In this study, the feasibility of using an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) in trigeneration plants is examined through thermodynamic modeling and thermoeconomic optimization. Three novel trigeneration systems are considered. Each one of these systems consists of an ORC, a heating-process heat exchanger, and a single-effect absorption chiller. The three systems are distinguished by the source of the heat input to the ORC. The systems considered are SOFC-trigeneration, biomass- trigeneration, and solar-trigeneration systems. For each system four cases are considered: electrical-power, cooling-cogeneration, heating-cogeneration, and trigeneration cases. Comprehensive thermodynamic analysis on each system is carried out. Furthermore, thermoeconomic optimization is conducted. The objective of the thermoeconomic optimization is to minimize the cost per exergy unit of the trigeneration product. The results of the thermoeconomic optimization are used to compare the three systems through thermodynamic and thermoeconomic analyses. This study illustrates key output parameters to assess the trigeneration systems considered. These parameters are energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, net electrical power, electrical to cooling ratio, and electrical to heating ratio. Moreover, exergy destruction modeling is conducted to identify and quantify the major sources of exergy destruction in the systems considered. In addition, an environmental impact assessment is conducted to quantify the amount of CO2 emissions in the systems considered. Furthermore, this study examines both the cost rate and cost per exergy unit of the electrical power and other trigeneration products. This study reveals that there is a considerable efficiency improvement when trigeneration is used, as compared to only electrical power production. In addition, the emissions of CO2 per MWh of trigeneration are significantly lower than that of electrical power. It was shown that the exergy destruction rates of the ORC evaporators for the three systems are quite high. Therefore, it is important to consider using more efficient ORC evaporators in trigeneration plants. In addition, this study reveals that the SOFC-trigeneration system has the highest electrical energy efficiency while the biomass-trigeneration system and the solar mode of the solar trigeneration system have the highest trigeneration energy efficiencies. In contrast, the SOFC-trigeneration system has the highest exergy efficiency for both electrical and trigeneration cases. Furthermore, the thermoeconomic optimization shows that the solar-trigeneration system has the lowest cost per exergy unit. Meanwhile the solar-trigeneration system has zero CO2 emissions and depends on a free renewable energy source. Therefore, it can be concluded that the solar-trigeneration system has the best thermoeconomic performance among the three systems considered.

Energikontor Sydost har startat demonstrationsprojekt inom småskalig kraftvärme. Ronneby Miljö och Teknik AB driver en demonstrationsanläggning för småskalig elproduktion med ORC-turbin på värmeverk i Bräkne-Hoby. I samband med installation av ORC-turbin gjordes även ombyggnation av fjärrvärmeledning till närliggande sågverk. Detta examensarbete är en teknisk- och lönsamhetsanalys för utvärdering av investeringen. Elverkningsgrad uppgick för denna fjärrvärmesäsong till 2,23 %, alfa-värde till 2,3 %, systemverkningsgrad för ORC-system till 99,54 %. Ledningsförluster minskade från 19,7 till 17,25 % efter ombyggnation. Det visades även att sänkning av fjärrvärmereturtemperatur ökar elproduktionen. Investeringskalkyl visade en icke lönsam investering om el säljs externt. Att producera och använda el internt inom anläggningen visade sig lönsamt även utan investeringsstöd. Ombyggnation av fjärrvärmeledning visades även vara lönsamt. Tekniken är vid anslutning till värmeverk förnybar, lokal och har hög tillgänglighet vid högbelastningstider.

