UNIT-II POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

LECTURE NOTES
ON

POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

Prepared
By

RAM BABU DARA

Senior Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Aditya Nagar, ADB Road, Surampalem, East Godavari Dist,

Andhra Pradesh-533437

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UNIT-II POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

Syllabus:
INTERNAL COMBUSTION AND GAS TURBINE POWER PLANTS:
DIESEL POWER PLANT: Plant layout with auxiliaries – fuel supply system, air starting
equipment, super charging.
GAS TURBINE PLANT: Introduction – classification - construction – layout with
auxiliaries, combined cycle power plants and comparison.

DIESEL POWER PLANT

INTRODUCTION:
• A generating station in which diesel engine is used as the prime mover for the
generation of electrical energy is known as diesel power station
• Diesel power plants produce power in the range of 2 to 50 MW.
• They can be used as stand-by plants to hydro-electric power plants and steam power
plants for emergency services.
• They are used as standby sets for continuity of supply such as hospitals, telephone
exchanges, radio stations, cinema theatres and industries.
• They are suitable for mobile power generation and widely used in railways,
submarine, air planes & ships.

Figure 2.1: Basic principle of diesel power plant

Basic working principle of four stroke diesel engine

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• Intake: The inlet valve opens, and air is drawn into the cylinder, moving the piston
down.

• Compression: The inlet valve closes, and the piston moves up, compressing the air.

• Combustion: Diesel fuel is injected into the cylinder before the piston reaches the
top, and the fuel is ignited. The force of the ignition pushes the piston down.

• Exhaust: The piston moves down and reaches the top, pushing the exhaust gases out
through the exhaust valve

Figure 2.2: Working principle of diesel engine

Selection of Site for a Diesel Power Station:
1. Near to Load Center: As far as possible the plant should be installed near to load
center, to reduce transmission & distribution cost of electrical energy.
2. Availability of Land: For erection of diesel power plant, land should be available
near to load center at low cost.
3. Availability of Water: The soft water is freely available for the purpose of cooling.
4. Foundations: As we know that, the diesel engines or a machine produces vibrations.
So provide good foundation to erect the diesel engine.
5. Fuel Transportation: The diesel plant is far away from fuel mines. So to provide fuel
to the plant arrange good transportation facility like road, rail etc.
6. Local Conditions: For increasing the demand of power & future expansion space
available.

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7. Noise Pollution: The plant should away from populated areas, because it produces
noise.

LAYOUT OF DIESEL ENGINE POWER PLANT

(a)

(b)
Figure 2.3: General layout of diesel power plant
• A generating station in which diesel engine is used as the prime mover for the
generation of electrical energy is known as diesel power station.

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• In a diesel power station, diesel engine is used as the prime mover.

• The diesel burns inside the engine and the products of this combustion act as the
working fluid to produce mechanical energy.
• The diesel engine drives alternator which converts mechanical energy into electrical
energy.
• As the generation cost is considerable due to high price of diesel, therefore, such
power stations are only used to produce small power.
• Although steam power stations and hydro-electric plants are invariably used to
generate bulk power at cheaper costs, yet diesel power stations are finding favour at
places where demand of power is less, sufficient quantity of coal and water is not
available and the transportation facilities are inadequate.
• This plants are also standby sets for continuity of supply to important points such as
hospitals, radio stations, cinema houses and telephone exchanges.
Advantages:
a. The design and layout of the plant are quite simple.
b. It occupies less space as the number and size of the auxiliaries is small.
c. It can be located at any place.
d. It can be started quickly and it can pick up load in a short time.
e. There are no standby losses.
f. It requires less quantity of water for cooling.
g. The thermal efficiency of the plant is higher than that of a steam power station.
h. It requires less operating staff
Disadvantages:
a. The plant has high running charges as the fuel (diesel) used is costly.
b. The plant doesn’t work satisfactorily under overload conditions for a longer period.
c. The plant can only generate small power.
d. The cost of lubrication is generally high.
e. The maintenances charges are generally high
Applications of diesel power plant
 They are used as central station for small or medium power supplies.
 They can be used as stand-by plants to hydro-electric power plants and steam power
plants for emergency services.
 They can be used as peak load plants in combinations with thermal or hydro-plants.

