Abdul Ghafoor Memon - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Abdul Ghafoor Memon

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2016

In this paper, thermodynamic analysis of 210 MW dual-fire, subcritical, reheat steam power plant,... more In this paper, thermodynamic analysis of 210 MW dual-fire, subcritical, reheat steam power plant, situated near Jamshoro, Pakistan has been performed. Firstly, the plant is modeled by EES (Engineering Equation Solver) software. Moreover; a parametric study is performed to assess the impacts of various operating parameters on the performance. The net power output, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency are considered as performance parameters of the plant whereas, condenser pressure, main steam pressure and main steam temperature are nominated as operating parameters. According to the results, the net power output, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency are determined as 186.5 MW, 31.37% and 30.41% respectively, under design operating conditions. The condenser contributed a major share in the total energy loss i.e. 280 MW (68.7%) followed by boiler with 89 MW (21.8%). The major exergy destructing area is found in the boiler with 350 MW (82.11%) of the total exergy destruction follo...

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

In Pakistan, the thermal efficiency of the power plants is low because of a huge share of fuel en... more In Pakistan, the thermal efficiency of the power plants is low because of a huge share of fuel energy is dumped into the atmosphere as waste heat. The ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) has been revealed as one of the promising technologies to recover waste heat to enhance the thermal efficiency of the power plant. In current work, ORC is proposed as a second bottoming cycle for existing CCPP (Combined Cycle Power Plant). In order to assess the efficiency of the plant, a thermodynamic model is developed in the ESS (Engineering Equation Solver) software. The developed model is used for parametric analysis to assess the effects of various operating parameters on the system performance. The analysis of results shows that the integration of ORC system with existing CCPP system enhances the overall power output in the range of 150.5-154.58 MW with 0.24-5% enhancement in the efficiency depending on the operating conditions. During the parametric analysis of ORC, it is observed that inlet pressure of the turbine shows a significant effect on the performance of the system as compared to other operating parameters.

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

This study focuses on higher generation cost of electricity in selected TPPs (Thermal Power Plant... more This study focuses on higher generation cost of electricity in selected TPPs (Thermal Power Plants) in Sindh, Pakistan. It also investigates the energy consumed by the auxiliary equipment of the selected TPPs in Sindh, Pakistan. The AC (Auxiliary Consumption) of selected TPPs is compared with that in UK and other developed countries. Results show that the AC in selected TPPs in Sindh, Pakistan exceeds the average AC of the TPPs situated in developed countries. Many energy conservation measures such as impeller trimming and de-staging, boiler feed pump, high voltage inverter, variable frequency drive, and upgrading the existing cooling tower fan blades with fiber reinforced plastic are discussed to overcome higher AC. This study shows that harnessing various available energy conservative measures the AC and unit cost can be reduced by 4.13 and 8.8%; also adverse environmental impacts can be mitigated. Results show that the unit cost of electricity can be reduced from Rs.20 to19/kWh in JTPP (Jamshoro Thermal Power Plant), Rs.9 to 8.8/kWh in GTPS (Gas Turbine Power Station) Kotri and Rs. 11 to 10.27/kWh in LPS (Lakhara Power Station). Thus, electricity production can be improved with the existing capacity, which will eventually assist to manage the current energy crisis and ensure its conservation.

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

Two of the popular refrigeration cycles, VC (Vapor Compression), and VA (Vapor Absorption) are us... more Two of the popular refrigeration cycles, VC (Vapor Compression), and VA (Vapor Absorption) are used extensively for refrigeration purposes. In this paper, a system is proposed that works using both cycles powered by an IC (Internal Combustion) engine, where mechanical energy is used to run the VC cycle while exhaust gasses are used to operate the VA cycle. The VC cycle works on R12 refrigerant while LiBr-H 2 O combination is selected for operation of VA cycle. Firstly, the refrigeration system is modeled, followed by a parametric study to investigate the impacts of various operating parameters on the system performance. The results exhibit that for maximum chilling and overall performance, the condenser and evaporator pressures in the VC cycle are obtained as 710 and 340 kPa, respectively, whereas generator and absorber temperatures in VA cycle are 85 and 20 o C, respectively.

