EE 3278

Engineering Thermodynamics
Chapter 2: Vapour Power Cycles
INTRODUCTION
Vapour Power Cycles
Vapour Power Cycles
A power cyclein which the working fluidis
alternatively vapourizedand condensed
Most common working fluid?
Steam
e.g. steam power plants
Coal plants, nuclear plants, natural gas plants
THE CARNOT VAPOURCYCLE
Vapour Power Cycles
Carnot Vapour Cycle
1-2: isothermal heat addition (boiler)
2-3: isentropic expansion (turbine)
3-4: isothermal heat rejection (condenser)
4-1: isentropic compression (compressor)
Carnot Vapour Cycle
Wet vapour
- Damages blades
RANKINECYCLE: THE IDEAL CYCLE
FOR VAPOURPOWER CYCLES
Vapour Power Cycles
RankineCycle
In the attempt for eliminating the
impracticalities associated with the Carnot
cycle
How?
Superheating steam in the boiler
Condensing the steam completely in the
condenser
RankineCycle
1-2: Isentropic compression in a pump
2-3: Const. pressure heat addition in a boiler
3-4: Isentropic expansion in a turbine
4-1: Const. pressure heat rejection in a condenser
RankineCycle
From the steady-flow energy equation:
q
n
q
out
+ w
n
w
out
=
c

For each device:

Pump(q =0): w
pump,n
=
2

1
, or
w
pump,n
=: P
2
P
1
where;

1
=
] @ P
1
and : :
1
=:
] @ P
1
Boiler (w =0) q
n
=
3

2
Turbine(q =0) w
tub,out
=
3

4
Condenser (w =0) q
out
=
4

1
Thermal efficiency of Rankinecycle p
th
=
w
nct
q
in
=1
q
cut
q
in
RankineCycle
Example 1
Consider a steam power plant operating on the
simple ideal Rankinecycle. Steam enters the
turbine at 3 Mpaand 350 C and is condensed in
the condenser at a pressure of 75 kPa.
Determine the thermal efficiency of this cycle.
Deviation of Actual Vapour Cycles from
Idealized Ones
Deviation of Actual Vapour Cycles from
Idealized Ones
Isentropic efficiencies
Pump:
p
P
=
w
s
w
u
=

2s

1

2u

1
Turbine:
p
1
=
w
u
w
s
=

3

4u

3

4s
Deviation of Actual Vapour Cycles from
Idealized Ones
Example 2
A steam power plant operates
on the cycle shown in the
figure. If the isentropic
efficiency of the turbine is 87
percent and the isentropic
efficiency of the pump is 85
percent, determine a) the
thermal efficiency of the cycle
and b) the net power output of
the plant for a mass flow rate of
15 kg/s.
Increasing the Efficiency of the
RankineCycle
Basic idea:
Increase the average temperature at which heat is
transferred to the working fluid in the boiler, or
decrease the average temperature at which heat
is rejected from the working fluid in the
condenser.
Increasing the Efficiency of the
RankineCycle
Lowering the condenser pressure
Increase in net work output (coloured
area)
Increased in heat input is very small and
therefore allowable
Condenser pressure is usually below
atmospheric pressure:
Disadvantages:
May lead to air leaks into
condenser
Increase in moisture content of
the steam at turbine exit
damages turbines
Increasing the Efficiency of the
RankineCycle
Superheating the steam to high
temperatures
Increase in net work output
(colouredarea)
Decreases the moisture content of
the steam at the turbine exit
Limitations?
Metallurgical
Increasing the Efficiency of the
RankineCycle
Increasing the boiler pressure
Automatically raises the temperature
at which boiling takes place raises
the average temperature at which
heat is transferred to the steam
Cycle shifts to the left (undesirable)
but can be rectified by reheating the
steam
Increasing the Efficiency of the
RankineCycle
Example 3
Consider a steam power plant operating on the
ideal Rankinecycle. Steam enters the turbine at 3
MPaand 350 C and is condensed in the condenser
at a pressure of 10 kPa. Determine a) the thermal
efficiency of this power plant, b) the thermal
efficiency if steam is superheated to 600 C instead
of 350 C, and c) the thermal efficiency if the boiler
pressure is raised to 15 MPawhile the turbine inlet
temperature is maintained at 600 C.
The Ideal Reheat RankineCycle
Recall:
Higher boiler pressure increases thermal efficiency
but also leads to increased moisture content of
steam at turbine exit
What to do?
Superheat steam to very high temperature
Expand the steam in two stages and reheatit in
between
The Ideal Reheat RankineCycle
q
n
=q
pmu
+q
chcut
=
3

