Thermo-economic analysis of a waste-to-energy integrated multi-generation power plant

This paper presents the thermo-economic analysis of a waste-to-energy integrated multi-generation power plant using the municipal solid waste generated in Onitsha, Nigeria at latitude 6 degrees 9'N and longitude 6 degrees 49'E. The chemical energy in the municipal solid waste was converted to that of a synthetic gas, and subsequently converted into electrical energy in an integrated multi-generation power plant composed of gas turbine, steam turbine, micro turbine and absorption refrigeration cycles. The analysis was implemented in the HYSYS, EES, MATLAB and Microsoft environments. Results showed that the municipal solid waste had a power plant capacity of 168MW, exergetic efficiency of 51%, life cycle cost of $143 million, breakeven point of 9 years, and a unit cost of electricity of $0.01/kWh. Compared to the combined power plant of similar capacity, the life cycle cost savings and reduction in the flue gas exit stack temperature were $49.07 million and 73 degrees C, respectively.