JFET_V1_N3_RP4 N. Ravi Kumar S.K. Jaheeruddin Dr. A.V. Sita Rama Raju Journal on Future Engineering and Technology 2230 – 7184 1 3 53 62 Heat recovery steam generator, combined cycle, optimization Nowadays combined cycle (CC) power plants become a good choice to produce energy, because of their high efficiency and the use of low carbon content fuels (e.g. natural gas) that reduces the greenhouse gases production. Combined Cycle plants couple a Brayton cycle with a Rankine cycle. The equipment where the steam production takes place is named the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). For the combined power plants, the optimization of the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) is of particular interest in order to improve the efficiency of the heat recovery from turbine exhaust gas to maximize the power production in the steam cycle. The aim of the present paper is to out line the HRSG design and optimize the heat recovery steam generator in combined cycle power plant. In heat recovery steam generator the optimization is done on steam side i.e. optimum pressure of steam. The optimum intermediate pressure increases with maximum steam pressure. The effect of pinch point on the mass flow rate of steam is also calculated. It is found that as the low pressure pinch point increases the stack temperature also increases. February - April 2006 Copyright © 2006 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=978