VAPOUR POWER CYCLES

RAVI KUMAR

1796-1832

First Law of Thermodynamics

q w = dh + CdC + gdZ
2
2

2
1

C C
q w = h2 h1 +
+ g (Z 2 Z1 )
2

q w = h2 h1

Boundary work

w = pdv

Shaft Work

w = vdp

Vapour Power Cycle

It is an Ideal Cycle.
In this cycle, the fluid
evaporates and
condenses.
Which processes here
would cause problems?
Limitations?

Rankine Cycle

Effect of Condenser Pressure

Effect of Vapour Superheat

Effect of Boiler Pressure

11-08

Reheat Cycle

Regenerative Cycle

11-11

11-12

11-13

11-14

Deviation of Actual Cycle From Ideal Cycle

1. Turbine Losses
2. Pump Losses
3. Piping Losses
4. Condenser Losses

Turbine and Pump Losses

Friction resulting
from the flow of
the working fluid
through the turbine
Heat loss from the
turbine to the
surroundings
Leakage loss

h3 h4
=
h3 h4 s

Piping Losses

Requirement of Ideal Working Fluid

Ample amount should be available at low cost.

Chemically stable at the maximum temperature

Critical temperature should be higher than the
metallurgical limits.

Reasonable saturation pressure at the max.
temperature as per the metallurgical limit.

Steep saturation vapor line.

Low liquid specific heat.

Non-toxic and non-corrosive

Freezing point should be much below the atmospheric
pressure

11-17

11-18

Numerical-1
Determine the efficiency of
using steam as the working
condenser pressure is 10
pressure is 2 MPa. Steam
as saturated vapour.

a Rankine Cycle
fluid in which the
kPa. The boiler
leaves the boiler

Numerical 2
In a reheat cycle steam leaves the boiler
and enters the turbine at 4 MPa pressure
and 400 oC temperature. After expansion in
the turbine to 400 kPa pressure, the steam
is reheated to 400 oC temperature and then
expanded in the low pressure turbine to 10
kPa. Determine the cycle efficiency and
specific steam consumption.

Numerical 3
In a regenerative cycle steam leaves the
boiler and enters the turbine at 4 MPa
pressure and 400 oC temperature. After
expansion in the turbine to 400 kPa pressure,
some of the steam is extracted from the
turbine to heat the feed water in a feed water
heater. The pressure in feed water heater is
400 kPa, and water leaving feed water heater
is saturated liquid at 400 kPa. The steam not
extracted is expanded up to 10 kPa.
Determine the cycle efficiency.

Numerical 4
A steam power plant operates on a cycle
with pressure and temperature as
designated in the following Figure. The
efficiency of turbine is 86% and the
efficiency of pump is 80%. Determine
thermal efficiency of the cycle.

Binary Vapour Cycle

Thermal efficiency of Rankine cycle can
be increased by:
Increasing the average temperature of
heat addition.
Decreasing the average temperature of
heat rejection.

binary vapour cycles

The limitation for maximum temperature are as
follows for steam:

Critical temperature of steam is equal to 374 0C
and critical pressure is 221.2 bar. It is not possible
to work at this pressure.

Latent heat of vaporization decreases as the
pressure increases.

When high pressure steam is expanded, high
degree of moisture content will be present at the
end of process.

At the normal pressure of 12 bar, the saturation

temperature for water and mercury are 187oC,
560oC, respectively. The highest temperature
achieved in a power plants is about 550 600oC.
Therefore mercury is a better working fluid in the
high temperature range, because its vaporization
pressure is relatively low. Mercury vapour at high
temperature with low pressure which avoid the
difficulties connected with high pressure.

Advantages of Mercury Cycle

Moderate vapor pressure at high temperature.

Stable

Liquid mercury has high density. Easy to separate in
the boiler and feeding through hydrostatic head is
possible.

Specific heat is only 0.13 kj/kg-K. Steep liquid line.

Specific enthalpy of mercury vapour is low resulting in
low jet velocity in turbine.

Thermal Efficiency is higher than Rankine cycle.

Disadvantages of Mercury Cycle

High cost and limited supply
Toxic in nature
Pervasive, thus, tends to leak through joints.
Latent heat is low, large amount is required
for same heat utilization.

The entire boiler operates under high
temperature

It does not wet surface and, therefore, heat
transfer is poor.

Numerical
Calculate the ideal efficiency of a binary vapour
cycle. The steam cycle operates between
pressures of 30 and 0.04 bar, uses a superheat
temperature of 450 oC. The mercury cycle
works between pressures of 14 and 0.1 bar, the
mercury entering the turbine in a dry saturated
condition.

Supercritical Rankine Cycle

The Supercritical Rankine Cycle is basically a

superheat Rankine Cycle in which the operating

pressure of the boiler is greater than the critical
pressure of the working fluid.

This method generally provides a bigger increase

in the efficiency than the superheat cycle while

still maintaining high quality in the turbine effluent.

The drawback is that the boiler and turbine must

be built to withstand high pressure and high

temperatures and this can be quite expensive.

Cogeneration
Cogeneration or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is
defined as the sequential generation of two different
forms of useful energy from a single primary energy
source, typically mechanical energy and thermal energy.

Mechanical energy may be used either to drive an
alternator for producing electricity, or rotating
equipment such as motor, compressor, pump or fan for
delivering various services.

Thermal energy can be used either for direct process
applications or for indirectly producing steam, hot
water, hot air for dryer or chilled water for process
cooling.

Steam Cogeneration System