Power Generation

Energy Conversion and Management 43 (2002) 1187–1198 www.elsevier.com/locate/enconman Keynote paper

Thoughts about future power generation systems and the role of exergy analysis in their development
Noam Lior
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Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, 297 Towne Building, 220 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6315, USA

Abstract In face of the likely doubling of the world population and perhaps tripling of the power demand over the next 50 years, this paper (1) presents some thoughts on the possible ways to meet the power demands under the constraints of increased population and land use while holding the environmental impact to a tolerable one, and (2) outlines the ways exergy analysis may be effectively used in the conception and development of such processes. To effectively develop the innovative power generation systems needed in the 21st century, irreversibility and exergy analysis should be much more focused on the intrinsic process details. Ó 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Power generation; Second law analysis; Exergy analysis; Nuclear power; Space power

1. Introduction The expected large rise in power demand during the coming 21st century is accompanied by mounting problems with power plant siting, environmental impact, resource shortages, and increasing shortage of available space for fuel and power generation and distribution. Although industry, often assisted by government, is making gradual progress in addressing these problems, the pace of the progress, when extrapolated into the future, is not likely to meet humanity’s needs. Even worse, if not accelerated, it may lead to irreversible harm to the environment and to the ability of future generations to continue their progress towards improved living conditions.

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Tel.: [phone]; fax: [phone]. E-mail address: [e-mail] (N. Lior).

0196-8904/02/$ - see front matter Ó 2002

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