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Thermodynamic Optimization of Air Bottoming Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery.

Conference Paper · February 2018

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 Thermodynamic Optimization of Air Bottoming Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery
Abubakr Ayuba,*; Nadeem Ahmed Sheikhb; Rasikh Tariqb; and Muhammad Mahabat Khana

a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Capital University of Science and Technology, C.U.S.T, Islamabad, Pakistan
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, HITEC University, Taxila, Pakistan

*
Corresponding Author
E-mail: abubakr.ayub@cust.edu.pk
Tel: +923005346959

Abstract

Growing concerns of environmentalists have led the researchers to improve the performance of the gas turbines by reducing its carbon
footprints. Besides increasing the turbine inlet temperature and pressure ratio of the gas turbine, one suitable way is to recover the
exhaust heat from gas turbine using a waste heat recovery unit or units and employ it to produce useful power with the help of
bottoming power cycles. Available steam Rankine bottoming and organic Rankine cycles are not suitable for small power plants (i.e.
less than 50MWe); therefore, air bottoming cycle (ABC) is a viable option to be used as a waste-heat system of gas turbine cycle. In
this work, we carried out a thermodynamic optimization of an ABC having a gas turbine in topping cycle. Energy analysis is used for
this thermodynamic analysis. The component wise methodology is adopted, and sensitivity analysis is carried out to find the
maximum thermal efficiency point of the ABC. The sensitivity study is conducted by varying mass flow rate ratio, pressure ratio, and
effectiveness of integrated heat exchanger (IHX). It is observed that the increasing the mass flow rate of the bottoming cycle have
adverse influence on performance parameters (efficiency and work output). After optimization, it is concluded that using ABC
configuration, the overall plant efficiency is increased to ~43% as compared to simple topping cycle.

Keywords: Air Bottoming cycle; energy analysis; combined cycle; thermodynamic optimization.

1 Introduction

Gas turbines are the major source of power production turbine topping cycle increases the fuel to electricity
in many countries. Gas turbines work on Brayton power conversion efficiency. Poullikkas et al. [3] also reported
generation cycle in which the compressed air enters in a that the total power output of the ABC is increased to 18-
combustion chamber. The combustion process increases 30% as compared to a simple gas turbine. In a series of
the pressure and the temperature of the exhaust gases and similar analysis; O. Bolland et al. [4] reported that the
the gas turbine produces work by expanding them. ABC increases the efficiency of LM2500PE gas turbine
However, the shorter expansion of the gases in the turbine by 10%. They also proposed that ABC is an economically
of the topping cycle wastes a lot of energy to the viable option too.
environment which significantly increases the Mikhail et al. [5] evaluated the technical and the
environmental pollution; and as a result, the ozone layer economic feasibility of the air bottoming cycle in a
depletion and global warming concerns are on rise. cogeneration scheme in which the hot air from the gas
Therefore, there is a need of a waste-heat recovery system turbine is passed to food processing industry. They also
for the gas turbine topping cycle. Alklaibi et al.[1] proposed a case study of another powerplant in which the
estimated that the exhaust temperature of the gas turbine hot air from the gas turbine also provided pre-heated air
is between 370 to 540oC; therefore, an air bottoming to the industrial furnace. Najjar et al. [6] proposed the
cycle (ABC) is a favorable option to be used as a waste performance analysis of the air bottoming cycle for the
heat recovery unit of gas turbine topping cycle. William gas turbine topping cycle. They reported that the proposed
Farrell patent the air bottoming cycle in 1998[2] and integration can reach a thermal efficiency of as high as
reported that this integration increases the thermal 49%. They also performed a detailed parametric analysis
efficiency of the gas turbine while retaining its by varying the turbine inlet temperature (TIT), mass flow
operational flexibilities. Afterwards, Poullikkas et al. [3] rate ratio (MFRR), and the pressure ratio of the gas
identified that the waste heat recovery from the gas turbine. They concluded that the air bottoming cycle has

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 ESSD-2017(Feb 21-23, 2018); Thermodynamic Optimization of Air Bottoming Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery

30% and 23% of higher work output and thermal 3 Thermodynamic Modeling and Analysis
efficiency respectively as compared to that of gas turbine
alone. 3.1 Modeling
In this work we carried out a thermodynamic analysis The power cycle explained in section 2 is modeled using
and optimization of gas turbine with air bottoming cycle energy balance relations. The first law of thermodynamics
as a waste heat recovery unit. The mathematical model is is applied to each component of the system. The first law
developed based on the energy and mass balance relations for each component are delineated below:
equations on each of the component of the powerplant. Compressor C1
We also carried out a parametric study by varying the
Wc1  mair h2,T  h1,T  (1)
mass flow rate ratio, effectiveness of IHX and pressure
ratio. The analysis is carried out to monitor the h2 s ,T  h1,T
performance parameters of the powerplant which are c1  (2)
overall work output and first law efficiency.
h2,T  h1,T
Combustion chamber CC
2 Description of Air Bottoming Cycle Qin  m f QLHV
(3)
The schematic representation is shown in Fig 1. The
 mf   mf
system comprises of two power cycles; topping gas  1   h3,T   h2,T  combustion   QLHV
turbine and bottoming air Brayton cycle. The air first  mair   mair
(4)
enters topping compressor at state 1T. After compression,
heat is added due to combustion process in combustion Turbine T1
chamber (CC). In combustion chamber, combustion of h3,T  h4,T
fuel (CH4) and air occurred which produced gaseous t 1 
mixture at high temperature. The gaseous mixture at state h3,T  h4,Ts
(5)
3T is expanded in turbine T1, thus produce power output.
A part of turbine power output is consumed by air Wt1  mg h3,T  h4,T 
(6)
compressor C1 called back work ratio. Compressor C2
The exhaust gases carry large energy at state 4T. This h2 s  h1
energy is consumed by bottoming Air Brayton cycle via c 2  (7)
Integrated heat exchanger (IHX). The air which is the h2  h1
working fluid in bottoming cycle recovered energy due to Wc 2  mb,air (h2  h1 ) (8)
heat exchange in IHX. As a result, the enthalpy of air at
state 8 increases. The high energy potential of air at state Turbine T2
8 is utilized in turbine T2 for power production and h3 - h4
operation of compressor C2. t 2  (9)
h3 - h4 s
Wt 2  mb,air (h3  h4 ) (10)

The heat recovery from exhaust gases in IHX is

calculated by,
QIHX  mb,air (h3  h2 ) (11)

Where h3 and h5T is calculated using effectiveness method

[7] based on heat capacities of inlet streams at state 4T
and state 2. Furthermore, the bottoming and combined
cycle performance parameters are evaluated using
following relations,
Wtotal  Wnet ,T  Wnet ,b (12)

b  Wnet ,b QIHX (13)

comb  Wcomb Qin (14)

3.2 Analysis
The thermodynamic analysis involves the calculation of
Figure 1 Schematic representation of air bottoming cycle
power output and thermal efficiency of individual
(topping and bottoming) cycles and the combined cycle.
The analysis is done using Engineering Equation solver
(EES).

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 ESSD-2017(Feb 21-23, 2018); Thermodynamic Optimization of Air Bottoming Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery

3.2.1 Operating Parameters and Assumptions 4 Results and Discussion

Following assumptions are made for analysis:
o All processes are at steady state, The performance of the combined cycle is studied for
o Compression and expansion processes are variation in mass flow rates. A dimensionless number of
adiabatic but non-isentropic. mass flowrates is introduced which is the ratio of
o Pressure drops in the components and heat bottoming air mass flowrate to the topping air mass
transfer with surroundings are negligible. flowrate. The ratio is given as,
o Exhaust gas mixture is assumed as an ideal gas MFR  mb mT (15)
air for retrieving thermo-physical properties.
The thermodynamic properties at all states are calculated The large MFR number means large mass flow rate in
using component wise relations presented in section 3.1. bottoming cycle, thus, represents the larger size of the
Moreover, the input and operating parameters are taken power cycle and vice versa.
from literature are given in Table 1. The methodology for Bottoming efficiency (%) Bottoming power output
thermodynamic analysis is illustrated in fig 2.

Bottoming power output (kW)

18 8200

Bottoming Efficiency (%)

14 6200

10 4200

6 2200

2 200
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
MFR

Figure 3 Performance of bottoming cycle with variation of mass flow

rate at TIT =1500 K and rc = 4

The variation of power output and thermal efficiency of

bottoming air Brayton cycle is illustrated in Fig 3. The
bottoming power output showed the increasing trend for
MFR<1.2 and decreasing trend for MFR≥1.2. Since, the
increment in the mass flow rate of bottoming cycle
decreases its potential to elevate its temperature from
integrated heat exchanger; therefore, the efficiency and
the work output decreases after MFR greater than 1.2.
This phenomenon can also be observed in Fig. 4 where
the combined efficiency is decreasing after an MFR value
Figure 2 Methodology for analysis of 1.2.
Table 1 Input and operating parameters for analysis[8] 42
Combined Efficiency (%)

