500 65 1.6 1.05
Offices 100 70 1.8 1.05
Lighting (street) 600 100 1.0 1.00
 Port Said University Energy Economics
Faculty of Engineering 2020/2021 , 4th Year
Mechanical Power Eng. Dept.

Foundry 3,500 80 1.1 1.05

Boiler Factory 4,000 90 1.1 1.05
Hotel 700 25 1.8 1.20
Motor Factory 5,000 75 1.1 1.05

Also determine the system maximum load. Explain how the diversity of use helps to reduce the cost
of power plants.

Problem 2.2- If it is only possible to serve the maximum load in problem 2.1 using only one unit with
availability of P=0.98. How many days it is probable there will be no service per year? And what are
load curtailment and total energy loss per year for this case?

Problem 3- An electrical system experiences changes in load such that its daily load curve is described
in Table 3:
a) Plot the chronological load curve and load duration curve for the system,
b) Find the load factor, capacity factor and the utilization factor if the capacity of the plant is 100
MW.
Table 3 Daily Load
Time MW
12 P.M.-2 A.M. 20
2-8 10
8 - 12.30 P.M. 50
12.30 - 1 40
1-6 50
6 -12 P.M. 70

Problem 4- An electrical system experiences changes in load such that its daily load curve is described in
Table 4

Table 4

Time Mw Time Mw
12 P.M. 20 12:30 P.M. 40
2 A.M. 10 1 50
6 10 5 50
8 50 6 70
12 M. 50 12 20
 Port Said University Energy Economics
Faculty of Engineering 2020/2021 , 4th Year
Mechanical Power Eng. Dept.

a) Plot the chronological load curve and load duration curve for the system,
b) Find the load factor, capacity factor and the utilization factor if the capacity of the plant is 100
MW.
Problem 5- To serve a load having the annual duration characteristics given in the following
Table 5:
Table 5
kW Hr
5,000 200
4,000 4,000
2,000 2,000
1,000 1,000
500 1,560

Two plants, a steam-turbine plant and a diesel-engine plant, are being considered. For the steam plant
coal at $4.50 ton with a calorific value of 14,000 Btu per lb. is available; for the diesel plant oil at
$2.10 per barrel containing 358 lb. with a calorific content of 18,500 Btu per lb. The performance
characteristics of the plants are:
Steam: I = (6 + 8L+ 0.111 L3) × 106
Diesel: I = (9 + 4L + 0.52 L2 - 0.016 L3) × 106
Where I is the input in Btu /hr and L is the output in MW. The steam plant would require three more
men at a salary of $4,000 per man for operation than the Diesel plant. The Fixed charge rate is 12%
for each plant. Which plant should be selected if the steam plant costs $230 per kW and the diesel
plant $220 per kW, and no reserve capacity is required? 1 ton = 2,000 lb.

Problem 6- An input-output curve of a 100 MW station is expressed by the formula:

I = (180+ 10L + 0.01 L2) × 106

where I is the input in Btu /hr and L is the output in MW.
a) Find the load at which the maximum efficiency occurs.
b) Plot the heat rate, thermal efficiency and incremental rate curves.