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 They are quite suitable for mobile power generation and are widely used in
transportation systems such as automobiles, railways, air planes and ships.
 Now-a-days power cut has become a regular feature for industries. The only solution
to tide over this difficulty is to install diesel generating sets.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS/AUXILIARIES OF DIESEL POWER PLANT

• Engine System (Diesel Engine)
• Fuel Supply System
• Air Intake System
• Exhaust System
• Cooling System
• Lubricating System
• Starting System

Engine System (Diesel Engine):

This is the main component of the plant which develops required power. The engine is
generally directly coupled to the generator. Generally classified as two stroke engine and four
stroke engines. When the diesel fuel burning inside the engine, its start to produce a
mechanical power. The combustion of diesel fuel produces increased temperature & pressure
inside the engine. Due to this pressure gases are formed, this gas pushes the piston inside the
diesel engine, and then mechanical power is produced. With the use of this mechanical power
the shaft of diesel engine starts rotating.

Figure 2.4: Engine system

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Fuel Supply System:

It consists of Fuel Storage Tank, Fuel Filter or Strainer, Fuel Transfer Pump, Day Tank,
Heaters & Connecting Pipes. First up all with the help of transportation facility available
(road, rail etc.) the diesel fuel stored in storage tank. Then this diesel fuel transfer to day tank,
the function of day tank is how much quantity of diesel required for 24 hours is store. If the
day tank is full or overflow occurs, then excessive diesel returned to storage tank. The filter
or strainer is used to purify diesel. With the help of fuel transfer pump the diesel is transfer to
day tank.

Figure 2.5: Fuel supply system

Air Intake System:

Figure 2.6: Air-intake system

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This System includes air filters, air tank, compressor & connecting pipes. The air filters are
used to supply the fresh air to diesel engine for the purpose of combustion. Engine required
fresh air because, if dust particles in the air entered into the engine will cause disastrous
effect to valve, cylinder & pistons. The compressor or Supercharger is used to increase
pressure of the air supplied to the engine. This will helps to increase the output power.

Exhaust System:
These systems consist of silencers & connecting ducts. As the temperature of the exhaust
gases is sufficiently high, it is used for heating the fuel oil or air supplied to the diesel engine.
The exhaust gas is removed from engine, to the atmosphere by means of an exhaust system.
A silencer is normally used in this system to reduce noise level of the engine.

Figure 2.7: Exhaust system

Cooling System
The Diesel Engine Cooling System Consist of coolant pumps, water cooling towers or spray
pond, water treatment or filtration plant & Connecting Pipe Works. The heat produced due to
internal combustion, drives the engine. But some parts of this heat raise the temperature of
different parts of the engine. High temperature may cause permanent damage to the machine.
Hence, it is essential to maintain the overall temperature of the engine to a tolerable level.
Cooling system of diesel power station does exactly so. The cooling system is required to
carry heat from diesel engine to keep its temperature within safe limits. The water pump
circulates water to cylinder of diesel engine to carry away the heat. The cooling tower is used
for the same water reused. The cooling system requires a water source, water pump and
cooling towers. The pump circulates water through cylinder and head jacket. The water takes

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away heat from the engine and it becomes hot. The hot water is cooled by cooling towers and
is re-circulated for cooling
The cooling system can be classified into two types:
1. Open Cooling System: A Plant near the river may utilize the river water for cooling &
discharging again the hot water into river. This type of cooling system is known as
open cooling system.
2. Closed Cooling System: The Cooling Water is circulated again & again and only
water lost due to leakage, evaporation etc. is made up by taking make up water from
supply source.