Parameter Value
41
Topping Conventional Gas Turbine Cycle
Compression ratio (Rc) 14 40
Turbine inlet temperature (TIT) 1500 K
Efficiency of combustion chamber (ηcomb) 0.97 39
Isentropic efficiency of compressor (C1) 0.8 38
Isentropic efficiency of Turbine (T1) 0.9
Mass flowrate of air (ṁair ) 105 kg/s 37
Temperature at inlet of compressor (T1T) 303 K 36
Pressure at inlet of compressor (P1T) 0.1 MPa 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Bottoming Air Brayton Cycle
MFR
Temperature at inlet of compressor (T1) 303 K
Pressure at inlet of compressor (P1) 0.1 MPa
Isentropic efficiency of compressors (C2) 0.8 Figure 4 Performance of combined cycle with variation in mass flow
Isentropic efficiency of Turbine (T2) 0.9 rate at TIT = 1500K and rc = 4
Compression ratio (rc) 4
Effectiveness of IHX (εIHX ) 0.85 It is concluded from Fig 3 and 4 that the maximum
performance is found around MFR= 1.2.

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 ESSD-2017(Feb 21-23, 2018); Thermodynamic Optimization of Air Bottoming Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery

4.1.1 Optimization ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The thermal efficiency of the combined cycle is also
maximized using Conjugate directions optimization This research is supported by Capital University of
technique accessible in EES. The objective function and Science and Technology, Pakistan. The first author
constraints are as follows, thankfully acknowledges this support.
Maximize:
Thermal efficiency ( 𝜂𝐼 ) REFERENCES
Constraints:
0.2 ≤ MFR ≤ 2 1. A. M. Alklaibi, M. N. Khan, and W. A. Khan, “Thermodynamic
0.9 ≥ 𝜀𝐼𝐻𝑋 ≥ 0.7 analysis of gas turbine with air bottoming cycle,” Energy, vol. 107,
no. x, pp. 603–611, 2016.
8 ≥ rc ≥ 1 2. W. M. Farrell, “Air cycle thermodynamic conversion system,” US
The optimum results are shown in Table 2. The optimum patent 4.751.814A, 1988.
performance is found at MFR=1.1, 𝜺𝑰𝑯𝑿 = 0.9 and rc = 3. A. Poullikkas, “An overview of current and future sustainable gas
3.7. The gain in performance compared to simple gas turbine technologies,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews, vol. 9, no. 5. pp. 409–443, 2005.
turbine cycle is also calculated to assess the significance 4. O. Bolland, M. Fo̸rde, and B. Hånde, “Air Bottoming Cycle: Use
of waste heat recovery. Therefore, the percentage gain in of Gas Turbine Waste Heat for Power Generation,” J. Eng. Gas
thermal efficiency is 21.4%. Turbines Power, vol. 118, no. 2, pp. 359–368, 1996.
5. M. Korobitsyn, “Industrial applications of the air bottoming
cycle,” vol. 43, pp. 1311–1322, 2002.
Table 2 Optimum results of ABC cycle
6. Y. S. H. Najjar and M. S. Zaamout, “Performance analysis of gas
Power input in combustion chamber 101130
turbine air-bottoming combined system,” Energy Convers.
Combined cycle power output 43067 kW Manag., vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 399–403, 1996.
Combined cycle thermal efficiency 42.6% 7. F. P. Incropera, D. P. Dewitt, T. L. Bergman, and A. S. Lavine,
Heat recovery 45425 kW Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 6th. John Wiley &
Bottoming cycle power output 7598 kW Sons, 2007.
Bottoming cycle thermal efficiency 16.7% 8. M. Saghafifar and A. Poullikkas, “Thermo – economic
MFR 1.1 optimization of air bottoming cycles,” J. Power Technol., vol. 95,
𝜀𝐼𝐻𝑋 0.9 no. 3, pp. 211–220, 2015.
rc 3.7

CONCLUSION

This paper presents a thermodynamic analysis and

optimization of Air bottoming cycle for waste heat
recovery of conventional gas turbine cycle. Waste heat
recovery greatly increase the performance of gas turbine.
Moreover, it helps in reducing harmful gases going into
the environment, hence, plays dynamic role in minimizing
global warming and carbon foot prints. Following can be
concluded from this study:
1. The performance of combined system is better than
simple gas turbine cycle (topping cycle)
2. The optimum thermal efficiency of Air bottoming
combined cycle is 42.6% at MFR =1.1, rc =3.7 and
𝜀𝐼𝐻𝑋 =0.9.
3. The gain in thermal efficiency compared to topping
gas turbine cycle is 21.4 %.

RECOMMENDATIONS

As a future work, it is recommended that exergy and

economic analysis should be done for ABC combined
system for better evaluation of available energy utilization
and overall economic and environmental foot print. This
will lead to commercial utilization of this power system
for various industrial and agricultural applications.

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