Análisis energético y exergético en el sistema de cogeneración de un ingenio azucarero

Abstract

Sugar cane is a resource used as a raw material for the production of energy and food in different regions of Colombia. The main product obtained from cane is sugar, generating a waste resource: bagasse. At the sugar mill, bagasse is used as fuel in the Rankine cycle for power and steam generation. In this work, based on experimental data from the sugar mill, energy and exergy analyzes were generated to establish some improvements in this cycle. Based on the analysis of the first and second laws, an analysis is carried out on the change in the conditions of steam inlet to the turbines to determine the improvement in energy efficiency and the decrease in exergy destruction. The results show that the input conditions of 6.58 MPa and 783.15 K allow to obtain the highest power and efficiency of the cycle, obtaining a net power of 34274 kW and an energy efficiency of 81.8%, it is also obtained that the greatest loss of exergy occurs in the boiler representing 53.87% of the bagasse exergy. On the other hand, an exergy yield of the cycle of 23.14% is obtained. It is expected to implement new research methodologies and consider implementing the study for the design of new sugar mills and the optimization and improvement of existing ones to obtain better performance, reduce atmospheric pollution and energy and economic benefit for the region.