Gas Turbine and MSW Boiler Hybrid Combined Cycles for High-Efficiency Power Production

The present work investigates gas turbine and municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator hybrid combined cycles for power production. The aims are to achieve high efficiency for energy recovery from MSW while minimizing environmental impacts. In the combined cycles, the topping cycle consists of a gas turbine, while the bottoming cycle is a steam cycle, utilizing the heat from MSW combustion. Comprehensive simulations were made to analyze the viability of the combined cycles and their thermodynamic advantages over conventional incineration of MSW. The results showed that the hybrid combined cycles could offer dramatically higher efficiency for power production and provide practical solutions to problems typically associated with MSW. The environmental impact has been examined and it is shown that the combined cycles could provide an effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The capital and operating analyses indicate that the combined cycles for power production and waste handling are economically competitive.