ME2121

Thermodynamics

Lecture 2
Power Cycles (for Steam Power Plants)
Sections 10.2 to 10.5 (Cengel & Boles)

The Rankine Cycle

Water is used as the working fluid.

Readily available, of low cost, with high latent heat of vapourisation

Many of the impracticalities of the Carnot cycle are eliminated.

Specifically heat addition and rejection processes!

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The Rankine Cycle (contd.)

Isentropic expansion
Heat addition

Isentropic compression, s2=s1

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Heat rejection

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Energy Analysis of the Rankine Cycle

All four components of the Rankine cycle may be regarded as

steady-flow devices.
For compression, expansion, heat addtion & rejection

Applying the steady-flow energy equation to the process in each

component results in:
q - w = dh, neglecting ke, pe, etc.

Feed-pump
q12 = 0 w12 = h1 h2 ; wP = - w12 = h2 h1

Boiler
w23 = 0 q23 = h3 h2 ; qH = q23

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Energy Analysis of the Rankine Cycle (contd.)

Turbine
q34 = 0 wT = w34 = h3 h4

Condenser
w41 = 0 qL = h4 h1

The net work and thermal efficiency of the cycle may then be
calculated:
wnet = qH qL = wT wP
th = wnet / qH = 1 qL / qH

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Actual Vapour Power Cycles

The actual vapour power cycle differs from the Rankine cycle
because of irreversibilities in the components of the cycle viz.
entropy generation
(a) friction in pipe flow - resulting in pressure drop (esp. in boiler)
(b) heat loss to the surroundings
more energy reqd. to compensate for given wnet

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Actual Vapour Power Cycles (contd.)

(c) pump and turbine irreversibilities

(accounted for by device efficiencies)

wP > wideal, P; wT < wideal, T

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wideal , P
wP

h h
2s 1
h2 h1

wT

wideal ,T

h5 h6
h5 h6 s

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Actual Vapour Power Cycles (contd.)

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Increasing the Efficiency

Lowering the condenser pressure

i.e. P4 < P4
For the same turbine inlet
conditions, wnet increases!
There is an increase in qH but it is
comparatively small.
Typical P ~ 6 kPa (Ts = 36C)

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Increasing the Efficiency (contd.)

Superheating the steam to high temperatures

Wnet increases
qH also increases, but there is a net
increase in th because energy is
being added at a higher average
temperature!
Tmax 620C (at turbine inlet)

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Increasing the Efficiency (contd.)

Increasing the boiler pressure

Temperature is increased.
For a fixed turbine inlet, Tmax
moisture content of steam at the
end of expansion is increased.
This is undesirable!
Solution: Reheating!!
Typical operating P
30 MPa (for supercritical cycle)
17 MPa (for 150 MW turbines)

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The Ideal Reheat Rankine Cycle

Steam is expanded in two stages, with reheating in between.

Eliminating the problem of high moisture content at turbine exit!

Reheating at constant P is usually to the inlet temperature of the

first turbine stage.
I.e. T5 = T3 = Tmax of cycle.

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The Ideal Reheat Rankine Cycle (contd.)

Reheating may affect the efficiency of the cycle either way!

Depending on average temperatures of heat addition & rejection!

the higher the better!

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Avoiding superheat!

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The Ideal Reheat Rankine Cycle (contd.)

As the no. of expansion/reheat stages is increased, the

processes of expansion and reheat approach an isothermal
process!
Thermal efficiency increases, but so does capital cost!
Usually, number of turbine stages does not exceed 3!

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Example (Ex 11.4, Rogers & Mayhew, 1992)

Given:

T (C)

450

Required: th & SSC

30 bar

saturated
vapour

0.04 bar

As the steam is dry saturated

after the first expansion,

Solution:
From tables, h2 h1
= 121 kJ/kg
h3 = 3343 kJ/kg
s3 = 7.082 kJ/(kg.K)

s4 = s3 = sg,P4 = 7.082 kJ/(kg.K)

P5 = P4 = 2.3 bar (from tables)

S (kJ/kg)
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and h4 = 2713 kJ/kg

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Example (contd.)
From the superheat table,
h5 = 3381 kJ/kg and s5 = 8.310 kJ/(kg.K) (after interpolation)

At the turbine outlet,

x6 = 0.980 and h6 = 2505 kJ/kg (after interpolation)

The total quantity of heat transferred to the steam in the boiler is

qH = q23 + q45 = (h3 h2) + (h5 h4) = 3890 kJ/kg

and the total turbine work is

wT = w34 + w56 = (h3 h4) + (h5 h6) = 1506 kJ/kg

the cycle efficiency is

th = wnet / qH = 38.7% (neglecting the feed pump work)

and the specific steam consumption,

SSC = 1/wnet = 3600/1506 = 2.39 kg/(kW.hr)

sec/hr
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Assignment 1
Please attempt:
Problem Set 1:
Q 1 (Imparo online tutorial)
Q 2 (class discussion)
(best first without looking at the Outline Solutions)
Enjoy!!

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