New technologies to converting heat into usable energy are constantly being developed for renewable use. This means that more interactions between different energy grid will be applied, such as utilizing low thermal waste heat to convert its energy to electricity. With high electricity price, such technology is quite attractive at applications that develop low waste heat. In the case of excess heat in district heating (DH) grid and the electricity price are high, the waste heat can be converted to electricity, which can bring a huge profit for DH companies. Candidate technologies are many and the focus in this degree rapport is on the so-called Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) that belongs to the steam Rankine cycle. Instead of using water as a working fluid, organic working fluid is being used because of its ability to boil at lower temperature. Because this technique is available, it also needs to be optimized, developed, etc. to achieve the highest appropriate efficiency. This can be done, for example, by modeling different layouts, analyzing functionality, performance and / or do a simulation of various suitable working fluids.  This is the purpose of this degree project and the research parts are to select working fluids suitable at low temperatures (70-120) °C, the difference analysis between the selected fluids and identification of the parameters that most affect the performance. There are many suitable methods to apply to achieve desired results. The method used in this rapport degree is commercial software such as Mini REFPROP, CoolPack, Excel but the most important part is simulation with AspenPlus. The selected and suitable working fluids between the chosen temperature interval are R236ea, R600, R245fa and n-hexane. Three common layouts were investigated, and they are The Basic ORC, ORC with an internal heat exchanger (IHE) and regenerative ORC. The results show that in comparison between 120°C and 70°C as a temperature source and without an internal heat exchanger (IHE), R600 at 70°C, has the highest efficiency about 13.55%. At 110°C n-hexane has the highest efficiency about 18.10%. R236ea has the lowest efficiency 13.16% at 70°C and 16.29% at 110°C. R236ea kept its low efficiency through all results. Without an IHE and a source range from 70 °C up to almost 90 °C, R600 has the highest efficiency and at 90°C n-hexane has the highest efficiency. With an IHE and between (70-90) °C R245fa still has the highest efficiency. With or without IHE and a heat source of 110 °C n-hexane has the highest efficiency 18.10% and 18.40%. R236ea gets the greatest increase 5.2% in efficiency but remains with the lowest efficiency. With Regenerative ORC, n-hexane had an optimal middle pressure about 0.76 bar. The optimal pressure corresponds to a thermal efficiency of 17.52%. The most important identified parameters are the fluid characteristics such as higher critical temperature, temperature source, heat sink, application placement and component performance.         The current simulations have been run at some fixed data input such as isentropic efficiencies, no pressure drops, adiabatic conditions etc. It was therefore expected that the same efficiency curve would repeat itself. This efficiency pattern would differ with less or higher values depending on the layout performance. However, this pattern was up to 90 degrees Celsius and gets a very noticeable change by the change of the efficiency for n-hexane. Therefore n-hexane is chosen with Regenerative ORC because it had the highest efficiency at the highest temperature source tested. This is due definitive to the fluid properties like its high critical temperature compared to the other selected fluids. R236ea remains the worst and that’s also related to the fluid properties. It is also important to note that these efficiencies are only from a thermodynamic perspective and may differ when combining both thermal and economic perspectives as well as application placement. These high efficiencies will certainly be lower at more advanced or real processes due to various factors that affect performance. Factors such as component´s efficiency and selection, pipe type and size, etc. To maintain a constant temperature when it’s not, flow regulation is then necessary and that’s also affects the performance.   The conclusion is that the basic ORC which does not have an IHE and from 70 up to 90 degrees Celsius, R600 has the highest efficiency. Higher temperature gives n-hexane the highest efficiency. With an IHE and between (70-90) °C R254fa has the highest efficiency. At higher temperature source n-hexane has the highest efficiency. ORC with an IHE has the best performance. The R236ea has the worst performance through all results. With regenerative ORC, an optimal meddle-pressure for n-hexane is 0.76 bar. Important parameters are The properties of the fluid, temperature source, heatsink, Application placement and component performance. / Nej

A turbine was investigated by various methods of calculating its efficiency. The project was based on an existing impulse turbine, a one-stage turbine set in an organic Rankine cycle with the working fluid being R245fa. Various methods of loss calculation were explored in the search for a method sufficiently accurate to make valid assumptions regarding the turbine performance, while simple enough to be time efficient for use in industrial research and development.  The calculations were primarily made in an isentropic manner, only taking into account losses due to the residual velocity present in the exit flow. Later, an incidence loss was incorporated in the isentropic calculations, resulting in additional losses at off-design conditions. Leaving the isentropic calculations, the work by Tournier, “Axial flow, multi-stage turbine and compressor models” was used. The work presents a method of calculating turbine losses separated into four components: profile, trailing edge, tip clearance and secondary losses. The losses applicable to the case were implemented into the model. Since the flow conditions of the present turbine are extreme, the results were not expected to coincide with the results of Tournier. In order to remedy this problem, the results were compared to results obtained through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of the turbine. The equations purposed by Tournier were correlated in order to better match the present case. Despite that the equations by Tournier were correlated in order to adjust to the current conditions, the results of the losses calculated through the equations did not obtain results comparable to the ones of the available CFD simulations. More research within the subject is necessary, preferably using other software tools.

