EFFICIENT POWER PLANTS

AND WASTE HEAT RECOVERY

3. Waste heat to electricity conversion,

Part 1, WHR and combined cycles in large scale gas turbine
and engine power plants

Antti Uusitalo
Email. Antti.uusitalo@lut.fi
BACKGROUND
Several technologies have been designed for converting waste heat into electricity

Converting waste heat into electricity is attractive especially in such applications in where
there is no need for heat power and on the other hand the demand and value of the
electricity is high.

The efficiency of the waste heat recovery systems is highly dependent on the amount and
temperature of the waste heat as well as on the available cooling arrangement (remember
the definition and limitations of Carnot efficiency)
TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONVERTING WASTE HEAT
INTO ELECTRICITY
Steam Rankine cycle
Organic Rankine cycle (ORC)
Kalina-cycle
Stirling engines
Supercritical gas turbine cycles
Thermoelectric generators (TEG)
Power turbines (or electric turbochargers)
SIMPLIFIED CATEGORIZATION OF DIFFERENT
TECHNOLOGIES
Technology T heat source (roughly Typical electric power
categorized) output range

Steam cycle > 300 oC > 1MW

ORC > 100 oC Few kW - several MW
Kalina > 200 oC 100 kW – several MW
Stirling High Tens of kWs
SCO2 gas turbines > 400 oC Multi MW scale
TEG any Few W to tens of kW
Power turbine or electric Hot exhaust gas from About 10 kW to 1 MW
turbocharger engine
EFFICIENCIES OF WASTE HEAT RECOVERY
SYSTEMS: ”WASTE HEAT RECOVERY EFFICIENCY”
”Waste heat recovery efficiency/effectiveness” defines the amount of heat power power that can be extracted from the
heat source in the heat recovery system compared to the total available heat power.

For example we have exhaust gas at temperature of 400 oC and the ambient temperature is 20 oC. The exhaust gas
mass flow rate is 10 kg/s and cp= 1.1. kJ/kgK. After the waste heat recovery device the temperature of exhaust gas is
180 oC.
 The total available heat power in the exhaust gases is ɸtot = 10 kg/s * 1.1 kJ/kgK (400-20) oC = 4.18 MW
 The extracted heat to the waste heat recovery system is ɸWHR = 10 kg/s * 1.1 kJ/kgK (400-180) oC = 2.42 MW

 The heat recovery efficiency/effectiveness ηWHR = 2.42 MW / 4.18 MW = 58 %

05.01.2023 Footer 5
EFFICIENCIES OF WASTE HEAT RECOVERY
SYSTEMS: CYCLE EFFICIENCY/NET EFFICIENCY
In WHR systems producing electricity or mechancial power the efficiency is defined as the cycle net power output
divided by the amount of heat power that was extracted to the system

For example, if an ORC process produces 100 kW net electric power to the grid and 800 kW heat power was extracted
from the heat source in the evaporator the cycle efficiency is:

 η = 100 kW/800kW = 12.5 %

05.01.2023 Footer 6
Steam cycle operational principles
STEAM TURBINE CYCLE (RANKINE CYCLE)
Steam turbine cycles are in use in many large scale power plants (nuclear,
coal and gas fired, biomass…)

Also the most common from waste heat to electricity system in large scale
applications is based on steam turbines(steam turbine power range from about
1MW to several tens of MW)

Efficient operation needs relatively high waste heat temperatures (above 300
oC) to have sufficient boiling pressure and to reach sufficient degree of

superheating in the system (steam condensation inside the turbine -> blade
erosion)

With power outputs less than 1 MW, design of efficient steam turbine is
challenging because of high rotational speed and small sized turbine blades
MAIN COMPONENTS OF STEAM WHR CYCLE
Steam boiler/exhaust boiler: produces pressurized (and superheated) steam for steam turbine, heat
source is typically hot exhaust gases from engine, gas turbine or industrial process
Steam turbine: steam is expanded to lower pressure and power is extracted
Condenser: condensates the low pressure steam back to liquid by using air or water as the coolant
Feed pump: increases the pressure level of the water
Feed water tank and preheaters

05.01.2023 Footer 9
SIMPLE STEAM CYCLE (RANKINE)
EXAMPLE OF LOW TEMPERATURE WASTE HEAT
RECOVERY STEAM CYCLE ON T,S AND P,H PLANE
PHASE CHANGE
Condensation and evaporation has constant
temperature
In evaporation the pressurized water is
vaporized by adding heat.
In condensation the low pressure steam is
condensed back to liquid by removing heat
When saturated steam is heated the
temperature increases (superheated steam)
When saturated liquid is cooled the
temperature decreases(subcooling)
Exhaust heat recovery boiler as the exmaple
figure