July 2016, 2016

In this paper, exergy analysis of a 210 MW SPP (Steam Power Plant) is performed. Firstly, the pla... more In this paper, exergy analysis of a 210 MW SPP (Steam Power Plant) is performed. Firstly, the plant is modeled and validated, followed by a parametric study to show the effects of various operating parameters on the performance parameters. The net power output, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency are taken as the performance parameters, while the condenser pressure, main steam pressure, bled steam pressures, main steam temperature, and reheat steam temperature isnominated as the operating parameters. Moreover, multiple polynomial regression models are developed to correlate each performance parameter with the operating parameters. The performance is then optimizedby using Direct-searchmethod. According to the results, the net power output, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency are calculated as 186.5 MW, 31.37 and 30.41%, respectively under normal operating conditions as a base case. The condenser is a major contributor towards the energy loss, followed by the boiler, wherea...

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2019

This study presents a detailed energy analysis of a Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) plant operat... more This study presents a detailed energy analysis of a Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) plant operated by Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors (PTSCs). The integrated cycles; Vapor Absorption Refrigeration Cycle (VARC) and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) are used to produce cooling and power, respectively. Six organic working fluids, namely, R113, R141b, R123, R245fa, R142b, and isobutane were selected for ORC, while LiBr-H2O solution used in VARC. Four key energetic parameters, useful heat gain, work output, cooling rate, and energy utilization factor (EUF) were examined during varying direct normal irradiance (DNI). A parametric study was carried out in three modes of operation, power only, combined power and cooling and cooling only under the limits of DNI from 0.6 kW/m2to 0.88 kW/m2recorded on the yearly-average basis in two cities of Pakistan, Lahore, and Quetta respectively. Results enunciated that R113 given the highest thermal efficiency of 17.12%, while isobutane gave the least therm...

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

Plasmonic materials are the artificially manufactured materials (metamaterials) typically compose... more Plasmonic materials are the artificially manufactured materials (metamaterials) typically composed of nanostructure noble metals which give the unique optical properties superior to naturally occurring materials. Such plasmonic material has ability to give surface plasmon when electromagnetic light wave interact with free electrons in conduction band of the noble metals. Entirely absorption of light wave is the one of the major property of such plasmonicmetamaterials. Recently, these metamaterials has drawn the attention of scientists because of its wide range of applications in harvesting energy and sensors. These applications are strongly dependent on adjusting the absorption band-width, peak position and absorption intensity. In this work we show that using ultra-thin multicomponent (i.e. Au NPs incorporated in mixture of SiO 2 and TiO 2 matrix) nanocomposite deposited on optically thick gold film through subsequent magnetron sputtering. Experimental results show that one can broaden the bandwidth and peak position to span Ultraviolet up to near infrared wavelength range.

Heat and Mass Transfer, 2018

In this paper, the effects of contraction of the insulation of the air duct of heating, ventilati... more In this paper, the effects of contraction of the insulation of the air duct of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is investigated. The compression of the insulation contracts it at joint, turn and other points of the duct. The energy loss and the condensation resulted from this contraction are also estimated. A mathematical model is developed to simulate the effects of this contraction on the heat gain, supply air temperature and external surface temperature of the duct. The simulation uses preliminary data obtained from an HVAC system installed in a pharmaceutical company while varying the operating conditions. The results reveal that insulation thickness should be kept greater than 30 mm and the volume flow rate of the selected air distribution system should be lower than 1.4m 3 /s to subside condensation on the external surface of the duct. Additionally, the optimum insulation thickness was determined by considering natural gas as an energy source and fiberglass as an insulation material. The optimum insulation thickness determined for different duct sizes varies from 28 to 45 mm, which is greater than the critical insulation thickness. Therefore, the chances of condensation on the external surface of the duct could be avoided at an optimum insulation thickness. Moreover, the effect of pressure loss coefficient of the duct fitting of air distribution system is estimated. The electricity consumption in air handling unit (AHU) decreases from 2.1 to 1.5 kW by decreasing the pressure loss coefficient from 1.5 to 0.5.

Sustainable Cities and Society, 2017

Highlights  Proposed trigeneration system is assessed on the basis of economic concepts.  Econo... more Highlights  Proposed trigeneration system is assessed on the basis of economic concepts.  Economic indices are calculated under different operating and economic parameters.  The parametric-based economic analysis is performed for assessing the project feasibility under different scenarios.  Optimization of NPV is performed for various load conditions.  The economic feasibility is assessed for a case of residential buildings in different economic scenarios.

