Small Community Gas Turbine Power Plants

-


Small and simple gas turbine power plants to produce electricity for communities isolated from a grid or a community wishing to remain so can be a reliable means of power supply at reasonable rates. Such power plants need to be simple in order to reduce maintenance needs. Research engineers love to play with thermodynamics and will go to any lengths to increase thermal efficiency even if it means that the final constructed plant is complex, expensive and results in frequent maintenance shut downs. For a gas turbine plant this implies using multistage turbines with intermediate heating and several heat exchangers. While the additional complexity may be justified for large gas turbine plants where thermal efficiency has an important bearing on running costs, it is not advisable for small independently managed gas turbine power plants that range from a few kilowatts to a Megawatt capacity.

A gas turbine plant involves a compressor stage coupled to a turbine for expansion. Heating of the working fluid is carried out after compression. The fluid that leaves the turbine after expansion carries a considerable amount of heat and thermodynamic principles suggest its utilization to partially heat the incoming working fluid before compression in a heat exchanger. It is suggested here that atmospheric air be the working fluid for simple gas turbine plants and it be heated in a furnace after compression without the use of any heat exchangers. The surplus heat carried in the exhaust air can be utilized by using it as the air required for combustion in the furnace. A single stage turbine may be utilized to further eliminate the need of reheat and additional heat exchanger and stages.

The heat of combustion can then be generated by burning various materials such as wood, waste, coal if available etc. Bio-gas if available in the community is best reserved for cooking and heating needs. The power so generated may be augmented by partial use of wind and solar energy. The plant furnace can be enclosed in a hot chamber that can be utilized for various purposes such as a bread oven or brick making plant.

The proposed gas turbine here is an external combustion type with only pure air running to the turbine and compressor. In this manner the maintenance of the turbine set is minimized and most maintenance is confined to the furnace area that is easier to maintain.

UPDATE 2013

Falling costs of solar panels is becoming an encouraging option for small communities wishing to generate their own energy. however, battery costs are still high and a combined system of solar, wind and the small turbine system running on waste etc. is a very practical option that can minimize or even eliminate the use of storage batteries. With such a system the turbine can be shut down during hours when sunshine is available.

In parts of the developed world such as India an electric supply does not reach every home, especially in rural areas. The shortage is particularly acute in eastern provinces such as Bihar. A news report in the media described how some young enterprising engineers have set up small power plants in several such villages using waste rice husk as the source of energy. The precise method of energy generation they are using is not known to this author but it appears that the cost of the electricity produced is competitive. Perhaps these engineers should read this blog post too to check if they can use some of the ideas here, or perhaps they have already it in the past and that is why they installed such systems.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Exhaustive Review of WriterBay.Com - My Experience

-
R ecently, through a Google search, I discovered WriterBay.Com. It is an online website that provides help to anyone who might wish a written report on just about any topic, for a fee. It also provides freelance online work to anyone who may wish to undertake such work. I applied to this website and have been with them for about a week at the time of writing this review. This review is based on my experience with them in this period. Before writing this post, I grappled with the question if I should write a review at all because it has criticism. However, I decided in favor writing it so that it would help huge number of persons who scout for freelance online work as well as numerous students that approach this website for help. My criticism is a constructive one with suggestions for improvements. If Writer Bay took it in this light, this report shall help them to reinvent themselves into a productive outfit that helps the world rather than the other way around and the
Read more

Possible scientific reason why water of River Ganges does not spoil

-
   River Ganges in Rishikesh F or long those living in the shadows of Himalayas have heard and experienced that harmful microbes do not survive in the water of Ma Ganga or River Ganges and that water brought from the Ganges and stored at home does not spoil. This was even more true in earlier times when there were fewer dams and pollution on the river to change its quality in drastic ways. Could there be a scientific reason for that? The possible scientific reason is that some of the dissolved minerals in this water are silver (perhaps also copper). It would exist in the ores that lie in it path in the Himalayas and silver even in very microscopic quantities does that as proven by recent scientific studies. The principle is employed in some municipal towns in Mexico of ridding municipal supply of dangerous bacteria. See this note in a companion blog on silver and these studies, http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/2015/06/antibiotic-of-gods-silver.html In some plac
Read more

Era of Inequality since 1985 – Causes and solutions

-
From: https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/01/the-key-factor-behind-the-rise-in-income-inequality/ from https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/01/the-key-factor-behind-the-rise-in-income-inequality/ A recent excellent article by Scott Bixby at the World Economic Forum has brought out some startling facts about the world economy, led by the US.   The data is illustrated in two graphs, repeated here for discussion. The graphs show that an era that may be termed the era of economic exploitation, an era in which the rich get richer while the poor get nowhere or poorer began in 1980. It is an era of rising inequalities. The trend appears to have begun with the richest 0.1 percent in 1980 and then spread on to the 1 percent by 1985. For some reason that is not fully clear or merely coincidental this era of inequality has begun around the time of creation of the World Economic Forum and its meets in Davos. Perhaps the forum provides for a sharing of techniques or a
Read more