[pt] A presente dissertação trata do estudo de sistemas de potência baseados em ciclos Rankine orgânicos (ORC – Organic Rankine Cycle) acionados por energia térmica de rejeito. O objetivo é descrever mediante a simulação numérica um ciclo Rankine orgânico, dimensionar os trocadores de calor para o ciclo proposto e aplicar o conceito para sistemas de trigeração. Um modelo termodinâmico simples é apresentado, relacionando as características termodinâmicas do ciclo Rankine orgânico àquelas da corrente com rejeito térmico (como, por exemplo, vazão mássica, capacidade térmica e temperaturas de operação). A seguir, o método de multi-zonas, ou de fronteira móvel, é aplicado aos trocadores de calor do ciclo, condensador e caldeira, para dimensioná-los às condições do efluente de rejeito térmico. Na escolha do tipo de trocador de calor para a caldeira, é feita a distinção quanto à natureza do efluente, se gasoso ou líquido. No primeiro caso empregam-se trocadores de tubo e aleta e, no segundo, trocadores de placas. A solução numérica do sistema de equações algebraicas e obtida através de um programa computacional escrito em FORTRAN. São também estudados novos fluidos de trabalho de menor impacto ambiental e os resultados apresentados fazem uma comparação com fluidos de uso tradicional. As propriedades termodinâmicas e de transporte dos fluidos considerados foram obtidas usando o programa REFPROP 9.0 do NIST. Finalmente, o conceito do ciclo Rankine orgânico é aplicado a sistemas de trigeração, caracterizados pela produção simultânea de eletricidade, aquecimento e refrigeração. / [en] The present dissertation addresses the study of power generation systems based on organic Rankine cycles (ORC) driven by waste thermal energy (heat). A simple thermodynamic model is presented, relating the thermodynamic characteristics of the organic Rankine cycle to those of the waste heat flow (for instance: mass flow, thermal capacity and operation temperatures). Furthermore, the multi-zone, or movable boundary method is applied to the heat exchangers of the cycle, boiler and condenser, in order to size them for the waste heat flow conditions. In choosing the type of heat exchanger for the boiler, the distinction is made on the nature of the waste heat, either gaseous or liquid. New working fluids for the cycle, of less environmental impact, are studied. For the first case, tube and fin heat exchangers are considered, and in the second, plate heat exchangers. Finally, the concept of the organic Rankine cycle is applied to trigeneration systems, characterized by the simultaneous production of electricity, heating and cooling.

HOLCIM has various cement production plants across India. These plants struggle to produce the projected amount of cement due to electricity shortages. Although coal is abundant in India, the production thereof is in short supply. It is proposed that a thorium HTR (100 MWt) combined with a PCU (Rankine cycle) be constructed to supply a cement production plant with the required energy. The Portland cement production process is investigated and it is found that process heat integration is not feasible. The problem is that for the feasibility of this IPP to be assessed, a Rankine cycle needs to be adapted and optimised to suit the limitations and requirements of a 100 MWt thorium HTR. Advantages of the small thorium HTR (100 MWt) include: on-site construction; a naturally safe design and low energy production costs. The reactor delivers high temperature helium (750°C) at a mass flow of 38.55 kg/s. Helium re-en ters the reactor core at 250°C. Since the location of the cement production plant is unknown, both wet and dry cooling tower options are investigated. An overall average ambient temperature of India is used as input for the cooling tower calculations. EES software is used to construct a simulation model with the capability of optimising the Rankine cycle for maximum efficiency while accommodating various out of the norm input parameters. Various limitations are enforced by the simulation model. Various cycle configurations are optimised (EES) and weighed against each other. The accuracy of the EES simulation model is verified using FlowNex while the optimised cycle results are verified using Excel’s X-Steam macro. It is recommended that a wet cooling tower is implemented if possible. The 85% effective heat exchanger delivers the techno-economically optimum Rankine cycle configuration. For this combination of cooling tower and heat exchanger, it is recommended that the cycle configuration consists of one de-aerator and two closed feed heaters (one specified). After the Rankine cycle (PCU) has been designed and optimised, it is evident that the small thorium HTR (100 MWt) can supply the HOLCIM plant with the required energy. The optimum cycle configuration, as recommended, operates with a cycle efficiency of 42.4% while producing 39.867 MWe. A minimum of 10 MWe can be sold to the Indian distribution network at all times, thus generating revenue. