Steam Propulsion System Theory

To understand the working principles of steam generation and power plants

Objectives
Principle of steam generation Wet, saturated and superheated steam Dryness fraction Enthalpy, entropy and internal energy Principle of Rankine Cycle Cyclic work output Thermodynamic and mechanical efficiencies Schematic Block Diagram of Steam Power Plant

Principle of steam generation

Steam - excellent working agent due to:
Carry large quantities of stored energy. Produced from water cheap. Multipurpose.

Formation of Steam

Formation of Steam
Stage 1
Water temperature increases to saturation temperature. Energy required liquid enthalpy, hf.

Stage 2
Takes place at constant temperature - water converted into steam. Begins at saturation temperature, ends at dry saturated steam Still in wet steam dryness fraction Energy required enthalpy of evaporation, hfg. Begins when all dry saturated steam formed at saturation temp. Further heat up produces superheated steam Further rise in temperature Amount of energy added superheat enthalpy, h.

Stage 3

Dryness fraction
Degree of wetness for steam Represent by symbol x. Can be represent by following ratio:

Internal Energy (u)

Store or static energy results from atom & molecules random motion In any state, atoms / molecules have a degree of random motion In a pure substance, degree of random motion will be same, each time the substance returns to that state thus this become a property Internal energy function of degree of random motion, However, internal energy increase not always result in temperature increase When phase is changed (water into steam), temperature remains constant Thus, internal energy increases at constant temp necessary to carry out degree of molecules separation Thus, rate of internal energy depend on substances state In fluid condition, atoms and molecules have greater motions than solids

Enthalpy (h)
Combination of internal energy (u), pressure (P) and volume h = u + Pv Since they are forms of properties, enthalpy also is a properties h is a specific enthalpy Enthalpy of any mass other than unity is given by H

Entropy
During transformation of substance, an amount of heat transferred to surrounding or more useful as a work done When energy / heat transferred, temperature difference will occur When substance is at abs 0 temp, energy content is also zero

Rankine cycle

Important modification from Carnot cycle to allow a complete Thus, easily dealt in feed pump before raise to boiler pressure Cycle becomes more practical

Steam power plant

Steam plant
Steam is generated in boiler passes into steam main Steam feed into a turbine or pass into other plant (heaters etc) If plant works on a 'dead-loss' system exhaust steam lost to atmosphere Not efficient no steam recovery plant due to limited space In steam recovery plant exhaust steam passes into condenser, condensed to water (condensate) Condensate is extracted by condensate pump, passes as feed water into feed water main and back to boiler Feed pump is use to increase the feed water pressure normally boiler works at higher pressure Thus, a steam recovery plant circulates the same water all the time

Steam plant (cont/)

However, losses still occur back up by make-up water supply Advantages of steam recovery plant:
Pressure in condenser can be operated well below atmospheric pressure greater steam expansion, thus more work done Feed water can be chemically treated reduce scale formation