Combined Cycle Power Plant

Subject: Power Plant Engineering

Done by:

K.S Dharun Eshwar,

BE – Mechanical 3rd Year ‘A’,
MCET.
Introduction:
•In stationary power plants, a widely used combination is a 
gas turbine (operating by the Brayton cycle) burning 
natural gas or synthesis gas from coal, whose hot exhaust
powers a steam power plant (operating by the Rankine cycle
).

• This is called a Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) also

known as Combined Cycle Gas Power (CCGT) Plant , and can
achieve a best-of-class real  thermal efficiency of around 62%
in base-load operation, in contrast to a single cycle steam
power plant which is limited to efficiencies of around 35–
42%
The Principle:
• After completing its cycle (in the first engine), the
temperature of the working fluid in the system is still high
enough that a second subsequent heat engine extracts
energy from it.

• By combining these multiple streams of work upon a single

mechanical shaft turning an electric generator or keeping
two individual generator, the overall net efficiency of the
system may be increased by 50–60%. That is, from an overall
efficiency of say 34% (simple cycle), to possibly an overall
efficiency of 62% (combined cycle).
Types based on Number of Generators Used to Produce
Electricity:

1) Single Shaft:

• A single shaft combined cycle plant comprises a gas

turbine and a steam turbine driving a common generator.

• The single shaft design provides slightly less initial cost

and slightly better efficiency than if the gas and steam
turbines had their own generators.
 2) Multi Shaft:

• In a multi-shaft combined cycle plant, each gas turbine

and each steam turbine has its own generator.

• The multi-shaft design enables two or more gas

turbines to operate in conjunction with a single steam
turbine, which can be more economical than a number
of single shaft units.

Waste Heat Recovery Boiler (WHRB):

It is a water tube type of boiler which uses hot exhaust

gases to produce High Pressure Steam.
Fuel Used:
•Natural Gas (Usually 90%)
•Fuel Oil
•Bio-Gas
•Synthesis Gas

Advantanges:
•Higher Power Output
•Better Efficiency

Disadvantages:
•Higher Capital Cost
•High Maintainence
Recent Developments:

•Integrated solar combined cycle power stations

combine the energy harvested from solar
radiation with another fuel to cut fuel costs and
environmental impact.

• Next generation nuclear power plants also use

combined cycle system.