Applied Thermal Engineering, 2017

A 144 MW combined cycle power plant (CCPP) based on simple and regenerative gas turbine units wor... more A 144 MW combined cycle power plant (CCPP) based on simple and regenerative gas turbine units working on natural gas is investigated. By establishing mathematical model to simulate the power plants, thermo-environmental and economic analysis are conducted. The effects of five key parameters including compressor inlet temperature, compressor pressure ratio, gas turbine inlet temperature, pinch point temperature difference and main steam pressure are investigated on net power output, energy and exergy efficiencies, CO 2 emissions, exergy destruction/loss and levelized cost. The multiple regression models are developed to determine the correlation amongst these variables. Moreover, a multi-dimensional optimization using Nelder-Mead method is carried out to find optimal operating parameters for maximum efficiency and minimum levelized cost. Results show significant impacts of gas turbine inlet temperature and compressor pressure ratio on the performance and costs. The optimum energy efficiency of simple and regenerative CCPP are in the range of 36.2-56.6% and 35-58.2%, respectively under varying operating parameters while the optimal levelized costs US$ 0.0398 and 0.037 per kWh, respectively are estimated. The combustion chamber and HRSG are the major contributors towards exergy destruction amongst all components, followed by exergy loss due to stack.

ABSTRACT The conventional energy analysis evaluates the performance of a thermodynamic system gen... more ABSTRACT The conventional energy analysis evaluates the performance of a thermodynamic system generally on its quantity only. It gives no information about the effect of irreversibilities on performance that occurs inherently during any thermodynamic process. On the other hand, exergy analysis, based on the second law of thermodynamics recognizes magnitudes and locations of the losses due to these irreversibilities. Therefore, the application of exergy analysis for thermodynamic evaluation of conventional power plants is steadily growing. This paper deals with the exergy analysis performed on a 144 MW combined cycle power plant situated at Kotri, Pakistan. The exergy destruction models are used to assess the losses occurred in the key components of the power plant. The results indicate that the total exergy destruction of the power plant is around 288.5 MW; combustion chambers contribute a major share of 168 MW (58.2%) followed by heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) with 43 MW (14.8%). The energy efficiency and exergy efficiency of the power plant are calculated as 34.41 and 33.40% respectively. Finally, some suggestions regarding the efficiency improvement of the power plant components are given.

Energy Procedia, 2014

The fossil fuels mainly imported oil and natural gas are major sources of electricity generation ... more The fossil fuels mainly imported oil and natural gas are major sources of electricity generation in Pakistan. The combustion of fossil fuels in thermal power plants has greater environmental impacts like air pollution and global warming. Additionally, the import of oil is a heavy burden on the poor economy of the country. Pakistan is a country with huge renewable sources; wind energy being the major one. This paper elucidate the cost-competitiveness of wind power with the conventional thermal power plants. In this regard, Levelized estimated cost of a 15MW wind power plant is compared with three types of conventional thermal power plants, namely (i) Oil-fired thermal power plant (ii) Natural gas-fire combine cycle power plant (iii) Diesel oil-fired gas turbine cycle 100MW each. The results show that the cost of wind energy is lowest with Rs. 3 /kWh. It is concluded that the wind power is cost-competitive to the conventional thermal power plants in Pakistan. The cost estimation for wind energy is lowest of all others with Rs. 3 /kWh.

Journal of the Energy Institute, 2014

In this paper, a gas turbine cycle is modeled to investigate the effects of important operating p... more In this paper, a gas turbine cycle is modeled to investigate the effects of important operating parameters like compressor inlet temperature (CIT), turbine inlet temperature (TIT) and pressure ratio (PR) on the overall cycle performance and CO 2 emissions. Such effects are also investigated on the exergy destruction and exergy efficiency of the cycle components. Furthermore, multiple polynomial regression models are developed to correlate the response variables (performance characteristics) and predictor variables (operating parameters). The operating parameters are then optimized. According to the results, operating parameters have a significant effect on the cycle performance and CO 2 emissions. The largest exergy destruction is found in the combustion chamber with lowest exergy efficiency. The regression models have appeared to be a good estimator of the response variables. The optimal operating parameters for maximum performance have been determined as 288 K for CIT, 1600 K for TIT and 23.2 for PR.

Energy Conversion and Management, 2013

Analysis of a proposed integrated gasifier-SOFC-GT-STC-VAR power plant. • The amount of electrici... more Analysis of a proposed integrated gasifier-SOFC-GT-STC-VAR power plant. • The amount of electricity that can be obtained from municipal solid waste. • The economic feasibility of the proposed plant against. • Novel sustainability measurements of power plant.

