This paper focuses primarily on application considerations for topping cogeneration cycles. For comparative purposes Figure 1 illustrates energy utilization effectiveness (the percent of total energy output from the cycle which is useful heat and/or power) for a typical non-reheat coal- fired utility/industrial plant configuration (three-stage feed water heating with steam conditions of 1450 psig / 950°F [101 bar / 510°C] steam conditions vs. a cogeneration facility utilizing the same fired boiler but with a non-condensing steam turbine generator that supplies steam to process. This diagram suggests that relative to the typical coal-fired power generation application (as previously defined) the energy utilization associated with an equivalent cycle with cogeneration can be improved by.