Lubricating System
Engine lubrication system consists of lubricating oil pump, oil tanks, filters, coolers, purifiers
& connecting pipes. This system provides lubricating oil to moving parts of the system to
reduce the friction between them wear & tear of the engine parts. This system minimizes the
water of rubbing surface of the engine. Here lubricating oil is stored in main lubricating oil
tank. This lubricating oil is drawn from the tank by means of oil pump. Then the oil is passed
through the oil filter for removing impurities. From the filtering point, this clean lubricating
oil is delivered to the different points of the machine where lubrication is required the oil
cooler is provided in the system to keep the temperature of the lubricating oil as low as
possible. It is then cooled through heat exchanger by means of cold water and then it is fed to
the engine.
 The basic functions of a lubrication system are as follows:
 LUBRICATION: To keep parts sliding freely past each other, reducing friction and
wear.
 COOLING: To keep surfaces cool by taking away part of the heat caused by friction.
 CLEANING: To keep the bearings and piston rings clean.
 SEALING: To form a good seal B/W the piston rings and cylinder walls.
 REDUCING NOISE: to reduce the noise of the engine by absorbing vibration.

Various lubrication systems used in the diesel engine are

A. Wet sump lubrication system B. Dry sump lubrication system
C. Mist sump lubrication system

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Wet sump lubrication system

 These systems employ a large capacity oil sump at the base of crank chamber from
which the oil is drawn by a low pressure oil pump and delivered to various parts.
 Oil then gradually returns back to the sump after serving the purpose.
 Oil is always contained in the sump which is drawn by pump through a strainer.
 In this system having three types
 Splash system
 Full pressure system
 Semi pressure system

Figure 2.8: Wet Sump Lubrication System

Splash system
 This system is used on some small four stroke stationary engine.
 Caps on the big end bearings of connecting rods are provided with scoops which,
when the connecting rod is in the lowest position, just dip into the oil troughs and thus
directs the oil through holes in the caps to the big end bearings.
 Due to splash of oil it reaches the lower portion of the cylinder walls, crank shaft and
other parts requiring lubrication.
 Oil level in the troughs is maintained by means of a oil pump which takes oil from
sump through a filter.
 This system is suitable for low and medium speed engines having moderate bearing
load pressures.

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Figure 2.9: Splash Lubrication System

Full pressure system
 Oil is delivered by the pressure pump at pressure ranging from 1.5 to 4 bars.
 Oil under pressure is supplied to main bearings of crank shaft and cam shaft.
 Holes drilled through the main crankshafts bearing journals, communicate oil to the
big end bearing and also small end bearings through holes drilled in connecting rods.
 A pressure gauge is provided to confirm the circulation of oil to the various parts.
 A pressure regulating valve also provided on the delivery side of this pump to prevent
excessive wear.

Figure 2.10: Full Pressure Lubrication System

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Semi pressure system

 This is the combination of splash and pressure system.
 Main supply of the oil is located in the base of crank chamber.
 Oil is drawn from the lower portion of the sump through a filter and is delivered by
means of a gear pump at pressure above 1 bar to the main bearings.
 The big end bearings are lubricated by means of spray through nozzle.
 Oil pressure gauge is provided to indicate satisfactory oil supply.
 The system is less costly to install as compare to pressure system.
 It enables higher bearing loads and engine speeds to be employed as compared to
splash system.
Dry Sump Lubrication System
 In this system the oil from the sump is carried to a storage tank outside the engine
cylinder block.
 Oil from the sump is pumped by means of a sump pump though filters to the storage
tank.
 Oil from storage tank is pumped to the engine cylinder through oil cooler.
 Oil pressure varies from 3 to 8 kgf/cm ².
 This system is generally adopted for high capacity engines.

Figure 2.11: Dry Sump Lubrication System

Mist Lubrication System
 This system is used for two stroke engines.
 These engines are lubricated by adding 2 to 3 percent lubricating oil in the fuel tank.

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 The oil and fuel mixture is inducted through the carburetor.

