Abstract
An analysis is presented of a system that would enable refuse-derived fuel (RDF) (produced from, principally, paper) or other biomass (for example wood chips) or coal to be burned cleanly in a highly efficient gas turbine system of a size that would match the needs of many communities (a solid waste flow of 1000–3000 tons per day). The system consists of a gas turbine engine with two principal and several minor additions. The principal additions are a combustor to burn the RDF at approximately atmospheric pressure in the hot turbine exhaust flow and a high-temperature heat exchanger to transfer heat from this stream to the compressed air leaving the compressor. A design-point thermal efficiency of 55–60 per cent and high off-design efficiencies are predicted for the most favourable configuration with components designed for the purpose. About half the heat input would come from the RDF and half from conventional gas turbine liquid or gas fuel.
In this paper the possible alternative configurations of such a plant are discussed, the thermodynamic implications are reviewed and some typical component performance values are introduced so that the overall plant performance can be predicted.
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