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Conventional concentrating solar power (CSP) plants typically have a very high levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) compared with coal-fired power stations. To generate 1 kWh of electrical energy from a conventional linear Fresnel CSP plant without a storage application, costs the utility approximately R3,08 (Salvatore, 2014), whereas it costs R0,711 to generate the same amount of energy by means of a highly efficient supercritical coal-fired power station, taking carbon tax into consideration. This high LCOE associated with linear Fresnel CSP technology is primarily due to the massive capital investment required per kW installed to construct such a plant along with the relatively low-capacity factors, because of the uncontrollable solar irradiation. It is expected that the LCOE of a hybrid plant in which a concentrating solar thermal (CST) station is integrated with a large-scale supercritical coal-fired power station, will be higher than that of a conventional supercritical coal-fired power station, but much less than that of a conventional CSP plant. The main aim of this study is to calculate and then compare the LCOE of a conventional supercritical coal-fired power station with that of such a station integrated with a linear Fresnel CST field. When the thermal energy generated in the receiver of a CST plant is converted into electrical energy by using the highly efficient regenerative Rankine cycle of a large-scale coal-fired power station, the total capital cost of the solar side of the integrated system will be reduced significantly, compared with the two stations operating independently of one another for common steam turbines, electrical generators and transformers, and transmission lines will be utilised for the integrated plants. The results obtained from the thermodynamic models indicate that if an additional heat exchanger integration option for a 90 MW (peak thermal) fuel-saver solar-augmentation scenario, where an annual average direct normal irradiation limit of 2 141 kWh/m2 is considered, one can expect to produce approximately 4,6 GWh more electricity to the national grid annually than with a normal coal-fired station. This increase in net electricity output is mainly due to the compounded lowered auxiliary power consumption during high solar-irradiation conditions. It is also found that the total annual thermal energy input required from burning pulverised coal is reduced by 110,5 GWh, when approximately 176,5 GWh of solar energy is injected into the coal-fired power station’s regenerative Rankine cycle for the duration of a year. Of the total thermal energy supplied by the solar field, approximately 54,6 GWh is eventually converted into electrical energy. Approximately 22 kT less coal will be required, which will result in 38,7 kT less CO2 emissions and about 7,6 kT less ash production. This electricity generated from the thermal energy supplied by the solar field will produce approximately R8,188m in additional revenue annually from the trade of renewable energy certificates, while the reduced coal consumption will result in an annual fuel saving of about R6,189m. By emitting less CO2 into the atmosphere, the annual carbon tax bill will be reduced by R1,856m, and by supplying additional energy to the national grid, an additional income of approximately R3,037m will be due to the power station. The annual operating and maintenance cost increase resulting from the additional 171 000 m2 solar field, will be in the region of R9,71m. The cost of generating 1 kWh with the solar-augmented coal-fired power plant will only be 0,34 cents more expensive at R0,714/kWh than it would be to generate the same energy with a normal supercritical coal-fired power station. If one considers that a typical conventional linear Fresnel CSP plant (without storage) has an LCOE of R3,08, the conclusion can be drawn that it is much more attractive to generate electricity from thermal power supplied by a solar field, by utilising the highly efficient large-scale components of a supercritical coal-fired power station, rather than to generate electricity from a conventional linear Fresnel CSP plant. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

HOLCIM has various cement production plants across India. These plants struggle to produce the projected amount of cement due to electricity shortages. Although coal is abundant in India, the production thereof is in short supply. It is proposed that a thorium HTR (100 MWt) combined with a PCU (Rankine cycle) be constructed to supply a cement production plant with the required energy. The Portland cement production process is investigated and it is found that process heat integration is not feasible. The problem is that for the feasibility of this IPP to be assessed, a Rankine cycle needs to be adapted and optimised to suit the limitations and requirements of a 100 MWt thorium HTR. Advantages of the small thorium HTR (100 MWt) include: on-site construction; a naturally safe design and low energy production costs. The reactor delivers high temperature helium (750°C) at a mass flow of 38.55 kg/s. Helium re-en ters the reactor core at 250°C. Since the location of the cement production plant is unknown, both wet and dry cooling tower options are investigated. An overall average ambient temperature of India is used as input for the cooling tower calculations. EES software is used to construct a simulation model with the capability of optimising the Rankine cycle for maximum efficiency while accommodating various out of the norm input parameters. Various