A System Dynamics Model to Evaluate Emissions in A Combined Cycle Power Plant

Environment and the need to protect and care for it, is one of the main concerns of industrial development in todaychr('39')s society; and air pollution is one of the most noticeable and tangible causes of it. The increasingly growth of the industry has led to the production and diffusion of gaseous pollutants into the air and among them; thermal power plants are one of the most important sources of emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. This study uses a system dynamics approach and Vensim software to simulate components and processes affecting the conditions of pollutants released into the air through a combined cycle power plant based on measured actual data. In addition, analyzing different scenarios, has determined the type of process, optimum fuel and the maximum possible capacity upgrade of the combined cycle power plants considering the maximum allowable level of pollutant emissions in the atmosphere with using different efficiency enhancing techniques. Altogether, the operation modes of gas turbine (Premix , Diffusion), the type of fuel used in gas turbine (Natural gas , Gasoil), the use or non-use of fogging system in the air intake of gas turbine, as well as water or steam injection in the gas turbine burner have been identified and analyzed as the main factors and variables affecting pollutant emissions in the combined cycle power plant.