Miljevic, A. (2015). Utilisation of recovered waste heat in natural gas compressor stations [Master Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2015.34304
Waste heat recovery; compressor station; organic rankine cycle; smart gas grids; ORC; HRSG; ORC; TSO; WHRU; district heating
en
Abstract:
The share of industrial waste heat infeed into district heating systems networks increased over the past couple of years. Industrial waste heat recovery increases systems-energy efficiency factor on the one hand and reduces carbon dioxide and mono-nitrogen oxide emissions through the substitution of fossil fuels for heating boilers on the other hand. Therefore, it is a value adding process, both for industries and environment authorities. Nevertheless, waste heat from exhaust gas in natural gas compressor stations has been utilised directly in only few projects. Highly fluctuating operation hours of gas compressors and therefore unpredictable waste heat streams are the results of variable gas flow in natural gas pipelines. Such conditions make a feasible waste heat recovery operation very difficult. In spite of such an instable operation environment the outcome is analysed in different scenarios in order to proof the feasibility of waste heat recovery unit applications in compressor stations. Load scenarios for the compressor station in Weitendorf/ Austria at the TAG Trans Austrian Gas pipeline are compared to each other. Different waste heat recovery technologies such as the steam operated Clausius rankine cycle and simple heat exchanger are taken into consideration. Finally, calculations of utilisation scenarios with different feed-in tariffs for electricity generation and heat supply are discussed. A risk assessment and a sensitive analysis, in which especially operation and maintenance costs are considered, contributes to a reduction the project uncertainties. Results underline the benefits of direct waste heat utilisation in district heating systems compared to electric power generation for certain feed-in situations.