Woodhead Publishing Generating Power at High Efficiency: Combined Cycle Technology for Sustainable Energy Production (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy)

Combined cycle technology is used to generate power at one of the highest levels of efficiency of conventional power plants. It does this through primary generation from a gas turbine coupled with secondary generation from a steam turbine powered by primary exhaust heat. Generating power at high efficiency thoroughly charts the development and implementation of this technology in power plants and looks to the future of the technology, noting the advantages of the most important technical features including gas turbines, steam generator, combined heat and power and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) with their latest applications. Key Features: reviews key developments in combined cycle technology; uses examples drawn from plants around the world; looks at how combined cycle technology can evolve to meet future energy needs. Contents: Introduction; Brief history of development; Some early schemes; Gas turbine developments; Steam generator concepts; The single shaft block; Repowering steam turbines; Combined heat and power; Gas turbines and coal; What does the future hold?