Comparing thermodynamic efficiency of power supply systems with separate and combined generation of produced energy carriers

Various issues of increasing the thermodynamic efficiency of generation of produced energy carriers, such as water, hydrogen or compressed air are considered. The proposed technology, called multi-generation, is based on the creation of energy complexes consisting of generation facilities and consumers. The task of generation facilities is to manufacture, along with the traditional energy carriers, such as electricity and heated liquid, other produced energy carries and useful products. In the case of separate generation, they would have been generated either at consumers or at targeted enterprises. The advantages of the multi-generation technology implementation are shown for individual generation facilities and consumers, as well as for the energy supply system as a whole. The change in the specific fuel consumption for electricity and heat production is taken as a criterion for evaluating the thermodynamic efficiency for a separate generation facility. For the power supply system, the criterion is the absolute and relative changes in the exergy efficiency of generation of all produced energy carriers. Formulas for comparative calculation of efficiency for combined and separate generation at accepted evaluation criteria are derived. The accepted conditions and results of calculations of changes in the efficiency of generation of produced energy carriers at the transition from separate to combined generation for the energy complex consisting of the T-100-130 steam turbine unit combined with vapor compression and ammonia-water absorption refrigerating machines are presented.