 The gasoline is vapourised, oil in the form of mist goes via crankcase into cylinder.
 The oil which impinges on the crank case walls lubricates the main and connecting
rod bearings and rest of the oil which passes to the cylinder during charging and
scavenging periods, lubricates piston, piston rings and the cylinder.
 Advantages are simple system and low cost because of absence of pump.
Disadvantages:
 Lubricating oil invariably burns in the combustion chamber.
 Loses the anti-corrosion properties which damage bearings.
 For effective mixing separate additives are required.
 High lubricant consumption
 Engine over- oiled most of the time because of no control over the proportion of
lubricating oil

Starting System

The function of starting system is to start the engine form stand still or cold conditions by
supplying compressed air. For starting a diesel engine, initial rotation of the engine shaft is
required. Until the firing start and the unit runs with its own power. For small DG set, the
initial rotation of the shaft is provided by handles but for large diesel power station.
Compressed air is made for starting. This system includes storage compressed air tank, self-
starter, auxiliary engines & electrical motors (battery) etc.
1. Starting of Small Engine: Small sets or small capacity of diesel engines are started
manually.
2. Starting with the help of Auxiliary Engine: When it is started by auxiliary engine, the
auxiliary engine is disengaged by the main engine & started by hand. When it is warmed
up, it is geared with the main engine so that it will start to rotate. After that within, few
seconds auxiliary engine disengaging.
3. Starting with the help of batteries: To start the electrical motor batteries are used, the
motor is geared with diesel engine, it will start rotating with the motor & will start in few
seconds & as it picks up the speed the motor gets disengaged automatically. In some
cases the motor works as a generator, this will further helps to charge the batteries.
4. Starting with the help of compressed air: A large capacity (above 75kW) capacity
diesel engines are started with the help of compressed air. Diesel engines are started with
the help of compressed air following procedure adopted:

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• First up all open the compressed air valve, then starting lever operated.
• First up all air should be cut off in first combustion. Then open ventilating valve. Start
the engine after two or three revolutions

Fuel Injection System

The fuel injection system performs the following functions
• Filter the fuel and measure the correct quantity of the fuel to be injected
• Regulate the fuel supply and Time the injection process
• Secure fine atomization of fuel oil
• Distribute the atomized fuel properly in the combustion chamber
• In pressure jet atomization oil is forced to flow through spray nozzles at pressure
above 100 bars. It is known as solid injection

Classification of solid injection systems

1. Common rail injection system:
• The system is named after the shared high-pressure (100 to 200 bar) reservoir
(common rail) that supplies fuel to all the cylinders.
• With conventional diesel injection systems, the fuel pressure has to be generated
individually for each injection.
• With the common rail system, however, pressure generation and injection are
separate, meaning that the fuel is constantly available at the required pressure for
injection.
2. Individual pump injection system:
3. Distributor system:

1. Common Rail Direct Injection System

• A single pump supplies high pressure fuel to header or common rail, a relief valve
holds pressure constant.

• The control wedge adjusts the lift of mechanically operated valve to set amount and
time of injection.

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Figure 2.12: CRDI System

2. Individual pump injection system
• An individual pump or pump cylinder connects directly to each fuel nozzle.
• Metering and injection timing controlled by individual pumps.
• Nozzle contains a delivery valve actuated by the fuel pressure.
• The amount of fuel entering the cylinder is regulated by changing the position of
control rack

Figure 2.13: Individual pump injection system

3. Distributor system
• The fuel is metered at a central point.
• A pump meters, pressurizes and times the fuel injection. (Single fuel pump)
• Fuel is distributed to cylinders in correct firing order by cam operated poppet valves
which admit fuel to nozzles.

