Jan Szargut

International progress in second law analysis

This paper discusses the progress of second law analysis, considering particularly the work which has been accomplished in this line in Europe. The list of literature takes into account exemplary publications by the most popular authors dealing with this subject. The achievements of the author, concerning the determination of the chemical exergy and the economical applications of exergy, are discussed more broadly.

Chemical exergies of the elements

The principles involved in the choice of reference species for the calculation of chemical exergy have been formulated. Various systems of reference species have been compared and the recommended system has been established. A table of the chemical exergies of the elements has been calculated.

Standard chemical exergy of some elements and compounds on the planet earth

Values of the standard chemical exergy of 49 elements, and some inorganic and organic compounds of those elements, are proposed. The values for 9 elements are based on the atmosphere as the reference substance; for 27 elements, values are based on the hydrosphere as the reference substance; for 13 elements, values are based on the lithosphere as the reference substance. Values of the standard chemical exergy of some inorganic compounds in the ideal aqueous solution of unit molarity are also presented. Amongst the compounds, negative values of the standard chemical exergy arise only for the nitrates of calcium, potassium and sodium. These compounds should form spontaneously but formation is kinetically blocked. It is recommended that the proposed values be adopted for exergy analysis calculations.

Depletion of the non-renewable natural exergy resources as a measure of the ecological cost

Abstract The cumulative consumption of non-renewable exergy connected with the fabrication of particular products has been termed as their ecological cost. System of linear input–output equations determining the ecological costs has been formulated. The cogeneration processes have been considered using the principle of the avoided costs of fabrication of the products substituted by the by-products of the considered process. The ecological cost determined in a regional scope takes into account the ecological cost of the imported raw materials and semi-finished products. This quantities have been substituted by the economically equivalent export of own products. The deleterious effect of the rejection of waste products to the environment has been approximately determined by means of the monetary indices of harmfulness of waste products. It has been proved, that the ecological cost of human work cannot be introduced into the set of input–output equations. Exemplary calculations have been made for the products connected with the blast-furnace process. The influence of the injection of auxiliary fuels into the blast furnace on the ecological cost of pig iron has been analyzed too.

Anthropogenic and natural exergy losses (exergy balance of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere)

Natural exergy losses connected with the absorption of solar radiation by the Earth have been calculated. The exergy income caused by the radiation exchange between the Earth and the cosmic space has also been considered. The exergy losses occurring near the Earth’s surface have been distinguished because they represent the most accessible natural resources of exergy. The term ‘natural losses of utilizable exergy’ has been proposed. These losses have been compared with the anthropogenic ones caused by the activity of humankind. The positive impact of the natural exergy losses has been pointed out: they were a main cause of the formation of the terrestrial natural environment, of the non-renewable natural resources of fuels, and of the generation of stable dissipative structures in form of living beings.

Application of exergy for the determination of the pro-ecological tax replacing the actual personal taxes

According to some published suggestions, taxes should not be a kind of penalty for positive effects of human activity (productivity, invention) but should burden negative effects, like the depletion of natural resources, and deleterious impacts on the environment. The consumption of non-renewable resources of exergy has been proposed in the present paper as a measure of the negative effects of human activity and a basis for a pro-ecological tax. A proposed course for determining this tax has been formulated. The method presented takes into account also the deleterious impact of waste products on the natural environment, the wear of machines and installations and the import of foreign products.

Sequence method of determination of partial exergy losses in thermal systems

Abstract Partial exergy losses appearing in particular parts of thermal systems have been defined. Balance equations determining these losses have been formulated. The problem of calculation of partial exergy losses in cogeneration processes has been discussed. Sequence method of calculation of partial exergy losses has been presented. Examples of calculation of partial exergy losses have been developed.

Exergy in the Thermal Systems Analysis

Exergy analysis has been developed as a result of application of the second law of thermodynamics to the investigation of the thermodynamic imperfection of industrial thermal processes. Precursors of exergy analysis were Gouy [1] and Stodola [7]. They formulated independently the law determining the loss of ability to perform work due to the thermodynamic irrevesibility. The term exergy has been introduced by Rant [4] whose works initiated a very intensive development of this field of technical thermodynamics. In sixties the exergy analysis has been developed mainly in Europe, in eighties the interest in this analysis increased distinctly in America. The bibliography of exergy analysis contains thousands of papers, among them many monographic books.

Cogeneration of network heat in the set of a humid air turbine

The set of a humid air turbine (HAT) operating without any aftercooler for the compressed air provides good conditions for the cogeneration of network heat because the temperature of the outlet gases is sufficiently high. The production of network heat does not decrease the amount of the produced electricity. The ratio of the annual production of electricity to the annual cogeneration of heat has been determined for optimal parameters of the HAT system, for given temperature characteristics of the network water and for various limiting values of the ambient temperature, which determine the beginning of the operation of the peak boiler. The attained cumulative economy of chemical energy and the reduction of the emission of CO2 and NOx have been calculated. The specific cost of the produced heat has been evaluated and its dependence on the price of the sold electricity and on the value of the limiting ambient temperature have been determined.

Influence of the ambient temperature on the operational indices of the gas turbine set

Applying the volumetric characteristics of the compressor and the equation of Stodola, formulae have been developed expressing the influence of the changes of ambient temperature on the mass output of the compressor and compression ratio in the set of gas turbine. Influence on the mechanical power and energy efficiency of the set as well as on the thermal power of the waste heat boiler has been determined too.