On Revival of Soma plant of Rig Veda

-
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Path_between_sugar_canes_%285216462193%29.jpg Similar Document also available for view or download at: https://www.scribd.com/doc/290825034/On-Revival-of-Soma-plant-of-Rig-Veda Abstract An ancient plant was described as a god amongst plants in the Rig Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans. The proper identification of this plant has been lost to mankind since ancient times. Scholars have made several diverse attempts to identify what this plant might be but none of the proposals come near the original Soma plant. In the present note a possible identification of this plant is made with a likely extinct variety of a sugar cane plant. It is suggested how an existing varieties may be genetically modified to yield a variety close to original Soma 1. Introduction There was a plant of earth that grew around the Himalayas known as Soma. It was regarded by ancient Indo-Aryans as godly plant. Ancient Indo-Aryans
Read more

Hemp, a possible wonder crop for food, fodder, bio-fuel, paper and more

-
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_Roche_Jagu_chanvre_1.JPG P rior to nineteen thirties, hemp plant was grown widely in the world as a profitable crop. In the years since, it seems, because of other competing commercial interests and banning of cannabis, the shorter cousin of hemp under false propaganda perhaps with a motive of profit for some, this plant too is not as widely used. Now that it has been discovered through modern science that the propaganda was false its re-legalization has begun in the world, various countries where climate is suitable for its growth must re-examine this crop. It may turn to be a highly profitable and useful crop because of its use for bio-fuels, food, fodder and paper pulp. Hemp does not contain as much of  intoxicating chemicals that cannabis does. Hemp produces most biomass of any crop, which is why it is a natural choice for an energy crop. Hemp converts Sun’s energy into cellulose faster than any other plant, through
Read more

Some FAQS about city water supply that must be known

-
Q. Will our cities become short of water with expansion? As cities expand a greater pressure is being put on water resources required to meet the needs of urban populations in cities around the world. There is a need to maintain adequate water supply as well as the quality of the water supplied so that health of urban dwellers does not deteriorate. It must be remembered that water for the most part is not destroyed by use. With proper recycling and management, urban dwellers need not suffer water shortage. This point needs to be highlighted before we proceed, With proper management and recycling, urban areas can avoid shortages and poor quality of water Q. What is the proper and inexpensive way to recycle water? There is a proper way to recycle water and an improper way. The proper way mimics natural processes through which water has been recycled on land for millions of year, which is collecting it in ponds where an initial purification takes place by aerobic and anaero
Read more

Postmodern Designer Villages

-
This note is useful for developed as well as progressive developing countries How to take farm lands to town and generate sustainable green employment and create shelters for the homeless, unaccompanied minors, employment for the unemployed and a resort for the aged too. A Postmodern designer Village S everal developed and even some of the developing economies are undergoing a change, leading to a loss in manufacturing jobs and employment opportunities. It has been proposed that some new jobs in future could come from a return to land and undertaking modern agricultural activities on it. Certainly a rural setting does offer a much healthier and greener environment compared to traffic and concrete filled modern cities. However in the traditional rural setting other difficulties arise that can make life and living difficult especially for those who have not been used to that from childhood. Traditional rural agricultural areas are primarily of two types. On
Read more

Three Effects of Deforestation on Climate Change

-
Widespread deforestation has taken place on the planet over the last century due to human activity. While this deforestation affects the planet and all life that dwells upon it in numerous ways, this note mentions three effects on climate change that includes climate extremes 1. Atmospheric Turbulence The greater the atmospheric turbulence, greater are the chances of unexpected climatic phenomenon i.e. climate extremes. Winds move over the surface of earth in what scientists call as atmospheric boundary layers. It is well known phenomenon in turbulence science that turbulence in such boundary layers is damped when roughness exists on the surface. Forests with tall trees are one such roughness. Therefore the fewer the forests on land the greater the atmospheric turbulence and greater the chances of climate extremes. 2. Evaporation from Trees Evaporation from tree leaves absorbs the sun’s heat that falls on the planet. It is for this reason, during day ho
Read more

Maha Shivaratri

-
May the Lord known as Shiva bless all mankind today on the auspicious occassion of Maha Shivarari. Just returning from a visit to a Shiva temple and the fair outside it. Picked up a lot of things needed at home as shown in the picture. Everything was at prices much lower than in stores, about a third. They are indeed gifts from the Lord.
Read more

Need For Dehydrating Onions and other Vegetables in India

-
NOTE: The present note emerged as a result of educational initiatives to reduce hunger and malnutrition in India by https://facebook.com/ohmm11 Scroll towards end for curry and cocktail recipes V egetable prices tend to fluctuate widely in India depending upon season and climate and when prices of essential vegetables like onions, tomatoes and potatoes suddenly shoot up they result in great stress on most households. On the other hand, in some seasons there is a glut and farmers are forced to destroy vegetables. A similar situation prevails in several other countries around the world leading to expensive vegetables in some seasons and wastage in others. This note is therefore relevant for almost all countries. Food processing has been suggested as a means to avoid wastage and reduce price fluctuations. However, while some food processing does not produce very healthy food, particularly when it involves much process and addition of chemicals, the simplest form of foo
Read more