Use of Air Cooled Condenser in Biomass Power Plants: A Case Study in Cuba

Abstract

A new project of investment developed in Cuba has 25 Biomass Power Plants (BPP) with potencies of 20 and 50 MW. The confirmed lack of water to be used in the condensers is an impediment for the project. The use of dry condensers may be a possible solution, however, the cost of the initial project and the reduction in useful power associated with its use is a limitation to consider. In order to define the feasibility of the use of ACC in these projects, a case study is carried out in which several selection criteria for investment alternatives are considered, with three other types of condensation technologies being evaluated with the objective of comparing costs of investment and operation, as well as the profits generated. The analyses were carried out for a horizon of 20 years, obtaining for the ACC uses, a pay off period of 7.6 and 8.4 years, for the facilities of 20 and 50 MW respectively. With the uses of the selection criteria for investment alternatives, was obtained that for facilities of 20 and 50 MW respectively, the Return Interest Rate (IRR) is 18.2 and 23,8 percent, the Net Present Value (NPV) (with 15% update rate) is equal to 1126.9 and 3024.0 MUSD, the cost of the life cycle is 10682.4 and 24406.1 MUSD, while, the levelized cost of electricity production is 0.062 and 0.071 USD/kWh, with a cost-benefit ratio of 0.1 and 0.13. The results obtained confirm the feasibility of using ACC systems.