TSD Cogen

Technical Support Document
for the Final

Clean Air Interstate Rule
Cogeneration Unit Efficiency Calculations
EPA Docket Number: OAR-2003-0053

March 2005
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Air and Radiation
1
In the CAIR rule, certain cogeneration units may qualify for an exemption from the
CAIR. A cogeneration unit can qualify for the exemption if it meets EPA’s definition of a
cogeneration unit and sells 1/3 or less of its potential electric output capacity. For further
discussion, see section VIII of the CAIR. To meet EPA’s definition of cogeneration unit, a
cogeneration unit must meet a minimum efficiency standard. EPA proposed and is finalizing a
minimum efficiency standard of 42.5% as calculated by using the efficiency formula used under
the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (“PURPA”). As discussed in the proposal and this
final rule, a cogeneration unit must meet this minimum efficiency standard regardless of the fuel
it utilizes. The purpose of an efficiency standard in this rule is to prevent units with very low
efficiencies from claiming the cogeneration exemption. Without a minimum efficiency standard,
a potential loop hole would exist for units to claim the exemption by sending a nominal or
insignificant amount of thermal energy to a process. For further discussion, see section VIII of
the CAIR.
The minimum efficiency standard EPA proposed and is finalizing (42.5% using the
PURPA efficiency formula applied to any fuel) is intended to be a standard that most
cogeneration units can meet. To demonstrate this, EPA has calculated efficiencies of a range of
cogeneration units. Some commenters expressed concern that applying an efficiency standard to
coal-fired cogenerators may adversely impact coal-fired cogenerators because some may not
meet the efficiency standard and therefore become affected units under the CAIR. This
document shows that the efficiency standard chosen by EPA is one that most coal-fired
cogenerators should be able to meet and therefore the standard should not have a significant
adverse impact on coal-fired cogenerators.
EPA selected a range of coal-fired cogeneration units from 25 to 250 MWe output and
calculated the efficiency of each system to determine whether they would meet the minimum
efficiency required to qualify as a cogeneration unit. This range includes three different
cogeneration units, two utilizing back pressure turbines and one utilizing an extraction
/condensing turbine. Back pressure units larger than 100 MWe were not selected because
generally the larger the back pressure unit the higher the efficiency. Therefore, if a 100 MWe
unit meets the efficiency standard then EPA feels it is reasonable to assume that larger back
pressure units would also meet the efficiency standard. A 250 MWe condensing extraction unit
was chosen because condensing extraction units smaller than 250 MWe are not expected to be
common due to the higher capital cost of these units compared to back pressure units. Similar to
back pressure units, generally speaking, efficiency increases as the MW capacity increases and
thus EPA believes it is reasonable to assume that most condensing extraction units larger than
250 MWe would also meet the efficiency standard if a 250 MWe condensing extraction unit
meets the efficiency standard. Coal-fired units were selected, because EPA received no adverse
comments regarding applying the proposed efficiency standard to oil or gas-fired cogeneration
units.
Table 1 below describes each coal-fired cogeneration system selected as well as the
assumptions used in the calculations. EPA considers these assumptions to be reasonable for the
units described. In the condensing/extraction case, the greater the process steam flow the higher
the PURPA thermal efficiency will be. To be conservative, EPA assumed approximately 30% of
2
the turbine throttle steam flow is sent to process. Some condensing/extraction units such as
those burning low-rank coal or biomass may need to send more than 30% of turbine throttle
steam flow to process to meet the 42.5% PURPA thermal efficiency standard. EPA expects most
back pressure units burning low-rank coal or biomass to meet the efficiency standard because
100% of the throttle steam is sent to process, which has the effect of increasing the unit’s
efficiency. See Table 2 which shows the higher efficiencies associated with back pressure units
as compared to condensing/extraction.
The calculations and results for each representative cogeneration unit are shown in Table
2 below. The results show that in all cases, the efficiency of the coal-fired cogeneration unit
meets the minimum efficiency standard for qualifying as a cogeneration unit. Based on this
analysis, EPA expects most coal-fired cogeneration units will meet this minimum PURPA
thermal efficiency standard.
Table 1: Representative Cogeneration Units and Assumptions
Cogeneration units Operating Assumptions

