A. Immanuel Selwynraj

Bio: A. Immanuel Selwynraj is an academic researcher from Anna University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Electricity generation & Combined cycle. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 6 publications receiving 72 citations. Previous affiliations of A. Immanuel Selwynraj include VIT University.

Hybrid Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Systems: A Review

Abstract: Concentrated solar power (CSP), or solar thermal power, is an ideal technology to hybridize with other energy technologies for power generation. CSP shares technology with conventional power generation and can be readily integrated with other energy types into a synergistic system, which has many potential benefits including increased dispatchability and reliability, improved efficiency, reduced capital costs through equipment sharing, and the opportunity for flexible operation by alternating between energy sources, which can lead to improved overall efficiency through synergy of the different energy sources. Another advantage of CSP technology is the ability to readily store via thermal energy storage (TES), making the intermittent solar resource dispatchable. A review of CSP hybridization strategies with coal, natural gas, biofuels, geothermal, photovoltaic (PV), and wind is given. An overview of different configurations for hybridizing CSP with these other energy sources is also provided. Hybridized CSP plants present different types and levels of synergy, depending on the hybrid energy source, the location of the plant, the CSP technology used, and the plant configuration. Coal, natural gas, and biofuel hybrids with CSP present many opportunities to inject solar heat at various temperatures. These combustible fuels provide reliability, dispatchability, and flexibility but are not entirely renewable solutions (with the exception of biofuels). Geothermal, wind, and PV hybrid designs with CSP can be entirely renewable, but lack some of the benefits of hydrocarbon fuels. Effective geothermal-CSP hybrid designs require low temperature operation where efficiency is limited by the power cycle. Wind-CSP and PVT (photovoltaic/thermal) lack dispatchability, but have other advantages. The pursuit of ideal CSP hybrid systems is an important research topic as it allows for further development of CSP technologies while providing an immediate solution that increases the use of solar power.

A comprehensive review on the exergy analysis of combined cycle power plants

Abstract: The arriving optimum improvement of a thermodynamic system of energy conversion such as a combined cycle power plant (CCPP) is complicated due to the existence of different factors. Energy and exergy analysis is utilized as effective methods to determine both the quantity and quality of the energy sources. This paper reviews the latest thermodynamics analysis on each system components of a CCPP independently and determine the exergy destruction of the plant. A few layouts of the CCPP plant from different locations considered as case studies. In fact, the most energy losses occurred in the condenser compared with the plant components. It found that in the combustion chamber (CC) the highest exergy destruction occurred. The ambient temperature causes an evident decrement in the power production by the gas turbine (GT). The result has proved that besides energy, exergy analysis is an efficient way to the assessment of the performance of the CCPP by recommending a more advantageous configuration of the CCPP plant, which would lead to reductions in fuel required and emissions of air pollutants.

A comprehensive review of cogeneration system in a microgrid: A perspective from architecture and operating system

Abstract: Several factors such as climate change, increment in fuel cost and digital technology era have lead to transformation of conventional grid into smart grid. Existing microgrid can be integrated with smart grid characteristics by various topologies, including cogeneration system where both electricity and thermal energy from single source of fuel can be produced. Cogeneration system has better efficiency, lower costs and able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to singular conventional methods. This paper presents a comprehensive review of cogeneration system, covering the principle operation and types of prime movers available for use in power plant, building and industrial plant. Prime movers such as gas turbine, steam turbine, micro turbine, reciprocate engine and fuel cell are compared in terms of size (kW), efficiency and principal operation. This review also describes the hierarchical control system for cogeneration system; classified into three types, which are local, centralized and decentralized. This study tries to find the most suitable control strategy for certain cogeneration system by referring to the related standards available. A number of cogeneration applications in commercial buildings, including hospital, airport, shopping complex and hotel, are presented to show the effectiveness of the cogeneration system. Overall, this paper presents comparison between each prime mover technology, factors that influence the selection of prime movers, challenges and prospects of cogeneration system.