05.01.2023 Footer
 SATURATION CURVES AND FLUID STATE

Critical point

Sat. liquid
curve Superheated
Sat. Steam steam
Subcooled liquid
curve

Wet steam

05.01.2023
STEAM TURBINES OF COMBINED CYCLE
In large scale systems (steam turbines with
several MW electric power) the WHR steam
turbines are typical multistage axial turbines
In lower power systems screw turbines can be
sometimes used instead of kinetic turbines
Also radial outflow type of turbines can be
considered at low power levels (about 500 kW
to 2 MW)

Example multistage steam turbine for large

scale combined power plant
(https://www.siemens-energy.com)

05.01.2023 Footer 14
EXAMPLE TURBINE, RADIAL OUTFLOW STEAM
TURBINE FOR WHR
− Radial outflow turbine
− Power output about 1 MW
− Rotational speed about 12 000 rpm
− Designed for engine power plant
combined cycles, ships and excess steam
utilization of industrial processes
 EXAMPLE TURBINE, VERY SMALL AXIAL TURBINE
− A 40 kW steam turbine for high temperature waste heat recovery
from internal combustion engine
− Two-stage axial turbine with partial admission

(Kraus et al. HERMETIC 40-KW-CLASS STEAM TURBINE SYSTEM

FOR THE BOTTOMING CYCLE OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINES)

05.01.2023 Footer 16
Waste heat recovery in gas turbines
WASTE HEAT IN GAS TURBINES
In gas turbine power plants the majority of the input energy exits the system in exhaust gases
(about 50-60 % of the fuel power). The temperature level of the exhaust gases is about 300 to 700
oC after the gas turbine depending on the gas turbine size and technology.

In many small scale gas turbines, a recuperator is used for utilizing the thermal energy of exhaust
gases for preheating the air entering the combustion chamber and to icrease the electric efficiency
of the system. As the temperature level of the exhaust gases decreses, the use of recuperator
lowers other heat recovery opportunities.

Gas turbine process with recuperator Gas turbine process without heat recovery
MICRO GAS TURBINE STRUCTURE

http://gemenergycapstone.com/products/
GAS TURBINE EXHAUST HEAT RECOVERY
The hot exhaust gases can be used for producing process steam in a steam boiler or transfer heat in exhaust heat
exchanger to a heating network (CHP production).

If high electric efficiency for the power plant is needed and there is no usage for the heat power, the exhaust gas energy
can be converted into electricity with a steam turbine cycle (combined cycle power plant).

This type of power plants can reach very high of over 60 % electric efficiencies while the gas turbines only reaches
maximum efficiencies of about 40 %. (Suitable for multi MW scale gas turbine power plants)
GAS TURBINE WITH EXHAUST BOILER PRODUCING
PROCESS STEAM
GAS TURBINE COMBINED CYCLE
− Simplified process diagram of gas turbine combined cycle

Exhaust
combustion gas out
chamber
High temperature Superheated steam
gas
Steam
compressor
turbine G
turbine G Heat recovery
steam boiler Low pressure
steam

condenser
Intake air
Condenser coolant
Exhaust High pressure
gas water

Low pressure water

Feed water pump

SIMPLE GAS TURBINE VS. GAS TURBINE COMBINED CYCLE (EFFICIENCY
DEVELOPMENT MAINLY BY INCREASING TURBINE INLET TEMPERATURES)

Modern Gas Turbine Systems, Peter Jansohn (ed.), Woodhead

Publishing Limited, 2013, s.12, ISBN 978-1-84569-728-0
EXAMPLE OF GAS TURBINE COMBINED CYCLE ON
TEMPERATURE-ENTROPY PLANE

Expansion in turbine
Heat input in
Combustion chamber

Exhaust gas cooling

in exhaust boiler

Superheating
Air compression

Boiling/evaporation

Expansion in steam turbine

Water preheating

Condensing
EXAMPLE OF LARGE SCALE GAS TURBINE
COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT
EXAMPLE COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT:
HELEN VUOSAARI POWER PLANT
Combined gas turbine and steam turbine power plant
Electric power output 665 MW and heat power 582 MW
Vuosaari A in operation since 1991 and B since 1998

In Vuosaari B plant there are 2 x Siemens AG KWU V94.2 gas turbines with electric power of 2 x 173 MW
Steam turbine cycle has a steam turbine with power output of 141 MM by ABB
Exhaust gas temperature after the gas turbines is about 540 oC

(reference: Huovilainen, N. (2018). Vuosaaren B-voimalaitoksen prosessin analysointi ja teknistaloudelliset

kehittämismahdollisuudet)

05.01.2023 Footer 26
Waste heat recovery in engine power
plants
WASTE HEAT STREAMS IN ENGINE POWER PLANTS
In reciprocating engine (diesel and gas engines) power plants the distrubution of waste heat is different when compared
to gas turbines.

