The Open University of Sri Lanka

Faculty of Engineering Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Study Programme Master of Energy Management (MEM)
Name of the Examination Final Examination
Course Code and Title DMX9208 Combined Energy Systems for
Efficient Energy Use (CES)
Academic Year 2020
Date 31st January 2021 (Sunday)
Time 13.30 hours– 16.30 hours (IST)
Duration 03 hours

General Instructions
1. Read all instructions carefully before answering the questions.
2. This question paper consists of Five (5) questions. Answer all questions.
3. All questions carry equal marks
4. Answer for each question should commence from a new page.
5. Relevant charts/ codes are provided.
6. This is a Closed Book Test (CBT).
7. Answers should be in clear hand writing.
8. Do not use Red color pen.

QUESTION 01 (20 Marks)

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSW) is generally a responsibility of local governing

authorities. Collection and proper disposal of waste become a challenging task to many
authorities as the process involves technological, environmental and social concerns.

a) Briefly describe the process, how MSW land filling is conducted. What are the benefits
and challenges of land filling? You can mention one/two reasons from energy,
environmental and societal perspectives? (5 marks)

b) One of the municipal waste management methods is the thermal treatment, conversion
of waste to energy. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of gasification integrated steam
power plant designed for 10 MW electrical output. Fuel used here is sorted and pre-
processed burnable components of MSW, having a lower heating value (LHV) of 12
MJ/kg.

Boiler - Steam
Gasifier and
production Generator 10
Gas cleaning Steam turbine,
MSW in
unit (energy (energy condenser and MW (efficiency
conversion conversion pump 100% )
efficiency 60%) efficiency 80%)

Figure 1 – Gasification integrated Steam power plant configuration

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‘

Steam boiler, fueled by cleaned producer gas from a gasifier, delivers steam at 60 bar
pressure and 350°C temperature (enthalpy 3050 kJ/kg) to the steam turbine, steam leaves
turbine as saturated vapor at 0.0428 bar pressure and 30°C temperature (enthalpy 2555
kJ/kg). Saturated vapor then condensed in the water cooled condenser and re-enters the boiler
as saturated liquid at same pressure and temperature levels as the saturated vapor entered the
condenser (enthalpy 125.7 kJ/kg).

i. If the power plant is generating power of 10 MW in constant rate, calculate the

feed rate of MSW in tons/hr (10 marks)

ii. Calculate the electrical efficiency of the power plant (5 marks)

QUESTION 02 (20 Marks)

A cane sugar mill is currently burning bagasse as fuel to deliver heat and power to the sugar
processes. The bagasse is coming wet from process with a moisture content of F = 50%.

The boiler is supplied with a bagasse flow of 15.2 kg/s (total basis), which is burned with an
excess amount of air. Flue gas exist with, temperature over 2500C. The lower heating value
(LHV) of the bagasse on total basis (with 50% moisture) is calculated as 7.74 MJ/kg. The
steam pressure and temperature from the boiler is 30 bar and 400°C (enthalpy 3240 kJ/kg).
The steam flow is in total 30.7 kg/s and is divided to generate electricity (11.5 kg/s) and
mechanical power for milling (19.2 kg/s). The pressure after the steam turbines is 2.20 bar at
an enthalpy of 2725 kJ/kg. The steam after the turbines is brought to the sugar mill
evaporators, where the steam condensates to water while leaving heat to the process. The
condensate is brought back to the boiler (enthalpy 517.6 kJ/kg). Figure 2 shows the
schematic configuration of the CHP plant.

Figure 2 – CHP power plant configuration

a) Calculate the boiler efficiency and electrical power generation? (10 marks)

b) If the bagasse is dried to 40% humidity content, how much additional electrical power
can be generated considering that the improved boiler efficiency only results in a
higher steam flow from the boiler? (10 marks)
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The additional steam flow is brought only through the electrical power turbines which can
generate more power than they currently do; and it can be assumed that the pressures and
temperatures before and after the turbines remain unchanged. The temperature of the flue gas
also stays unchanged.
Assumption (to simplify the calculation), Losses in the boiler has been reduced by 22% after
the fuel upgrading, and this amount has been accounted as the increase of boiler efficiency.
Increase of boiler efficiency give extra amount of steam generation (increased steam mass
flow rate) in the boiler (but steam properties are maintained as before).LHV of the fuel with
40% moisture content has been calculated as 9.80 MJ/kg and the fuel rate become 12.6 kg/s
after drying.