limitations are enforced by the simulation model. Various cycle configurations are optimised (EES) and weighed against each other. The accuracy of the EES simulation model is verified using FlowNex while the optimised cycle results are verified using Excel’s X-Steam macro. It is recommended that a wet cooling tower is implemented if possible. The 85% effective heat exchanger delivers the techno-economically optimum Rankine cycle configuration. For this combination of cooling tower and heat exchanger, it is recommended that the cycle configuration consists of one de-aerator and two closed feed heaters (one specified). After the Rankine cycle (PCU) has been designed and optimised, it is evident that the small thorium HTR (100 MWt) can supply the HOLCIM plant with the required energy. The optimum cycle configuration, as recommended, operates with a cycle efficiency of 42.4% while producing 39.867 MWe. A minimum of 10 MWe can be sold to the Indian distribution network at all times, thus generating revenue. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Conventional concentrating solar power (CSP) plants typically have a very high levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) compared with coal-fired power stations. To generate 1 kWh of electrical energy from a conventional linear Fresnel CSP plant without a storage application, costs the utility approximately R3,08 (Salvatore, 2014), whereas it costs R0,711 to generate the same amount of energy by means of a highly efficient supercritical coal-fired power station, taking carbon tax into consideration. This high LCOE associated with linear Fresnel CSP technology is primarily due to the massive capital investment required per kW installed to construct such a plant along with the relatively low-capacity factors, because of the uncontrollable solar irradiation. It is expected that the LCOE of a hybrid plant in which a concentrating solar thermal (CST) station is integrated with a large-scale supercritical coal-fired power station, will be higher than that of a conventional supercritical coal-fired power station, but much less than that of a conventional CSP plant. The main aim of this study is to calculate and then compare the LCOE of a conventional supercritical coal-fired power station with that of such a station integrated with a linear Fresnel CST field. When the thermal energy generated in the receiver of a CST plant is converted into electrical energy by using the highly efficient regenerative Rankine cycle of a large-scale coal-fired power station, the total capital cost of the solar side of the integrated system will be reduced significantly, compared with the two stations operating independently of one another for common steam turbines, electrical generators and transformers, and transmission lines will be utilised for the integrated plants. The results obtained from the thermodynamic models indicate that if an additional heat exchanger integration option for a 90 MW (peak thermal) fuel-saver solar-augmentation scenario, where an annual average direct normal irradiation limit of 2 141 kWh/m2 is considered, one can expect to produce approximately 4,6 GWh more electricity to the national grid annually than with a normal coal-fired station. This increase in net electricity output is mainly due to the compounded lowered auxiliary power consumption during high solar-irradiation conditions. It is also found that the total annual thermal energy input required from burning pulverised coal is reduced by 110,5 GWh, when approximately 176,5 GWh of solar energy is injected into the coal-fired power station’s regenerative Rankine cycle for the duration of a year. Of the total thermal energy supplied by the solar field, approximately 54,6 GWh is eventually converted into electrical energy. Approximately 22 kT less coal will be required, which will result in 38,7 kT less CO2 emissions and about 7,6 kT less ash production. This electricity generated from the thermal energy supplied by the solar field will produce approximately R8,188m in additional revenue annually from the trade of renewable energy certificates, while the reduced coal consumption will result in an annual fuel saving of about R6,189m. By emitting less CO2 into the atmosphere, the annual carbon tax bill will be reduced by R1,856m, and by supplying additional energy to the national grid, an additional income of approximately R3,037m will be due to the power station. The annual operating and maintenance cost increase resulting from the additional 171 000 m2 solar field, will be in the region of R9,71m. The cost of generating 1 kWh with the solar-augmented coal-fired power plant will only be 0,34 cents more expensive at R0,714/kWh than it would be to generate the same energy with a normal supercritical coal-fired power station. If one considers that a typical conventional linear Fresnel CSP plant (without storage) has an LCOE of R3,08, the conclusion can be drawn that it is much more attractive to generate electricity from thermal power supplied by a solar field, by utilising the highly efficient large-scale components of a supercritical coal-fired power station, rather than to generate electricity from a conventional linear Fresnel CSP plant. