Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)

By: Eng/ Ahmed Algharaz

Introduction

A heat recovery steam generator or HRSG is an energy

recovery heat exchanger that recovers heat from a hot gas
stream. It produces steam that can be used in a process
(cogeneration) or used to drive a steam turbine (combined
cycle).

The exhaust gas temperature from a Gas Turbine is about

580 C.

Higher exhaust temperatures will reduce the efficiency of

the gas turbine.

Operation Mode

Combined Cycle Mode:-

Power

is generated via a steam

turbine generator.

Cogeneration Mode:-

Steam

producer from the HRSG is

mainly used for process
application.

Parts of HRSG:
The HRSG consist of three main
parts :
1-evaporator
2-ecnomizer
3-super heater

And anther three parts:

4-reheaters
5-deaerators
6-preheaters
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1. Evaporator
HRSG evaporator or boiler sections
act to vaporize water and produce
steam in one component.

2. Ecnomizer
The gas temperature leaving an evaporator varies from 150~ 320
deg c, depending upon the steam pressure being produced. If no
other heat transfer component is installed downstream, this
remaining energy is wasted.

3. Super heater
While the evaporator produces dry-saturated steam, this is rarely
acceptable for large steam turbines, and is frequently not the
appropriate condition for process applications.

4. Reheaters

Reheaters are a heat transfer component similar to super

heaters,
and are employed in advanced multi-pressure
power generation cycles.

They accept superheated or semi-saturated steam at a low

pressure from a steam turbine after its first section of
expansion, and re-superheat or reheat the steam back
towards the original super heater's outlet temperature.

Accordingly, reheaters are generally interspersed among the

super heater sections in the HRSG, so that the same outlet
temperatures can be achieved.

5. Deaerators
All power plant cycles employ a deaerator to control oxygen
levels in the feedwater. Heating steam is provided to strip
oxygen from the condensate falling through the pressurized
deaerators tray systems.

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6. Preheaters

Preheaters are located at the coolest end of the HRSG gas

path, and absorb energy from the gas stream to preheat
liquids such as condensate, makeup water, water/glycol
mixtures or proprietary heat exchange fluids.

The most common application is to preheat condensate prior

to entry into the deaerator, which reduces the amount of
deaeration steam required.

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Types of HRSG :

1 - Natural-circulation (NC)

2- Forced-circulation (FC)

3-A once-through (OT)

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Type of HRSG (Based On Heat Input )

Unfired

Fired

Supplementary Fired

Exhaust Fired

Unfired HRSG
When the available GT exhaust energy, the
consequential HRSG steam production, and the
steam requirements are well balanced, an
unfired HRSG can be selected.

Fired HRSG
The exhaust gases from a typical GT include from
14% ~ 16% oxygen by volume, which makes it
possible to locate a supplemental burner
downstream of the gas turbine exhaust
frequently called a duct burner.
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Unfired

Supplementary
Fired

Exhaust Fired

Types Of HRSG (Based on operation pressure)

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Single Pressure

Multi Pressure

Post combustion emission controls

The
most
common
post-combustion
process
applied to HRSGs is Selective Catalytic Reduction or
SCR. Most new combined-cycle plants where stringent
emissions limits exist are equipped with both DLN
combustors on the gas turbine, and an HRSG
incorporating an SCR system.

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