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• The amount of fuel entering the cylinder is regulated by changing the position of
control rack

Figure 2.14: Distributor system

Supercharging System of Diesel Power Plant

• The purpose of supercharging is to raise the volumetric efficiency above that value
which can be obtained by normal aspiration.
• The volumetric efficiency: the ratio of the volume of fuel actually displaced by a
piston or plunger to its swept volume or displacement volume of the piston.
• Since the main object of supercharging is to increase the power output of these engine
without increasing their rotational speed or the dimensions of the cylinder.
• This is achieved by increasing the charge of air, which results in more burning of the
fuel and a higher mean effective pressure.
Thus, three possible methods that increase the air consumption of an engine,
1. Increasing the piston displacement, but increases the size and weight of the engine,
and introduces additional cooling problems.
2. Running the engine at higher speeds, which results in increased fluid and
mechanical friction losses, and imposes greater inertia stresses on engine parts.
3. Increasing the density of the charge, such that a greater mass of charge is introduced
into the same volume or same total piston displacement.
Generally centrifugal compressors are generally used as superchargers where the mixture
enters the rotating impeller in direction parallel to the shaft and leaves the impeller radially
and passes through the diffuser.

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The apparatus used to increase the air density is called supercharger. It is similar to a
compressor (centrifugal type), which provides greater mass of charge with same piston
displacement.
The supercharger produces following effects:
1. Provides better mixing of air fuel mixture due to turbulent effect of supercharger.
2. The temperature of charge is raised as it is compressed, resulting in higher
temperature within the cylinder, so better vaporization of fuel
3. Power required to run the supercharger is obtained from engine

Advantage of Supercharging
1. Power Increase: Mean effective pressure of the engine can be easily increased by 30
to 50% by supercharging which will increase the power output.
2. Fuel Economy: Due to better combustion because of increased turbulence, better
mixing of the fuel and air, and increased mechanical efficiency, the specific fuel
consumption in most cases, though supercharging reduces.
3. Mechanical Efficiency: The mechanical efficiency referred to as maximum load is
increased since the increase of frictional losses with a supercharger driven directly
from the engine is quite smaller as compared to the power gained by supercharging.
4. Fuel Knock: It is decreased due to increased compression pressure because
increasing the inlet pressure decreases the ignition lag and this reduces the rate of
pressure rise in the cylinder resulting in increased smoothness of operation.

GAS TURBINE PLANT

INTRODUCTION
• Gas turbines have been used for electricity generation in the periods of peak
electricity demand
• Gas turbines can be started and stopped quickly enabling them to be brought into
service as required to meet energy demand peaks.
• Small unit sizes and their low thermal efficiency restricted the opportunities for their
wider use for electricity generation.

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Figure 2.15: Schematic of simple gas turbine plant

• The Thermal efficiency of the gas turbine is 20 to 30% compared with the modern
steam power plant 35 to 40%.
• In future it is possible to construct efficiencies in and around 45%.
• Following are the fields of Gas Turbine applications:
1. Power Generation 2. Aviation
3. Oil and Gas industry 4. Marine Propulsion
• A Gas Turbine is used in aviation and marine fields because it is self-contained,
light weight, not requiring cooling water and fit into the overall shape of the structure.
• It is selected for the power generation because of its simplicity, lack of cooling
water, needs quick installation and quick starting.
• It is used in oil and gas industry because of cheap supply of fuel and low
installation cost.

Limitations of the gas turbine:

1. They are not self-starting
2. Low efficiencies at part loads
3. Higher rotor speeds
4. Low overall plant efficiency.
5. Thermal efficiency = 20 to 30 %

Schematic arrangement of simple gas turbine power plant

• Gas turbine plant is defined as “in which the principle of the prime mover is of the
turbine type and the working medium is a permanent gas”.
• Simple gas turbine plant consists of
1. Turbine 2. Compressor 3. Combustor

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• Auxiliary devices like starting device, lubricating pump, fuel pump, oil system and
duct system.
• The working fluid is compressed in a compressor which is generally rotary,
multistage type.
• Heat is added to the compressed fluid in the combustion chamber.
• This high energy fluid at high temperature and pressure then expands in the turbine
thereby generating power.
• Part of the energy generated is consumed in driving the compressor and accessories
and the rest is utilized in electrical energy.