25 MW capacity back pressure steam turbine. Turbine Isentropic Efficiency - 80%.
Inlet steam conditions are 1250 psig, 900 deg Turbine Mechanical Efficiency - 97%.
F. Outlet steam conditions for process are 165 The cycle includes a direct contact
psia. All outlet steam is used by the process, feedwater heater - there are no closed
i.e., no steam is condensed for additional feedwater heaters. Lower Heating
power output. Assume boiler efficiency of Value (“LHV”) is 3% of Higher Heating
87% burning bituminous coal. No condensate Value (“HHV”) for bituminous coal.
is returned from the process.
100 MW capacity back pressure steam Turbine Isentropic Efficiency - 84%.
turbine. Inlet steam conditions are 1800 psig, Turbine Mechanical Efficiency - 97%.
900 deg F. Outlet steam conditions for The cycle includes a direct contact
process are 165 psia. All outlet steam is used feedwater heater - there are no closed
by the process, i.e., no steam is condensed for feedwater heaters. LHV is 3% of HHV
additional power output. Assume boiler for bituminous coal.
efficiency of 87% burning bituminous coal.
No condensate is returned from the process.
250 MW capacity condensing extraction The cycle is based on a system
steam turbine. Inlet steam conditions are consisting of six closed feedwater
2400 psig, 1000 deg F. Outlet steam heaters and a direct contact feedwater
conditions for process is 165 psia. Assume heater. An existing heat balance is used,
boiler efficiency of 87% burning bituminous which is modified by adding an
coal. No condensate is returned from the automatic extraction point at 165 psia.1
process. Boiler efficiency is assumed at 87%.
Condenser cooling is provided via once
3
through cooling.
1. R.C. Spencer, K.C. Cotton, and C. N. Cannon, “A Method for Predicting the Performance of Steam
Turbine Generators - 16,500 kW and Larger,” ASME, Winter Annual Meeting, New York, Revised July
1974 version. Also, “Heat Rate Improvement Guidelines for Existing Fossil Power Plants,” EPRI CS-4554,
May 1986.
Table 2: Cogeneration Unit Calculations
Cogeneration unit type Backpressure Backpressure Condensing

Extraction
Turbine Gross Electrical Output (MW) 25 100 250
Turbine Net Electrical Output (MW) 23 93 225
Turbine Net Electrical Output (BTU/hr) 79,332,023 317,328,090 767,818,307
Turbine Throttle Steam Flow, lb/hr 486,384 1,688,520 1,846,913
Turbine Throttle Steam Pressure (psig) 1,250 1,800 2,400
Turbine Throttle Steam Temperature (F) 900 900 1,000
Turbine Throttle Steam Enthalpy, (Btu/lbm 1,438 1,416 1,461
Reheat Steam Flow, lb/hr NA NA 1,619,929
Reheat Steam Enthalpy Gain in Boiler, Btu/lbm NA NA 212
Process Steam Flow (lb/hr) 400,000 1,385,000 539,000
Process Steam Pressure (psia) 165 165 100
Process Steam Enthalpy (Btu/lbm) 1,257 1,208 1,389
Condenser Pressure (in Hg abs) NA NA 1.0
Make-up Water Enthalpy (BTU/lbm) 58 58 58
Process Thermal Output (BTU/hr) 479,600,000 1,592,750,000 717,516,800
Power to Heat Ratio 0.17 0.20 1.07
Boiler Efficiency 0.87 0.87 0.87
Boiler Feedwater Temperature 305 300 400
Boiler Feedwater Enthalpy (BTU/lbm) 277 265 385
Fuel Heat Input HHV (BTU/hr) 648,847,437 2,234,474,800 2,678,593,275
Fuel Heat Input LHV BTU/hr 629,382,014 2,167,440,556 2,598,235,477
Thermal Efficiency (%)\ 86.1% 85.5% 55.5%
PURPA Thermal Efficiency (%) 50.7% 51.4% 43.4%
PURPA Thermal Efficiency Standard (%) 42.50% 42.50% 42.50%
PURPA Thermal Efficiency = (Net Electric Output + Net Thermal Output/2)/Fuel Heat Input (LHV)
Thermal Efficiency = (Net Electric Output + Net Thermal Output)/Fuel Heat Input (HHV)

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Technical Support Document

for the Final

Cogeneration Unit Efficiency Calculations

EPA Docket Number: OAR-2003-0053

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Table 1: Representative Cogeneration Units and Assumptions

Cogeneration units Operating Assumptions

Table 2: Cogeneration Unit Calculations

Cogeneration unit type Backpressure Backpressure Condensing

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