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2016

In this paper, thermodynamic analysis of 210 MW dual-fire, subcritical, reheat steam power plant,... more In this paper, thermodynamic analysis of 210 MW dual-fire, subcritical, reheat steam power plant, situated near Jamshoro, Pakistan has been performed. Firstly, the plant is modeled by EES (Engineering Equation Solver) software. Moreover; a parametric study is performed to assess the impacts of various operating parameters on the performance. The net power output, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency are considered as performance parameters of the plant whereas, condenser pressure, main steam pressure and main steam temperature are nominated as operating parameters. According to the results, the net power output, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency are determined as 186.5 MW, 31.37% and 30.41% respectively, under design operating conditions. The condenser contributed a major share in the total energy loss i.e. 280 MW (68.7%) followed by boiler with 89 MW (21.8%). The major exergy destructing area is found in the boiler with 350 MW (82.11%) of the total exergy destruction follo...

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

In Pakistan, the thermal efficiency of the power plants is low because of a huge share of fuel en... more In Pakistan, the thermal efficiency of the power plants is low because of a huge share of fuel energy is dumped into the atmosphere as waste heat. The ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) has been revealed as one of the promising technologies to recover waste heat to enhance the thermal efficiency of the power plant. In current work, ORC is proposed as a second bottoming cycle for existing CCPP (Combined Cycle Power Plant). In order to assess the efficiency of the plant, a thermodynamic model is developed in the ESS (Engineering Equation Solver) software. The developed model is used for parametric analysis to assess the effects of various operating parameters on the system performance. The analysis of results shows that the integration of ORC system with existing CCPP system enhances the overall power output in the range of 150.5-154.58 MW with 0.24-5% enhancement in the efficiency depending on the operating conditions. During the parametric analysis of ORC, it is observed that inlet pressure of the turbine shows a significant effect on the performance of the system as compared to other operating parameters.

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

This study focuses on higher generation cost of electricity in selected TPPs (Thermal Power Plant... more This study focuses on higher generation cost of electricity in selected TPPs (Thermal Power Plants) in Sindh, Pakistan. It also investigates the energy consumed by the auxiliary equipment of the selected TPPs in Sindh, Pakistan. The AC (Auxiliary Consumption) of selected TPPs is compared with that in UK and other developed countries. Results show that the AC in selected TPPs in Sindh, Pakistan exceeds the average AC of the TPPs situated in developed countries. Many energy conservation measures such as impeller trimming and de-staging, boiler feed pump, high voltage inverter, variable frequency drive, and upgrading the existing cooling tower fan blades with fiber reinforced plastic are discussed to overcome higher AC. This study shows that harnessing various available energy conservative measures the AC and unit cost can be reduced by 4.13 and 8.8%; also adverse environmental impacts can be mitigated. Results show that the unit cost of electricity can be reduced from Rs.20 to19/kWh in JTPP (Jamshoro Thermal Power Plant), Rs.9 to 8.8/kWh in GTPS (Gas Turbine Power Station) Kotri and Rs. 11 to 10.27/kWh in LPS (Lakhara Power Station). Thus, electricity production can be improved with the existing capacity, which will eventually assist to manage the current energy crisis and ensure its conservation.

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

Two of the popular refrigeration cycles, VC (Vapor Compression), and VA (Vapor Absorption) are us... more Two of the popular refrigeration cycles, VC (Vapor Compression), and VA (Vapor Absorption) are used extensively for refrigeration purposes. In this paper, a system is proposed that works using both cycles powered by an IC (Internal Combustion) engine, where mechanical energy is used to run the VC cycle while exhaust gasses are used to operate the VA cycle. The VC cycle works on R12 refrigerant while LiBr-H 2 O combination is selected for operation of VA cycle. Firstly, the refrigeration system is modeled, followed by a parametric study to investigate the impacts of various operating parameters on the system performance. The results exhibit that for maximum chilling and overall performance, the condenser and evaporator pressures in the VC cycle are obtained as 710 and 340 kPa, respectively, whereas generator and absorber temperatures in VA cycle are 85 and 20 o C, respectively.

