Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Background
Thermodynamics is the study of heat and
temperature and their relation to energy and
work. Through this study, it is possible to create
plants for power generation and predict the
amount of energy that can be extracted from
natural resources used. Modern day
thermodynamics and power plant systems are
developments of work from William Rankine, a
Scottish civil engineer. Rankine developed a
theoretical process, known as the Rankine Cycle,
which could produce electricity.
Processes
The Rankine Cycle includes the following four steps:
1. Water is pumped into a closed container called a
boiler
2. Temperature and pressure of water is increased
as it is heated in the boiler and turns into steam
3. The steam expands through a turbine where
work is produced and pressure drops
4. The temperature of the exit steam is reduced,
condensing it back to water, before being pumped
back into the boiler
Components
The four major components of a steam power plant are the boiler, the
turbine, the condenser, and the pump:
Water is heated in the boiler, to begin the extraction of
energy.
The turbine converts this energy into work as the high
temperature and high pressure steam that flows through,
rotates the blades and shaft. Steam exits the turbine at a
lower pressure.
Steam enters the condenser, heat is removed allowing the
steam to cool and condense back to water. The rate at which
the steam is cooled depends on the coolant and method used
in the condenser.
Finally, the work is supplied by the pump, in order to
transport the water back into the boiler, and repeat the cycle.
Ideal Rankine Cycle
From a thermodynamic point of view, phenomenon that occurs at
each of these four stages, can be explained through an ideal cycle
consist of the following processes:
Wturbine,out = h3 - h4
Condenser
At state 4, the cooled down steam enters the
condenser. It is a liquid-vapor mixture of high quality.
Steam is condensed at constant pressure in the
condenser, which is basically a large heat exchanger, by
rejecting the heat to a cooling medium such as a river
or atmosphere. Steam leaves the condenser as
saturated liquid and enters the pump and thus
completing the cycle :
qout = h4 – h1
Energy Balance & Thermal Efficiency
Overall, the energy balance of the entire system
is:
(qin- qout) - (wturbine, out - wpump, in) = 0
Where the subscript “a” refers to the actual value and subscript “s”
refers to the isentropic value.
The Rankine Cycler