Figure 2.16: Layout of simple gas turbine plant

GAS TURBINE POWER PLANTS CLASSIFICATION

1. by Application:

 Air craft: Jet Propulsion and Prop-Jets

 Stationary: Peak Load Unit, Stand by Unit, Base Load Unit, Industrial Unit
 Locomotive
 Marine
 Transport

2. by Cycle: Open, Closed and Semi-closed

3. According to Arrangement: Single Shaft, Multi Shaft, Inter cooled, Reheat, Regenerative,
Combination

4. According to combustion: Continuous combustion, intermittent combustion

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5. by Fuel: Solid fuel, Liquid fuel, Gaseous fuel

Advantages of Gas Turbine Power Plants over Diesel Plants

• Work developed per kg of air is more than diesel plant
• Less vibrations due to perfect balancing and no reciprocating parts
• Less space requirements
• Capital cost and maintenance costs are less
• Higher mechanical efficiency
• Running speed of the turbine is large
• Torque characteristics of turbine plants are better than diesel plant
• Ignition and lubrication systems are simpler
• Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) does not increase with time in gas turbine plant as
rapidly in diesel plants
• Poor quality fuel can be used
• Light weigh with reference to Weight to power ratio is less for gas turbine plants
• Smoke less combustion is achieved in gas power plants

Disadvantages of Gas Turbine Power Plants over Diesel Plants

• Poor part load efficiency
• Special metals and alloys are required for different components
• Special cooling methods required for cooling of turbine blades
• Short life
• Thermal efficiency is low
• Wide operating speeds the fuel control is difficult
• Needs to have speed reduction devices for higher operating speeds of turbine.
• Difficult to start a gas turbine compared to diesel engine
• Manufacturing of blades is difficult and costly
• Same output gas turbines produce the five times the exhaust gases than IC engines.

Advantages of Gas Turbine Power Plants over Steam Plants

• No ash handling
• Low capital cost and running costs
• Space requirement is less
• Fewer auxiliaries are used and Can be built relatively quicker
• Can brought on load quickly to support peak loads

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• Thermal efficiency of the gas turbine is higher than steam when working on top
temperature (>5500C)
• Gas turbine plants quite economical for short running hours
• Storage of fuel is smaller and handling is easy.
• Less cooling water required for gas turbine plants compared to steam
• Weight per H.P. is far less
• Can be installed any where
• Control of gas turbine is much easier.

OPEN CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT

Figure 2.17: Open cycle gas turbine plant

• Gas turbines usually operate on an open cycle
• Air at ambient conditions is drawn into the compressor, where its temperature and
pressure are raised.
• The high pressure air proceeds into the combustion chamber, where the fuel is burned
at constant pressure.
• The high-temperature gases then enter the turbine where they expand to atmospheric
pressure while producing power output.
• Some of the output power is used to drive the compressor.
• The exhaust gases leaving the turbine are thrown out (not re-circulated), causing the
cycle to be classified as an open cycle

CLOSED CYCLE GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT

• The compression and expansion processes remain the same, but the combustion
process is replaced by a constant-pressure heat addition process from an external
source.

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• The exhaust process is replaced by a constant-pressure heat rejection process to the

ambient air.
• A closed cycle gas turbine is a turbine in which the air/working gas is circulated
continuously within the turbine.

Figure 2.18: Open cycle gas turbine plant

BRAYTON CYCLE
 The Brayton cycle was proposed by George Brayton in 1870 for use in reciprocating
engines.
 Modern day gas turbines operate on Brayton cycle and work with rotating machinery.
 Gas turbines operate in open-cycle mode, but can be modelled as closed cycle using
air standard assumptions.
 Combustion and exhaust replaced by constant pressure heat addition and rejection.

