ME Thermodynamics II

Vapor Power Cycles – Part II

 Deviation of Actual Cycle from
Idealised One

• Results from irreversibilities in various components

• Fluid friction and heat loss are the major source of

such irreversibilities

• Fluid friction causes pressure drop in the boiler, the

condenser and the connecting pipes

• Condenser exit and cavitation, auxiliary equipment ?

 Deviation of Actual Cycle from
Idealised Cycle

• Pump and turbine

EXAMPLE 10-2 An Actual Steam Power Cycle
A steam power plant operates on the cycle shown. 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
(b) the net power output of the plant for a mass flow rate of 15 kg/s.
(a)

(b)
The Ideal Reheat Rankine Cycle
• How can we take advantage of the increased efficiency at
higher boiler without having moisture?
1. Superheat the steam
2. Expand the steam in the turbine in two stages, and reheat it
in between (reheat)
EXAMPLE 10-4 The Ideal Reheat Rankine Cycle
Consider a steam power plant operating on the ideal reheat Rankine
cycle. Steam enters the high-pressure turbine at 15 MPa and 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
(b) the thermal efficiency of the cycle. Assume the steam is reheated
to the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine.
(a) The reheat pressure is determined from the requirement that the
entropies at states 5 and 6 be the same:

Therefore, steam should be reheated at a pressure of 4 MPa

or lower to prevent a moisture content above 10.4 percent.

(b) To determine the thermal efficiency, we need to know the

enthalpies at all other states:
 The Ideal Regenerative Rankine Cycle

• Low heat transfer temperature

during 2-2’
• Raise temperature of the fluid
leaving the pump (feedwater)
• Transfer heat to the feedwater
from the expanding steam
• Extracting steam from the
turbine at various points
The Ideal Regenerative Rankine Cycle –
Open Feedwater Heater
Closed Feedwater Heaters
• Heat is transferred from the extracted steam to the
feedwater without any mixing. The two streams now
can be at different pressures, since they do not mix.

The ideal regenerative Rankine cycle with a closed feedwater heater.

EXAMPLE 10-5 The Ideal Regenerative Rankine Cycle
Consider a steam power plant operating on the ideal regenerative
Rankine cycle with one open feedwater heater. Steam enters the
turbine at 15 MPa and 600°C and is condensed in the condenser at a
pressure of 10 kP. Some steam leaves the turbine at a pressure of 1.2
MPa and enters the open feedwater heater. Determine the fraction of
steam extracted from the turbine and the thermal efficiency of the
cycle.
Solution:
First, we determine the enthalpies at various states:
The feedwater heaters are generally well insulated (Q=0), and
they do not involve any work interactions (W = 0).

m 6
where y is the fraction of steam extracted from the turbine m 1
Class Exercise 3:
Regenerative Rankine Cycle
A steam power plant operates on an ideal regenerative Rankine
cycle. The steam enters the high-pressure turbine at 6 MPa and
450oC Steam is extracted from the turbine at 0.4 Mpa to heat the
feedwater in an open feedwater heater. The steam leaves the
feedwater heater as saturated liquid, while the condenser as saturated
liquid at a pressure of 20 kPa.

a. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram and label all the processes.
b. Determine the net work output.
c. Calculate the thermal efficiency of the cycle.
1017 kJ/kg, 37.8%
Class Exercise 2:
Vapour Power Cycle with Reheat
A steam power plant operates on an ideal reheat Rankine cycle and
has a net power output of 5 MW. The steam enters the high-pressure
turbine at 4 MPa and 300oC and the low-pressure turbine at 1.0 MPa
and 300oC. The steam leaves the condenser as saturated liquid at a
pressure of 80 kPa.
a. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram and label all the processes.
b. Determine the specific work consumed by the pump.
c. Calculate the total specific heat added in the cycle.
d. Find the heat removed by the condenser.
e. Determine the mass flow rate of the steam.
f. Calculate the thermal efficiency of the cycle.