Heat Rate
Heat rate is the amount of fuel energy a power plant or engine consumes to generate one unit of useful output, usually expressed in kJ/kWh or BTU/kWh. A lower heat rate means higher thermal efficiency.
Heat rate is the inverse of thermal efficiency expressed in energy terms: it tells you how much input fuel energy is needed per unit of electrical or shaft output. A plant that converts fuel to electricity at 40% efficiency has a heat rate of about 9,000 kJ/kWh. Operators track heat rate as a daily performance indicator because even small degradations — fouled condensers, worn turbine blades, poor combustion — raise fuel cost and emissions for the same output.
Related terms
Boiler Efficiency · Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) · Flue Gas Loss