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Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)

The heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) is the vital connection between the topping Brayton
cycle (gas turbine) and the bottoming Rankine cycle (steam turbine). It serves as the “heat sink” for the
former and as the “heat source” for the latter. It is a “waste heat recovery boiler”, which utilizes the exhaust
gas of the gas turbine to convert condensate coming from the steam turbine condenser into steam at one,
two or three different pressures, which are admitted into the steam turbine to generate useful shaft work.

Schematic diagram
of a combined cycle
power plant
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SIMPLE CALCULATIONS
Design Performance
A most basic GTCC performance calculation at a given design point requires a knowledge of:

1. Gas turbine cycle efficiency 2. HRSG effectiveness 3. Steam cycle efficiency

For state-of-the-art, advanced class gas and steam turbine efficiencies are about 40%. The effectiveness of
a HRSG is around 90%. What is the estimated baseload combined cycle performance of a gas turbine rated
at 300 MWe and 40% efficiency? Here is a step-by-step calculation:

1. 300/0.4 = 750 MWth heat consumption Note that steam turbine-to-gas turbine output ratio is
2. 750 × (1 − 0.4) = 450 MWth exhaust gas energy 162/300 = 0.54, which leads to a well-known rule of
3. 450 × 0.9 = 405 MWth recovered in the HRSG for thumb that can be used for “conversational”
steam generation estimates, i.e., in a typical combined cycle, steam
4. 405 × 0.4 = 162 MWe steam turbine output turbine output is roughly half of that of the gas
5. 300 + 162 = 462 MWe gross CC output turbine(s).
6. 462 × (1 − 2%) = 453 MWe net CC output (2%
auxiliary load)
7. 453/750 = 60.4% net CC efficiency.
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Powertrain arrangement of combined cycle power plants
From a powertrain arrangement perspective, combined cycle power plants can be classified into two
categories: single-shaft (SS) and multi-shaft (MS). In a “single-shaft” (SS) combined cycle power plant, both
prime movers can be connected to a single synchronous ac generator (Fig. A). Otherwise, the arrangement is
referred to as a “multi-shaft” (MS) combined cycle power plant. An MS combined cycle power plant can have
multiple GTGs and HRSGs with a single STG. Such configurations are referred to as N × N × 1 combined cycle, where
N designates the number of GTGs and HRSGs. The most common configuration is 2 × 2 × 1 with two GTG-HRSG
“trains”, Fig. B. Although not as common, there are also 3 × 3 × 1 configurations with three GTG–HRSG trains (Fig. C).

A
B C
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HRSG General Description

There are three main parts in an HRSG:
HRSG has three major types of “heat transfer sections”: 1. Inlet duct 2. Casing 3. Stack.
1. Economizer 2. Evaporator (boiler) 3. Superheater The inlet duct facilitates the smooth transition of
There are high-, intermediate- and lowpressure (HP, IP and LP) gas turbine exhaust gas from the exhaust diffuser
economizers, evaporators and superheaters. A fourth type of heat transfer exit to the inlet of first tube bank. The casing
section comprises “reheater” superheaters, which receive “cold reheat” houses the HP, IP and LP heat transfer sections. In
(CRH) steam coming from the HP turbine exhaust and heat it back to its addition, it also contains the selective catalytic
original temperature to be readmitted into the IP turbine. The reheated reduction (SCR) system.
steam is referred to as the “hot reheat” (HRH) steam.

Vertical HRSG
Horizontal HRSG
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The arrangement of the heat transfer A
sections 3PRH (Three pressure level with
reheat) HRSG is shown in Fig. A. Gas
turbine exhaust gas flow is from the left
(HRSG inlet) to the right (HRSG outlet).
Consequently, the gas temperature
decreases from left (highest) to right
(lowest) whereas feedwater and steam
temperatures increase from right to left.
The heat release diagram corresponding to
the arrangement in Fig. A is shown in Fig. B.
The gas turbine exhaust gas is cooling (from
left to right) while transferring heat to
feedwater at three different pressure levels
to evaporate and superheat it (from right to HP: High Pressure
left). It is important to minimize the “gap” IP :Intermediate Pressure B
between the gas cooling line and the LP :Low Pressure
evaporating feedwater heating lines. SH : Superheater
Each evaporator in the HRSG is EVP: Evaporator
represented by a horizontal line, which EC : Economizer
quantifies the heat transferred from the flue RH : Reheater
gas to the boiling feedwater at constant
(saturation) temperature (and pressure). In
graphical terms, each horizontal line’s length
is proportional to steam production in HP, IP The heat release diagram
and LP evaporators.
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SUPPLEMENTARY (DUCT) FIRING

Duct firing in the HRSG is a widely used technology to boost the power output of a GTCC power plant especially
on hot summer days when electric power demand peaks due to increased use of air conditioners. The objective
is to compensate for the significant drop in gas turbine generator power output due to lower inlet airflow (i.e.,
high ambient temperature → low ambient air density) by burning additional fuel in the HRSG and exploit high
power prices for additional revenue. The duct firing can add about 14% of the plant electrical capacity.

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) System

The HRSGs are also equipped with a complete Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system to reduce the NOx
emissions to a few part per million (PPM). This includes an ammonia skid, an ammonia injection grid and
the catalyst. A gas side silencer is installed in the outlet duct. The HRSG also receives a CO catalyst system
to reduce the CO emissions to a few PPM and also educe the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions.
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Cross sectional view of a double pressure HRSG
with supplementary firing