Comprehensive exergy analysis of the efficiency of a low-capacity power plant with coal gasification and obtaining sulfur

Currently, the use of small-scale energy sources is a rapidly developing approach that solves the problems of quality and guaranteed power supply for local communities. The use of combined heat and power production in the sources of small energy is the most effective way to save fuel in the municipal sector and in industry. In this regard, studies that are focused on a solution to the problem of implementing small-scale energy approaches are promising and relevant. In this article, an exergy analysis is performed on the scheme of a low-capacity coal-based power plant that produces electrical and thermal energy and sulfur as a by-product. The exergetic dependences describing the basic processes are cited. The proposed indicators of efficiency allow the estimation of the work of a low-capacity power plant to produce by-products in addition to energy. The results of the exergetic efficiency of individual processes and of the entire scheme are obtained. The exergetic efficiency of a low-capacity coal-firing thermal power plant with the production of sulfur was 26 %.