The application of all year power generation for the cane sugar industry with particular reference to steam plant design
By Naude, DP
The generation of electrical power from surplus energy in the cane sugar industry is becoming increasingly attractive. The power cycle is developed to show the impact of fuel, steam conditions and equipment on the potential for exporting power. Implications regarding the reduction of greenhouse gases provide an added incentive for power generation where a biomass fuel is used outside of the crush. Comparisons with elevated steam conditions used for utility power generation and the extension to combined cycle plants are used for presenting acceptable conditions for the implementation of cogeneration in the cane sugar industry. The impact on the design of steam plant components and heat recovery equipment is presented and the implementation of these concepts on a large bagasse-fired boiler generating power both during and outside of the crush is described.