Study of Oil-Fired Electricity Production on Cuba; Means of Reducing Emissions of SO2 by Increasing Plant Efficiency

Abstract: Cuba is a country that is highly dependent on fossil fuel for the domestic electricity supply. Oil-fired power plants account for a major share of the power generation. A mutual issue with these power plants is that they suffer from being inefficient, outdated and insufficiently maintained.   Another critical aspect is the quality of the oil, specifically the high levels of sulfur. The result is considerable emissions of SO2 which effects both environment and public health.   It is of great interest to make the oil-fired power plants on Cuba more efficient. By improving plant efficiency it is possible to reduce the fuel consumption, resulting in less emissions of SO2 per generated kWh. The thesis analyses the Tallapiedra oil-fired steam power plant in Havana and investigates how different efficiency improvements affect the emissions of SO2.   The efficiency of the Tallapiedra vapor cycle can be improved by raising boiler pressure and by increasing superheating temperature. Both these efficiency improvements reduce the emissions of SO2. However, the impact of reducing the sulfur content of the fuel is superior to the gains in terms of reduced emissions that can be accomplished solely from improving vapor cycle performance.