About 30 % of the engine fuel power exits the system in exhaust gases. This is the most potential heat stream for waste
heat recovery.

About 30 % of the total fuel power exits the system in engine high temperature and low temperature cooling systems
that includes:
 Engine jacket cooling water (temperature level about 80 to 100 oC)
 Lubrication oil cooling (about 70 oC)
 Charge air intercooling
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION IN ENGINE POWER
PLANTS
Such as in gas turbine power plants the waste heat of engine power plants can be used as heat power or converted as
electric power.

The modern large-scale engine power plants can reach about 45 to 48 % electric efficiency without a waste heat
recovery steam cycle.

By using engine combine cycle (engine +steam turbine cycle) electric efficiency of over 50 % can be reached.

The recent developments in engine turbochargers and increasing engien charge pressures have lowered the exhaust
gas temperature levels (about 280 oC to 350 oC in large oil fired engines and about 400 oC in gas fired engines).
ENGINE POWER PLANT STEAM TURBINE CYCLE
UTILIZING EXHAUST GAS HEAT

Figure reference: A. Ahnger, ECC with internal combustion engines, Wärtsilä

EXAMPLE ENGINE POWER PLANT POWER
INCREASE WITH WHR STEAM CYCLE
Table reference: A. Ahnger, ECC with internal combustion engines, Wärtsilä
Plant setup Fuel Engine tot. Steam Power plant
Power (MWe) turbine electric
additional efficiency, %
power (MWe)
6 x Wärtsilä Natural gas 52.3 4.8 50.7
20V34SG
3 x Wärtsilä Natural gas 49.8 4.7 51.8
18V50DF
6 x Wärtsilä HFO 53.5 3.8 49.3
20V32
3 x Wärtsilä HFO 51.2 4.2 50.7
18V46
The WHR steam turbine cycle can increase the electric power output by about 10 %
ENGINE COMBINED CYCLES

The modern engine power plants can

have sizes of hundreds of MW and
including multiple engines.

Several steam boilers installed in the

exhaust pipes.

A large steam turbine/turbines collect

the steam from the boilers and produce
additional electricity.

In hot climates, absorption chiller

Large combined cycle engine power plant.
technology can be used to produce
cooling energy from low temperature www.wartsila.com
engine waste heat (requires about
minimum of 60 oC waste heat)
ENGINE COMBINED CYCLES

Engines

Exhaust boiler

Figure reference: www.wartsila.com

OTHER WHR OPTIONS IN ENGINES
Engine cooling water circuit can be used for preheating the water of steam turbine
cycle or can be used for other heating purposes. The temperature level of the
engine cooling water is < 100 oC.

Converting part of the engine low temperature heat streams into electricity with
ORC is also possible (for example system installed in cruise ship Viking Grace).

In addition, converting the charge air heat into electricity with ORC system was
investigated experimentally in a project of LUT, UV and VTT and about 2-3 %
efficiency increase potential was identified.
ENGINE VS. GAS TURBINE POWER PLANTS START
TIMES TO FULL LOAD OPERATION

Figure reference: www.wartsila.com, CCGT means combined cycle gas turbine

FUTURE TRENDS AND DEMANDS OF ENGINE
POWER PLANTS
The engine electric efficiencies are still incresing -> less waste heat to be recovered.

The exhaust temperatures are dropping because the turbochargers are more efficienct and the turbocharging
pressures are constantly increasing -> difficulties in using WHR steam turbine cycles in the future?

Need for fast start and increased flexibility of the power plant operation is required as the wind and solar energy
becomes more popular in the grid.

WHR solutions are most attractive in engine power plants operating in markets having high electricity price (and high
fuel prices). The economic feasibility of WHR systems requires also high utility time for the power plant.
HYDROGEN AS FUEL FOR GAS TURBINES AND
ENGINES?
In the future power to X and hydrogen economy, engine power plants and gas turbine power plants can have a
significant role in fossil free energy production
Development work on 100 % hydrogen fueled engine power plants ongoing and first tests were carried out in 18 MW
scale Wärtsilä engine in 2022 https://www.wartsila.com/media/news/08-11-2022-wartsila-us-partners-succeed-with-
world-s-first-of-its-kind-power-plant-fuel-tests-using-blended-hydrogen-3181081
Also development work on using hydrogen in gas turbines ongoing. First, the hydrogen is blended with methane and
later 100 % hydrogen fueled gas turbines will be realized. https://www.ge.com/gas-power/future-of-energy/hydrogen-
fueled-gas-turbines

05.01.2023 Footer 37
REFERENCES AND OTHER MATERIAL

www.wärtsilä.com
Anders Ahnger, ECC with internal combustion engines
https://www.capstonegreenenergy.com/

Figure reference: www.wartsila.com