Every industry has the goal of maximizing the production and efficiency of clean energy. One way many sectors find this energy is with steam turbines. Looking at what industries steam turbines are prevalent in showcases their effectiveness in facilitating power to operate.
Waste Management
The widespread configuration for combined heat and power (CHP) is known as the topping cycle. This entails using fuel in a heat engine to produce electricity, then retrieving residual heat from the power generation equipment to supply usable thermal energy.
The application of waste heat streams for power generation is achievable through a process referred to as the bottoming cycle of CHP, also commonly known as waste heat to power (WHP). The current setup involves taking advantage of fuel to provide thermal energy, which entails the operation of a furnace.
Subsequently, harnessing the residual heat emanating from this process generates power. One of the primary benefits of WHP systems is their ability to generate electricity or mechanical power by using heat from preexisting thermal processes that you lose. You won’t need additional fuel for this purpose.
Chemical Plants
Steam is a popular choice for heating applications at different pressure levels in chemical plants. Typically, power generation involves using boilers that convert saturated low-pressure steam to superheated medium to high-pressure steam.
The process of reducing enthalpy from a boiler’s pressure occurs through a steam turbine generator or a pressure relief valve (PRV). The blades of a steam turbine can benefit a plant by enabling it to generate its own electricity. The dimensions of a turbine or boiler are contingent upon the heating and electrical demands of the power plant. Optimizing the size of the boiler and turbine through effective application engineering can achieve maximum overall efficiency.
Sugar Mills
Cogeneration is the simultaneous electricity and heat production from the same fuel source. The phrase describes systems that convert industrial byproducts into steam for powering and heating manufacturing operations. While direct combustion steam boilers have traditionally been in biomass cogeneration plants, recent advances have proven the biomass gasification cycle may deliver much-improved efficiency, power generation, and process steam quality.
Sugar mills are a common example since they employ the byproduct of cane crushing, bagasse, to create steam, which drives a steam turbine generator and provides heat for sugar manufacturing. Suppose there is more power than needed in the mill. In that case, it is frequently added to the regional power grid, making this power an asset because it has monetary value for electric companies.
Identifying the industries in which steam turbines are prevalent proves that employing these technological marvels does wonders for generating clean energy. Without them, who knows how these sectors could function and remain efficient?