Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME 322 Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics
Lecture 27
Gas Power Generation
The Brayton Cycle
Gas Power Cycles
Much higher power output to weight ratio compared to
vapor power cycles
Well suited for mobile power plants
Smaller stationary power plants
Commonly known as the gas turbine
Open cycle
Closed cycle
2
The Gas Turbine
Comparison of the schematic to the real thing
3
Gas Turbine Examples
4
The Air Standard Cycle (ASC) Analysis
A fixed amount of air modeled as an ideal gas is
the working fluid
The combustion process is replaced by a heat
transfer from an external source
All processes are internally reversible
The Cold Air Standard Cycle Analysis
All of the above plus the heat capacity of the
air is assumed to be constant
5
The Brayton Cycle
1-2: Reversible and adiabatic compression
2-3: Constant pressure heat addition
3-4: Reversible and adiabatic expansion
4-1 Constant pressure heat rejection
6
Brayton Cycle Analysis
( )
2 1 c
W m h h =
( )
3 2 in
Q m h h =
( )
3 4 t
W m h h =
( )
4 1 out
Q m h h =
cycle net t c
W W W W = =
7
Brayton Cycle Performance
Thermal Efficiency
,ASC
net t c
th
in in
W W W
Q Q
q

= =
8
4 1
,ASC
3 2
1
th
h h
h h
q

=

( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
3 2 4 1 4 1
3 2 3 2
1
h h h h h h
h h h h

= =

( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
3 4 2 1 3 4 2 1
3 2 3 2
m h h m h h h h h h
m h h h h

= =

Cold Brayton Cycle Performance
9
Cold Air Standard Thermal Efficiency
( )
( )
4 1 4 1
,cold ASC
3 2 3 2
1 1
p
th
p
h h c T T
h h c T T
q

= =

3 3 4 4
2 1 1 2
1 1
T T T T
T T T T
| | | |
= =
| |
\ . \ .
Processes 3-4 and 1-2 are isentropic
( )
( )
1 4 1
4 1
3 2 2 3 2
/ 1
1 1
/ 1
T T T
T T
T T T T T

= =

( ) ( ) 1 / 1 /
3 3 2 2
4 4 1 1
k k k k
T P P T
T P P T

| | | |
= = =
| |
\ . \ .
Cold Brayton Cycle Performance
10
( )
1 4 1
,cold ASC
/ 1
1
th
T T T
q

=
( )
2 3 2
/ 1 T T T
1
2
1
T
T
=
Substituting ...
Since process 1-2 is isentropic,
( ) 1 / 1
1 1 1
,cold ASC
2 2 2
1 1 1
k k k
th
T P v
T P v
q

| | | |
= = =
| |
\ . \ .
Cold Brayton Cycle Performance
11
Define ...
Finally ... we have several ways to write
the cold ASC thermal efficiency,
( )
( )
1
,cold ASC
2
1 /
1 /
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
1 1
1 1
th
k k
k k
k
k
T
T
P
PR
P
v
CR
v
q

=
| |
= =
|
\ .
| |
= =
|
\ .
2
1
pressure ratio
P
PR
P
= =
1
2
compression ratio
v
CR
v
= =
Gas Turbine Irreversibilities
Isentropic efficiencies in the
turbine and compressor
Isentropic efficiencies in the turbine
and compressor and pressure drops
in the heat exchangers
12