Investigation of inlet air pressure and evaporative cooling of four different cogeneration cycles

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this study was to search the effects of the inlet air compressor pressure and evaporative cooling of four different cogeneration plants that are absorption cooling (ab), basic (bsc), air heating (airh), and air fuel heating (airfh) cogeneration systems by using the first law and the second law of thermodynamics, and the exergy analysis methods. For analysis, a program is written by the author in the FORTRAN programming language. Decreasing the atmospheric pressure or increasing the installation altitude of the plants increases the Z factor (ratio of lost exergy to useful exergy) of the four cycles about 10–13%. Also, decreasing inlet air pressure decreases the specific work about 25–28%, and the fuel energy saving ratio of the four cycles decreases about 29–30%. The method of water spray cooling of the compressor inlet air especially in the summer months, the humidity increases and the evaporative cooling can be obtained. By using this method, the ratio of lost exergy to useful exergy can be decreased for the four cycles about 0.5–2%. Also, the specific work of the four cycles can be increased about 1.2–6%.