2
+
5

4
w
tub,out
=w
tub,I
+w
tub,II
=
3

4
+
5

6
The Ideal Reheat RankineCycle
Example 4
Consider a steam power plant operating on the ideal
reheat Rankinecycle. Steam enters the high-pressure
turbine at 15 MPaand 600 C and is condensed in the
condenser at a pressure of 10 kPa. If the moisture content
of the steam at the exit of the low-pressure turbine is not
to exceed 10.4 percent, determine a) the pressure at
which the steam should be reheated and b) the thermal
efficiency of the cycle. Assume the steam is reheated to
the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine.
The Ideal Regenerative RankineCycle
Bleeding steam from the turbine, heating the
feedwater
Improves cycle efficiency
Provides a convenient means of deaeratingthe
feedwater (removing the air that leaks in the
condenser), preventing corrosion in the boiler
Two types:
With mixing of the two fluid streams (Open Feedwater
Heaters, OFH)
Without mixing (Closed Feedwater Heaters, CFH)
The Ideal Regenerative RankineCycle
Open feedwater heaters
The Ideal Regenerative RankineCycle
Open Feedwater Heaters
q
n
=
5

4
q
out
= 1 y
7

1
w
tub,out
=
5

6
+ 1 y
6

7
w
pump,n
= 1 y w
pump I,n
+w
pump II,n
y =m
6
/ m
5

(fraction of steam extracted)

w
pump I,n
=:
1
P
2
P
1
w
pump II,n
=:
3
P
4
P
3
The Ideal Regenerative RankineCycle
Closed feedwater heaters
The Ideal Regenerative RankineCycle
Example 5
Consider a steam power plant operating on the
ideal regenerative Rankinecycle with one open
feedwater heater. Steam enters the turbine at 15
MPaand 600 C and is condensed in the condenser
at a pressure of 10 kPa. Some steam leaves the
turbine at a pressure of 1.2 MPaand enters the
open feedwater heater. Determine the fraction of
steam extracted from the turbine and the thermal
efficiency of the cycle.
The Ideal Regenerative RankineCycle
Example 6
Consider a steam power plant that operates on an ideal reheat-
regenerative Rankinecycle with one open feedwater heater,
one closed feedwater heater, and one reheater. Steam enters
the turbine at 15 MPaand 600 C and is condensed in the
condenser at a pressure of 10 kPa. Some steam is extracted
from the turbine at 4 MPafor the closed feedwater heater, and
the remaining steam is reheated at the same pressure to 600
C. The extracted steam is completely condensed in the heater
and is pumped to 15 MPabefore it mixes with the feedwater at
the same pressure. Steam for the open feedwater heater is
extracted from the low-pressure turbine at a pressure of 0.5
MPa. Determine the fractions of steam extracted from the
turbine as well as the thermal efficiency of the cycle.
References
Cengel, Y. A. & Boles, M. A. (2011).
Thermodynamics: An Engineering
Approach, 7th edition, New York:
McGraw-Hill
Eastop, T. D. & McConkey, A.
(1993). Applied Thermodynamics
for Engineering Technologists, 5th
edition, Harlow: Pearson
Education Limited.