Power Augmentation in a Kalina Power Station for Medium Temperature Low Grade Heat

Abstract

Kalina cycle system (KCS) has an efficient heat recovery especially at low and medium temperatures. The current work focuses on thermodynamic development and assessment of a new KCS configuration to augment the power from a heat recovery of solar thermal collectors. Since, the separator is located at low pressure side; there is no need of throttling device in the proposed plant layout. Nearly 130% of extra working fluid has been found in turbine for expansion against the decreased amount in regular design. Strong solution concentration, separator temperature and turbine inlet condition (pressure and concentration) have been identified as key parameters for the plant evaluation. The performance (specific power and efficiencies) is improving with an increase in strong solution concentration and turbine inlet pressure. But it is decreasing with an increase in separator temperature and turbine concentration. At the maximum value of strong solution concentration, turbine inlet pressure and at the minimum separator temperature and turbine concentration, cycle efficiency, plant efficiency and specific power have been found as 20%, 7.5%, and 270 kW, respectively.