Fuel Efficiency of Energy Sources in Heat Supply Systems

The imperfection of the approach to the fuel efficiency assessment of energy sources with the combined generation of electrical and thermal energy based on the specific fuel consumptions is shown; it is caused by the fact that the use of different methods for the separation of the total fuel consumption leads to ambiguous results. A simple and feasible technique for the comparative assessment of the system fuel efficiency of existing energy sources of different types is proposed. The technique is based on the combined use of two dimensionless criteria that are calculated based on the CHPP production activity parameters provided in the yearly reports. These criteria have a clear physical sense and do not require the separation of the CHPP total fuel expenses into components. Analytical calculation dependences that relate the values of the proposed criteria and the actual relative fuel conservation, which is calculated for each individual energy source with respect to the average fuel efficiency level that is actually achieved in the considered energy system, are presented. The proposed approach and the technique based on it make it possible to objectively assess and compare the actual fuel efficiencies of energy sources of different types in terms of relative fuel conservation. The practical importance of the developed technique is demonstrated for a specific case: the comparative analysis of the actual fuel efficiency at all heat supply sources of the Saratov Branch of PAO T Plus is performed based on the available reported data on the results of the production activity. The results are visualized in the form of a diagram representing the actual fuel efficiency of each CHPP (for each year) with respect to the average level achieved in this energy system during the operating period of 8 years. The presented materials can serve as a basis for the choice of rational ways to improve the CHPP fuel efficiency.