Assessing Energy Efficiency of High Pressure Regenerative Feedwater Heaters in a Heating Unit of a Cogeneration Plant

摘要

At present, when fuel resources are becoming increasingly limited, in the face of ever-increasing demand for energy, and constantly rising fuel prices, energy efficiency evaluation issues are of particular importance. The above factors also force activities aimed at obtaining energy from renewable sources (RES). Furthermore, the current global climate changes, caused by emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), that accompany the production of energy, force an action to be taken in order to protect the environment. Consequently, the directions of the current research studies, and financing thereof, are oriented towards the search for new technologies and the development of new equipment which provide energy efficiency even higher than before as well as the possibility of obtaining energy from renewable sources. The study presented in this article concern the assessment of energy efficiency of the high pressure regenerative feedwater heaters, as the main components of a typical BC–50 heating unit. Their function is to heat steam boiler feedwater in the high pressure part of the heating unit. In the process of heat transfer taking place in the heaters, a very important role is played by steam condensation heat. In the study the main interest focused on the utilization of steam condensation heat in the course of heat transfer which takes place in feedwater heaters and on finding the possibilities of optimizing their operation. The study was based on the results of measurements – recorded with measurement and recording equipment – concerning operating parameters of a selected heating unit in a cogeneration plant.