Figure 2.18: P-v and T-S diagrams of Brayton cycle

The Brayton cycle consists of four internally reversible processes:–
1-2: Isentropic compression (in a compressor)

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2-3: Constant-pressure heat addition

3-4: Isentropic expansion (in a turbine)
4-1: Constant-pressure heat rejection
The energy balance for a steady-flow process can be expressed as:

The heat transfer to and from the working fluid can be written as:

The thermal efficiency of the ideal Brayton cycle under the cold air standard assumptions
becomes:

Substituting these equations into the thermal efficiency relation and simplifying:

The thermal efficiency of a Brayton cycle is therefore a function of the cycle pressure ratio
and the ratio of specific heats.

Brayton Cycle with Intercooling, Reheating, & Regeneration

The network output of a gas-turbine cycle can be increased by either:
a) Decreasing the compressor work, or
b) Increasing the turbine work, or
c) Both.

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• The compressor work input can be decreased by carrying out the compression process
in stages and cooling the gas in between using multistage compression with
intercooling.
• The work output of a turbine can be increased by expanding the gas in stages and
reheating it in between, utilizing a multistage expansion with reheating.

Ideal Brayton cycle with regeneration:

• Regeneration can be carried out by using the hot air exhausting from the turbine to
heat up the compressor exit flow.
• The thermal efficiency of the Brayton cycle increases as a part of the heat rejected is
re-used.
• Regeneration decreases the heat input (thus fuel) requirements for the same network
output.

Figure 2.19: Brayton cycle with regeneration

Ideal Brayton cycle with reheating:

• The output of gas turbine can be improved by expanding the gasses in two stages with
a reheater between the two.

• The H.P. turbine drives the compressor and the LP turbine provides useful power
output.

Figure 2.20: Brayton cycle with reheating

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Ideal Brayton cycle with intercooling:

Figure 2.20: Brayton cycle with reheating

• A compressor utilizes the major percentage of power developed by the gas turbine.
• The work required by the compressor can be reduced by compressing the air in two
stages and incorporation an intercooler between the two.

Combined Steam and Gas Turbine Plants:

A combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant uses the exhaust heat from gas turbines to
generate steam with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The produced steam is then fed
to a steam turbine to provide additional power, either running a generator or as a mechanical
drive. The overall efficiency of an offshore CCGT is approximately 50%. An onshore CCGT
has increased efficiency due to additional pressure levels and reheat circuits, and it has an
overall efficiency of approximately 60%.
The efficiency drops significantly at partial load. The typical simple-cycle efficiency is 33–
43% at maximum load and drops significantly at partial load. The efficiency for a CCGT will
vary with size and type of turbine selected. But tends to increase with the size of the turbine.

Figure 2.20: Combined Steam and Gas Turbine Plants

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Combined cycle power plants utilise both the Rankine thermodynamic cycle, and Brayton
thermodynamic cycle, hence, they are 'combined cycle' power plants. The Rankine cycle
describes the thermodynamic properties of a heat engine that uses a fluid as the working
fluid (typically steam), whilst the Brayton cycle describes the thermodynamic cycle of
a heat engine that uses a gas as the working fluid.

Figure 2.21: T-S diagram of combined steam and gas power plant

How Combined Cycle Power Plants Work

The following is a simplified overview of how a combined cycle power plant works:
1. Air is drawn into the gas turbine compressor.
2. The air is compressed and then mixed with fuel in the combustor section of the gas
turbine.
3. The fuel-air mixture is ignited, and the hot exhaust gases are directed to the turbine
section of the gas turbine.
4. The turbine section rotates, driving the gas turbine generator and producing
electricity.

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Figure 2.22: Gas turbine plant

5. The exhaust gases from the gas turbine are directed to a HRSG.
6. As the exhaust gases pass through the HRSG, their heat passes to the HRSG pipes,
which are full of water. The water is heated and turns to steam.
7. The produced steam is directed to a steam turbine.
8. The steam turbine rotates, driving a generator, thus producing electricity.
9. Exhaust steam from the steam turbine is condensed in a condenser and returned to the
HRSG.

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