July 2016, 2016

In this paper, exergy analysis of a 210 MW SPP (Steam Power Plant) is performed. Firstly, the pla... more In this paper, exergy analysis of a 210 MW SPP (Steam Power Plant) is performed. Firstly, the plant is modeled and validated, followed by a parametric study to show the effects of various operating parameters on the performance parameters. The net power output, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency are taken as the performance parameters, while the condenser pressure, main steam pressure, bled steam pressures, main steam temperature, and reheat steam temperature isnominated as the operating parameters. Moreover, multiple polynomial regression models are developed to correlate each performance parameter with the operating parameters. The performance is then optimizedby using Direct-searchmethod. According to the results, the net power output, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency are calculated as 186.5 MW, 31.37 and 30.41%, respectively under normal operating conditions as a base case. The condenser is a major contributor towards the energy loss, followed by the boiler, wherea...

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2019

This study presents a detailed energy analysis of a Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) plant operat... more This study presents a detailed energy analysis of a Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) plant operated by Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors (PTSCs). The integrated cycles; Vapor Absorption Refrigeration Cycle (VARC) and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) are used to produce cooling and power, respectively. Six organic working fluids, namely, R113, R141b, R123, R245fa, R142b, and isobutane were selected for ORC, while LiBr-H2O solution used in VARC. Four key energetic parameters, useful heat gain, work output, cooling rate, and energy utilization factor (EUF) were examined during varying direct normal irradiance (DNI). A parametric study was carried out in three modes of operation, power only, combined power and cooling and cooling only under the limits of DNI from 0.6 kW/m2to 0.88 kW/m2recorded on the yearly-average basis in two cities of Pakistan, Lahore, and Quetta respectively. Results enunciated that R113 given the highest thermal efficiency of 17.12%, while isobutane gave the least therm...

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2017

Plasmonic materials are the artificially manufactured materials (metamaterials) typically compose... more Plasmonic materials are the artificially manufactured materials (metamaterials) typically composed of nanostructure noble metals which give the unique optical properties superior to naturally occurring materials. Such plasmonic material has ability to give surface plasmon when electromagnetic light wave interact with free electrons in conduction band of the noble metals. Entirely absorption of light wave is the one of the major property of such plasmonicmetamaterials. Recently, these metamaterials has drawn the attention of scientists because of its wide range of applications in harvesting energy and sensors. These applications are strongly dependent on adjusting the absorption band-width, peak position and absorption intensity. In this work we show that using ultra-thin multicomponent (i.e. Au NPs incorporated in mixture of SiO 2 and TiO 2 matrix) nanocomposite deposited on optically thick gold film through subsequent magnetron sputtering. Experimental results show that one can broaden the bandwidth and peak position to span Ultraviolet up to near infrared wavelength range.

Heat and Mass Transfer, 2018

In this paper, the effects of contraction of the insulation of the air duct of heating, ventilati... more In this paper, the effects of contraction of the insulation of the air duct of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is investigated. The compression of the insulation contracts it at joint, turn and other points of the duct. The energy loss and the condensation resulted from this contraction are also estimated. A mathematical model is developed to simulate the effects of this contraction on the heat gain, supply air temperature and external surface temperature of the duct. The simulation uses preliminary data obtained from an HVAC system installed in a pharmaceutical company while varying the operating conditions. The results reveal that insulation thickness should be kept greater than 30 mm and the volume flow rate of the selected air distribution system should be lower than 1.4m 3 /s to subside condensation on the external surface of the duct. Additionally, the optimum insulation thickness was determined by considering natural gas as an energy source and fiberglass as an insulation material. The optimum insulation thickness determined for different duct sizes varies from 28 to 45 mm, which is greater than the critical insulation thickness. Therefore, the chances of condensation on the external surface of the duct could be avoided at an optimum insulation thickness. Moreover, the effect of pressure loss coefficient of the duct fitting of air distribution system is estimated. The electricity consumption in air handling unit (AHU) decreases from 2.1 to 1.5 kW by decreasing the pressure loss coefficient from 1.5 to 0.5.

Sustainable Cities and Society, 2017

Highlights  Proposed trigeneration system is assessed on the basis of economic concepts.  Econo... more Highlights  Proposed trigeneration system is assessed on the basis of economic concepts.  Economic indices are calculated under different operating and economic parameters.  The parametric-based economic analysis is performed for assessing the project feasibility under different scenarios.  Optimization of NPV is performed for various load conditions.  The economic feasibility is assessed for a case of residential buildings in different economic scenarios.

