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RANKINE CYCLE
The Rankine cycle describes closed cycle systems using external heat sources and two phase working
fluids which are alternately condensed to liquid form and vaporized to gaseous form as they are
expanded and compressed during the heat cycle.

Figure 1. Rankine cycle pV and Ts diagram

Change of State Rankine Heat Cycle Processes

The working fluid (water) is heated until it reaches saturation (phase change / boiling
4 to B
point) in a constant-pressure process.
Once saturation is reached, further heat transfer takes place at constant pressure, until
B to 1
the working fluid is completely vaporized (quality of 100% / dry steam)
The vapor is expanded isentropically (no heat added or lost) through a turbine stage to
1 to 2 produce work rotating the shaft. The vapor (steam) pressure falls as it passes through
the turbine and exits at low pressure.
The working fluid is routed through a condenser, where it condenses (phase change)
2 to 3
into liquid (water).
3 to 4 The working fluid is pumped back into the boiler.

Figure 2. Ideal Rankine Cycle

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Superheating the steam to very high temperatures is used in most installations to maximize
temperature difference between the hot and cold phases of the fluid in order to maximize the Carnot
efficiency.
The Rankine cycle is also used in low temperature applications for which the provision of high
temperature vapour such as steam is not available. Examples are OTEC and solar heat generators.

IDEAL RANKINE CYCLE

Energy analysis: steady flow process, no generation, neglect KE and PE changes for all four basic
components,
(net heat transfer in) - (net work out) + (net energy flow in)= 0
(qin - qout) - (Wout - Win) + (hin - hout) = 0

• 3-B: Pump (q=0)

ð Wpump = hB – h3 = v(P1-P2)

• 4-1: Boiler (W=0) ð qin = h1 – h4

• 1-2: Turbine (q=0) ð Wout = h1 – h2

• 2-3: Condenser (W=0) ð qout = h2 – h3

Figure 3. Ts diagram of Rankine cycle with superheated steam

Thermal efficiency , e= Wnet/qin = 1 - qout/qin = 1 - (h2-h3)/(h1-h4)

Wnet = Wout - Win = (h1-h2) - (h1-h4)

Thermal efficiency can be improved by:

(a) Lowering the condensing pressure (lower condensing temperature, lower T L)
(b) Superheating the steam to higher temperature
(c) Increasing the boiler pressure (increase boiler temperature, increase T H)

Figure 4. Thermal efficiency improvement represented in the Ts diagram

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Consider the Rankine power cycle as shown in Figure 1 and 2. Steam enters the turbine as 100%
saturated vapor at 6 MPa and saturated liquid enters the pump at a pressure of 0.01 MPa. If the net
power output of the cycle is 50 MW. Determine
(a) the thermal efficiency
(b) the mass flow rate of the system
(c) the rate of heat transfer into the boiler
(d) the mass flow rate of the cooling water from the condenser, in kg/s, if the cooling water enters at
20°C and exits at 40°C.

• At the inlet of turbine, P1=6MPa, 100% saturated vapor x1=1, from saturated table 2,
h1=hg=2784.3(kJ/kg), s1=sg=5.8892(kJ/kg K)
• From 1-2, isentropic expansion: s1=s2=5.8892 (kJ/kg K)
• From 4-1, isothermal process, T3=T2=45.8°C (why?)
From table 2, when T=45.8°C, sf2=0.6491, sfg2=7.5019, hf2=191.8, hfg2=2392.8
x2 = (s2-sf2)/sfg2 = (5.89-0.6491)/7.5019 = 0.699
h2 = hf2+x2* hfg2 = 191.8+0.699(2392.8) = 1864.4 (kJ/kg)
• At the inlet of the pump: saturated liquid h 3=hf1=191.8
qout = h2-h3=1672.6(kJ/kg)
• At the outlet of the pump: compressed liquid v 2=v3=vf1=0.00101(m3/kg)
work input to pump Win = hB-h3 = v2 (P1-P2) = 0.00101(6000-10) = 6.05
hB = h3 + v2 (P1-P2) =191.8 + 6.05 = 197.85 (kJ/kg)
• In the boiler, qin=h1-h4=2784.3-197.85=2586.5(kJ/kg)
(a) The thermal efficiency h = 1-qout/qin= 1-1672.6/2586.5=0.353=35.3%

(b) Net work output dW/dt=50MW=(dm/dt)(W out-Win)=(dm/dt)((h1-h2)-(h1-h4))

mass flow rate (dm/dt)=50000/((2784.3- 1864.4 )-(197.85-191.8))=54.7(kg/s)

heat transfer into the boiler qin = (dm/dt)(h1-h5)=54.7(2586.5)=141.5(MW)

Inside the condenser, the cooling water is being heated from the heat transfered from the condensing
steam.

q cooling water = qout = (dm/dt)(h2-h3) = 54.7(1672.6) = 91.49 (MW)

mw=(dm/dt)cooling water Cp (Tout - Tin) = q cooling water

C p, water = 4.177(kJ/kg K)

mw = (dm/dt)cooling water = 91490/(4.177*(40-20)) = 1095.2 (kg/s)

• ðVery large amount of cooling water is needed ï