Energy efficiency indicators of the steam boiler in a power plant of Cuba

In this work an algorithm that integrates the calculation procedure and the mathematical models useful for the determination of the energy efficiency indicators of the boiler of a 250 MW thermal power plant (TPP) was implemented, which has not been studied in previous research. Through the thermal and exergy balance of the steam generator, the indicators were calculated during test that considered four load conditions: 150, 180, 220 and 250 MW. Their average values were 49.95 t/h for the fuel consumption and 92.0% for the gross thermal efficiency. The average steam generation index was 13.4 vapor units produced per unit of fuel, while, the average specific fuel consumption was 231.9 g/kWh and the mitigation cost required by ecological trace was reduced in 3.1 USD/h. The exergy performance and the degree of exergy loss were 61.5 and 38.5% respectively. The proposed algorithm foresees the computation of the relative point and average errors between the measured and calculated values of the fundamental efficiency indicators, as well as the execution of technical-organizational actions in the steam boiler to improve its energy performance. Its further implementation will encompass the analysis of the impacts caused by the aforementioned actions and the corresponding thermo-energy balance of the TPP.