Applied Thermal Engineering, 2017

A 144 MW combined cycle power plant (CCPP) based on simple and regenerative gas turbine units wor... more A 144 MW combined cycle power plant (CCPP) based on simple and regenerative gas turbine units working on natural gas is investigated. By establishing mathematical model to simulate the power plants, thermo-environmental and economic analysis are conducted. The effects of five key parameters including compressor inlet temperature, compressor pressure ratio, gas turbine inlet temperature, pinch point temperature difference and main steam pressure are investigated on net power output, energy and exergy efficiencies, CO 2 emissions, exergy destruction/loss and levelized cost. The multiple regression models are developed to determine the correlation amongst these variables. Moreover, a multi-dimensional optimization using Nelder-Mead method is carried out to find optimal operating parameters for maximum efficiency and minimum levelized cost. Results show significant impacts of gas turbine inlet temperature and compressor pressure ratio on the performance and costs. The optimum energy efficiency of simple and regenerative CCPP are in the range of 36.2-56.6% and 35-58.2%, respectively under varying operating parameters while the optimal levelized costs US$ 0.0398 and 0.037 per kWh, respectively are estimated. The combustion chamber and HRSG are the major contributors towards exergy destruction amongst all components, followed by exergy loss due to stack.

ABSTRACT The conventional energy analysis evaluates the performance of a thermodynamic system gen... more ABSTRACT The conventional energy analysis evaluates the performance of a thermodynamic system generally on its quantity only. It gives no information about the effect of irreversibilities on performance that occurs inherently during any thermodynamic process. On the other hand, exergy analysis, based on the second law of thermodynamics recognizes magnitudes and locations of the losses due to these irreversibilities. Therefore, the application of exergy analysis for thermodynamic evaluation of conventional power plants is steadily growing. This paper deals with the exergy analysis performed on a 144 MW combined cycle power plant situated at Kotri, Pakistan. The exergy destruction models are used to assess the losses occurred in the key components of the power plant. The results indicate that the total exergy destruction of the power plant is around 288.5 MW; combustion chambers contribute a major share of 168 MW (58.2%) followed by heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) with 43 MW (14.8%). The energy efficiency and exergy efficiency of the power plant are calculated as 34.41 and 33.40% respectively. Finally, some suggestions regarding the efficiency improvement of the power plant components are given.

Energy Procedia, 2014

The fossil fuels mainly imported oil and natural gas are major sources of electricity generation ... more The fossil fuels mainly imported oil and natural gas are major sources of electricity generation in Pakistan. The combustion of fossil fuels in thermal power plants has greater environmental impacts like air pollution and global warming. Additionally, the import of oil is a heavy burden on the poor economy of the country. Pakistan is a country with huge renewable sources; wind energy being the major one. This paper elucidate the cost-competitiveness of wind power with the conventional thermal power plants. In this regard, Levelized estimated cost of a 15MW wind power plant is compared with three types of conventional thermal power plants, namely (i) Oil-fired thermal power plant (ii) Natural gas-fire combine cycle power plant (iii) Diesel oil-fired gas turbine cycle 100MW each. The results show that the cost of wind energy is lowest with Rs. 3 /kWh. It is concluded that the wind power is cost-competitive to the conventional thermal power plants in Pakistan. The cost estimation for wind energy is lowest of all others with Rs. 3 /kWh.

Journal of the Energy Institute, 2014

In this paper, a gas turbine cycle is modeled to investigate the effects of important operating p... more In this paper, a gas turbine cycle is modeled to investigate the effects of important operating parameters like compressor inlet temperature (CIT), turbine inlet temperature (TIT) and pressure ratio (PR) on the overall cycle performance and CO 2 emissions. Such effects are also investigated on the exergy destruction and exergy efficiency of the cycle components. Furthermore, multiple polynomial regression models are developed to correlate the response variables (performance characteristics) and predictor variables (operating parameters). The operating parameters are then optimized. According to the results, operating parameters have a significant effect on the cycle performance and CO 2 emissions. The largest exergy destruction is found in the combustion chamber with lowest exergy efficiency. The regression models have appeared to be a good estimator of the response variables. The optimal operating parameters for maximum performance have been determined as 288 K for CIT, 1600 K for TIT and 23.2 for PR.

Energy Conversion and Management, 2013

Analysis of a proposed integrated gasifier-SOFC-GT-STC-VAR power plant. • The amount of electrici... more Analysis of a proposed integrated gasifier-SOFC-GT-STC-VAR power plant. • The amount of electricity that can be obtained from municipal solid waste. • The economic feasibility of the proposed plant against. • Novel sustainability measurements of power plant.