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Uma análise do setor sucroalcooleiro nacional revela sua autossuficiência energética que com investimentos adequados, pode evoluir para transformar tal característica em benefício por meio de exportação de energia elétrica. Atualmente, os sistemas de cogeração das usinas de etanol operam com bagaço-de-cana; no entantoesse quadro deve ser alterado devido ao grande aumento de disponibilidade de palha gerada no campo. Um acordo firmado entre o Governo do Estado de São Paulo e UNICA, que limita e condiciona queimadas durante a colheita na região ratifica essa condição. O presente estudo se propõe a estimar e discutir impactos ambientais associados à cogeração de energia elétrica em destilarias autônomas para situações diversas de operação do ciclo Rankine, modelo de termodinâmico adotado para representar o funcionamento daquele sistema. Para atender a tais propósitos foram verificadas diferentes condições de pressão de operação da caldeira (20, 45, 67, 80 e 100 bar), teor de umidade da palha (10%, 15%, 25%, 35% e 50%), e taxa de adição dessa biomassa (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% e 50%) com relação ao total gerado no campo. A coordenação simultânea dessas variáveis resultou na formulação de cento e vinte e cinco cenários de análise. Os cenários foram analisados a partir de Análise Energética (Análise Termodinâmica de 1ª e 2ªLeis) e Avaliação de Ciclo de Vida (ACV). AACVocorreusob enfoque do tipo \"berço-aoportão\", e seguiu diretrizes metodológicas descritas na norma ABNT NBR ISO 14044. Adotou-se como unidade funcional para o estudo \"produzir10 t de etanol anidro (99,5% w/w)\". O sistema de produto compreende atividades realizadas nas etapas agrícola (de produção de cana-de-açúcar e palha) e industrial (obtenção de etanol e cogeração). A análise ocorreu em termos da geração específica de eletricidade, e de perfil de impactos ambientais, definido em termos dos potenciais de Mudanças Climáticas, Acidificação Terrestre, Eutrofização Aquática, e de Formação de Oxidantes Fotoquímicos e de Material Particulado.Os resultados obtidos indicam que a eficiência energética aumenta com a elevação das funções de estado do vapor superaquecido que é injetadona turbina. Em termos de desempenho ambiental, observou-se redução sistêmica de efeitos adversos com o aumento da eficiência do ciclo termodinâmico. Os resultados também ratificaram como condição mais favorável em termos de desempenho ambiental aquela em que 50% da palha gerada no campo, com 10% de umidade, é aproveitada como fonte de energia térmica na caldeira, produzindo vapor superaquecido a 100 bar. / Analyzing the sugar-alcohol sector in Brazil, one can perceive that it is self-sufficient in energy terms and that, with adequate investments, it can evolve to transform this characteristic into a benefit through the export of electricity. Currently, the cogeneration systems of the ethanol plants operate with bagasse. However, this picture should be changed due to the large increase in availability of straw generated in the field. An agreement signed between the Government of the State of São Paulo and the federation of ethanol and sugar mills (UNICA) that limits and conditions burnings during harvesting in the region ratifies this condition. This study estimates and discusses environmental impacts associated with the cogeneration of power in autonomous distilleries for typical operational conditions of the Rankine cycle, a thermodynamic model adopted to represent the operation of that system. In order to meet these purposes, different boiler operating pressure (20, 45, 67, 80 and 100 bar), moisture content of the straw (10%, 15%, 25%, 35% and 50%), and rate of biomass feeding (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%) in relation to the total generated in the field have been verified.The simultaneous coordination of these variables resulted in the formulation of one hundred and twenty-five analysis scenarios, which were investigated in terms of Energy Analysis (Thermodynamic Analysis of 1st and 2nd Laws) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The LCA was carried out under a \"cradle-to-gate\" approach and followed the methodological guidelines described in ABNT NBR ISO 14044. It was adopted as a Functional Unit for the study \"to produce 10 t of anhydrous ethanol (99.5% w/w) \". The product system comprises activities that occur in the agricultural (production of sugarcane and straw) and industrial (synthesis of ethanol and cogeneration) stages. The analysis took place in terms of the specific generation of electricity, and of environmental impact profiles have been defined in terms of the potential of Climate Change, Terrestrial Acidification, Aquatic Eutrophication, and Formation of Photochemical Oxidants and Particulate Material. The results indicate that the energy efficiency increases with the increase of the state functions of the steam that is injected into the turbine. Regarding the environmental performance, it was observed a systemic reduction of adverse effects with the increase of the efficiency of the thermodynamic cycle. The results also confirmed that the most favorable condition in terms of environmental performance is that one which 50% of the straw produced in the field, with 10% humidity, is used as a source of thermal energy in the boiler, producing superheated steam at 100 bar.