QUESTION 03 (20 Marks)

Industry installation shown in figure 3 uses a gas turbine, Steam Turbine and Organic
Rankine Cycle (ORC) for electricity generation. Hot flue gas exhaust from the gas turbine is
used for steam production in HRSB. Produced steam quality is 30 bar, 465°C and 3378 kJ/kg
pressure, temperature and enthalpy respectively. After the steam expansion through the
turbine, saturated steam exits the steam turbine at 176°C temperature (enthalpy 2773.6
kJ/kg). Exiting steam is then used for the industrial heating purpose (requirement is 30 t/h)
and some part of the existing steam is sent to energise the heat exchanger of the ORC. The
electricity output of the ORC turbine is 3MW. Total efficiency of the plant is 80%. The gas
turbine is fired with light oil of having LHV 42.3 MJ/kg and the electrical efficiency of the
gas turbine is 32%.

T – tons (= 1000 kg)

Figure 3 – Schematic of the system installation

a) Calculate the electrical output of the stream turbine (10 marks)

b) Calculate the plant electrical efficiency (5 marks)

c) Calculate the heat power in MW delivered to the industrial process (5 marks)

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QUESTION 04 (20 Marks)

Synchronous grids are the power systems consisting of several generators connected by AC
lines and operate at a single frequency.

a) What is the purpose of primary control in synchronous power grid? What are the main
characteristics of power plants which are to be operated as primary control reserves?
(6 marks)

b) What is the purpose of secondary control systems in synchronous power grid? (4 marks)

c) A power generation system with 2000 MW generation capacity is operational by

connecting to a load of 2000 MW. The Gain of the generation system is 400 MW/Hz.
Frequency of the power grid is 49.92.
Calculate the new frequency if load is reduced by 10 MW. (10 marks)

ΔG = R·Δf , ΔG: Change in generation, R: Gain, Δf: Change in frequency

QUESTION 05 (20 Marks)

A municipal council has decided to add 36 MW power plant to increase the capacity of
electricity supply. You have two options available for the power generation. One is to install
Diesel Generators and the other is to install a Gas Turbine. Gas turbine considered is GTX -
100, has the rated power output 38MW. If the diesel generator option is chosen, five units of
20V24SG generators, each has 7.8 MW rated power output are to be installed. Efficiency
curves for the diesel generators combined installation and gas turbine are as shown in figure
4.

Figure 4 – Performance comparison of Gas Turbine and Diesel generator system

The power plant should be operational at various capacities during a year as given in the table
below.

Table 1: Hours of operation per year at power capacities

Operational Capacity (MW) Number of operational hours per year
15 2,600
25 1,600
35 4,200

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Table 2: Relevant costs and performances of two types engines
Diesel Engine Gas Turbine
Installation cost (USD/kW) 400 200
Fuel cost (USD/lit) 1.40 0.004
Fuel density (kg/m3) 800 0.8
Maintenance cost (USD/year/unit) 25,000 50,000
CO2 emission (kg/kWh) 0.70 0.45

Fuel for gas turbine is natural gas, LHV is 45 MJ/kg and LHV of diesel is 38 MJ/kg.
The carbon tax is 20 USD/Ton of CO2.

Assume: Each engine has the life span of 10 years and depreciation method is straight line –
that means depreciation value in each year is the investment cost divided by the life span.
Electricity generation is going to be same for each year of operation and there is no cost for
the removal of the machines at the end of operation life.

a) What indicators should be considered to make the decision of the power plant for required
application (5 marks)

b) Calculate levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for each type of generation system and
compare those numbers to support the decision of plant selection (10 marks)
LCOE = total cost of operation /units generated

c) Estimate the tons of CO2 produced annually by each type of generation system (5 marks)

ALL RIGHT RESERVED

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