International Journal of Engineering & Technology Sciences (IJETS) 1(4): 206-217, 2013
ISSN 2289-4152
© Academic Research Online Publisher
Research Article
Energy Analysis of Omotosho Phase 1 Gas Thermal Power Plant
Egware H.O
a
and Obanor A.I
b*
a,b ,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Benin, P.M.B 1154, Benin City, Nigeria
*Corresponding author E-mail: henryegware@yahoo.com,aiobanor@yahoo.com.
A b s t r a c t
Keywords:
Energy analysis,
Efficiency, Power output,
Gas Turbine, Ambient
temperature,
Performance.
Many managers of electrical generating utilities are striving to improve the
efficiency, heat rate and performance of their existing thermal power stations. The
thermal performance of the plant has to be investigated to achieve this aim. This
paper describes the use of energy analysis in evaluating the performance of
Omotosho Phase I Gas Thermal Power Plant. The data used were obtained from
data record book and discussions with personnel during visit to the plant. The
efficiency of plant was calculated at various load levels and ambient temperature.
The average overall efficiency of the units was found to be 30.28% at ambient
temperature range of 21 - 33
0
C and power output of 30.11 – 39.80 MW. This
shows that power output and overall efficiency decreases as ambient temperature
increases and 66.98% of fuel input is heat lost through the flue gases to the
environment was the largest source of energy loss in the turbine units. Based on
the results obtained compressor air intake cooling and combined cycle systems are
recommend to optimize thermal performance of the plant.
Accepted:15 July2013 © Academic Research Online Publisher. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Gas turbines can be started and stopped easily which make them every useful at peak period in energy
demand. Gas turbines are widely used for electricity generation in Nigeria because of the availability
and low prices of natural gas compared to distillate fuels in the country [1]. For these reasons they are
used are based load units. Energy analysis need to be carried out to know sources of losses during
conversion of energy process in the plant and factors affecting the performance of the plant for
efficient used of gas turbine power plant[2].
Energy analysis is the traditional method of assessing the way energy is used in an operation
involving the physical or chemical processing of materials and the transfer and/or conversion of
energy [3, 4]. This usually entails performing energy balances, which are based on the First Law of