Biomass combined cycles based on externally fired gas turbines and organic Rankine expanders

This article investigates the possibility to enhance the performance of a biomass organic Rankine cycle (ORC) plant by adding an externally fired gas turbine (EFGT), yielding a combined EFGT + ORC system. A typical ORC configuration is first modelled and validated on data available from an existing unit 1.5 MW reference plant. Then, different working fluids belonging to the methyl-substituted benzene series and linear methylpolysiloxanes have been evaluated for the ORC section on the basis of both thermodynamics considerations and design issues of the regenerator and the turbine. Results of the simulations of the combined cycle (CC) referred to a furnace size of about unit 9 MW, assuming a maximum GT inlet temperature of 800 °C, show a maximum efficiency of 23 per cent, obtained in the case where toluene is adopted as a working fluid for the bottoming section. This value is about 4 points per cent higher than the efficiency of the corresponding simple ORC. Finally, to conclude, some preliminary considerations are given regarding the techno-economic feasibility of the combined configuration, suggesting the need of a further investigation on the possible technological solution for the furnace which represents the main uncertainty in the resulting costs of the CC.