4E analysis and tri-objective optimization of a triple-pressure combined cycle power plant  with combustion chamber steam injection to control NOx emission

• Published in: Journal of thermal analysis and calorimetry 2021-08, Vol.145 (3), p.1317-1333
• Main Authors: Fakhari, Iman, Behinfar, Parsa, Raymand, Farhang, Azad, Amirreza, Ahmadi, Pouria, Houshfar, Ehsan, Ashjaee, Mehdi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Boilers; Carbon dioxide; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Combined cycle power generation; Combustion chambers; Cost analysis; Economic analysis; Efficiency; Emission analysis; Emissions control; Environmental impact assessment; Exergy; Flow velocity; Genetic algorithms; Heat exchangers; Heat recovery; Industrial plant emissions; Inorganic Chemistry; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Optimization; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Power plants; Scattering; Steam electric power generation; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 1388-6150; 1588-2926
• DOI: 10.1007/s10973-020-10493-5

This article presents a novel triple-pressure combined cycle power plant (CCPP) with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) configured with heat exchangers of multiple pressure levels, same as the real case. In addition, combustion chamber steam injection is added to the top cycle in order to reduce hazardous emissions. The research investigates energy, exergy, economic, and environmental aspects of the system to initiate sustainable development in said areas. A thorough parametric study is carried out to evaluate the effects of steam injection and other decision variable on emissions and system performance. Then, the total cost rate and the CO 2 index are minimized while maximizing the second law efficiency via a tri-objective optimization using the genetic algorithm. The outcome of the economic analysis is that the HRSG has the maximum total cost rate among all the components, namely 0.1673 $/s. The environmental impact  assessments indicate that the CO 2 and NO emission has considerable molar fractions of 0.035 and 6.88 × 10 −4 , respectively. As a result of the tri-objective optimization, a 3D Pareto Frontier is presented, which pointed out the maximum attainable exergy efficiency is 50.32%, as well as the minimum total cost rates of 8.04 $/s and CO 2 index of 0.34 kg/kWh. Finally, the scatter distribution of major decision variables revealed the optimum range of decision variables in which the optimum points of the Pareto Frontier are obtained. Accordingly, the scatter distribution showed that 46 kg s −1 is the optimum value for steam injection flow rate in terms of efficiency, cost and emission optimization.