Doug Houseman wrote:
In article ,
dpb wrote:

Doug Houseman wrote:
In article ,
...

Common steam plants in use today, built years ago - are in the 40-42
percent thermal efficiency range. Newer prototype plants have hit over
60 percent. I doubt the prototypes will ever be built full scale with
that level of efficiency.
...

Who are those? Gas combined-cycle turbines, maybe?

Sure not coal-fired; current super-critical units are just now at around
the 42% numbers...

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53 to 54 percent at perfect load for combined cycle now. 42 percent for
coal fired steam plants, again at perfect loading. None of these plants
get to stay at perfect loading very much of the time, but they try.

Well, the 42% of a current supercritical boiler isn't what I'd have
interpreted as "common and built years ago"...is about right for last 10
years or so, agreed.

The only real hassle w/ the combined cycle is that it's a misuse of NG
for baseload generation imo. Good choice for load following, etc., ...

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