South Valley University

Faculty Of Engineering
Power Mechanical Engineering Department
4th Academic Year
Power Plants Technology (MPEP412)

Sheet (2) Reheat Rankine Cycle

A. Is there an optimal pressure for reheating the steam of a Rankine cycle? Explain.

B. How do the following quantities change when a simple ideal Rankine cycle is modified with
reheating? Assume the mass flow rate is maintained the same

Pump work input: (a) increases, (b) decreases, (c) remains the same
Turbine work output: (a) increases, (b) decreases, (c) remains the same
Heat supplied: (a) increases, (b) decreases, (c) remains the same
Heat rejected: (a) increases, (b) decreases, (c) remains the same
Moisture content at
(a) increases, (b) decreases, (c) remains the same
turbine exit:

C. Discussion Problems

1. Water is the working fluid in an ideal Rankine cycle. Saturated vapor enters the turbine at 16
MPa, and the condenser pressure is 8 kPa. The mass flow rate of steam entering the turbine is
120 kg/s. Determine (a) the net power developed, in kW. (b) the rate of heat transfer to the steam
passing through the boiler, in kW. (c) the thermal efficiency. (d) the mass flow rate of condenser
cooling water, in kg/s, if the cooling water undergoes a temperature increase of 18 °C with
negligible pressure change in passing through the condenser.

2. Steam enters the turbine of a Rankine cycle at 16 MPa, 560°C. The condenser pressure is 8 kPa.
The turbine and pump each have isentropic efficiencies of 85%, and the mass flow rate of steam
entering the turbine is 120 kg/s. Determine (a) the net power developed, in kW. (b) the rate of
heat transfer to the steam passing through the boiler, in kW. (c) the thermal efficiency.

3. Superheated steam at 8 MPa and 480°C leaves the steam generator of a vapor power
plant. Heat transfer and frictional effects in the line connecting the steam generator
and the turbine reduce the pressure and temperature at the turbine inlet to 7.6 MPa
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 South Valley University
Faculty Of Engineering
Power Mechanical Engineering Department
4th Academic Year
Power Plants Technology (MPEP412)

and 440°C, respectively. The pressure at the exit of the turbine is 10 kPa, and the
turbine operates adiabatically. Liquid leaves the condenser at 8 kPa, 36°C. The
pressure is increased to 8.6 MPa across the pump. The turbine and pump isentropic
efficiencies are 88%. The mass flow rate of steam is 79.53 kg/s. Determine(a) the net
power output, in kW. (b) the thermal efficiency. (c) the rate of heat transfer from the
line connecting the steam generator and the turbine, in kW. (d) the mass flow rate of
condenser cooling water, in kg/s, if the cooling water enters at 158C and exits at
358C with negligible pressure change.

4. Superheated steam at 20 MPa, 560°C enters the turbine of a vapor power plant. The pressure at
the exit of the turbine is 0.5 bar, and liquid leaves the condenser at 0.4 bar at 75°C. The pressure
is increased to 20.1 MPa across the pump. The turbine and pump have isentropic efficiencies of
81 and 85%, respectively. Cooling water enters the condenser at 20°C with a mass flow rate of
70.7 kg/s and exits the condenser at 38°C. For the cycle, determine
(a) the mass flow rate of steam, in kg/s. (b) the thermal efficiency.

5. Consider a steam power plant that operates on the ideal reheat Rankine cycle. The plant maintains
the boiler at 17.5 MPa, the reheater at 2 MPa, and the condenser at 50 kPa. The temperature is
550°C at the entrance of the high-pressure turbine, and 300°C at the entrance of the low-pressure
turbine. Determine the thermal efficiency of this system.

6. An ideal reheat Rankine cycle with water as the working fluid operates the boiler at 15,000 kPa,
the reheater at 2000 kPa, and the condenser at 100 kPa. The temperature is 450°C at the entrance
of the high-pressure and low-pressure turbines. The mass flow rate through the cycle is 1.74 kg/s.
Determine the power used by pumps, the power produced by the cycle, the rate of heat transfer
in the reheater, and the thermal efficiency of this system.

7. A steam power plant operates on an ideal reheat Rankine cycle between the pressure limits of 15
MPa and 10 kPa. The mass flow rate of steam through the cycle is 12 kg/s. Steam enters both
stages of the turbine at 500°C. If the moisture content of the steam at the exit of the low-pressure
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 South Valley University
Faculty Of Engineering
Power Mechanical Engineering Department
4th Academic Year
Power Plants Technology (MPEP412)

turbine is not to exceed 5 percent, determine (a) the pressure at which reheating takes place, (b)
the total rate of heat input in the boiler, and (c) the thermal efficiency of the cycle. Also, show
the cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to saturation lines.

8. A steam power plant operates on the reheat Rankine cycle. Steam enters the high-pressure turbine
at 12.5 MPa and 550°C at a rate of 7.7 kg/s. Steam is then reheated at constant pressure to 450°C
before it expands in the low-pressure turbine. The isentropic efficiencies of the turbine and the
pump are 85 percent and 90 percent, respectively. Steam leaves the condenser as a saturated
liquid. If the moisture content of the steam at the exit of the turbine is not to exceed 5 percent,
determine (a) the condenser pressure, (b) the net power output, and (c) the thermal efficiency.

9. Consider a steam power plant that operates on a reheat Rankine cycle and has a net power output
of 80 MW Steam enters the high-pressure turbine at 10 MPa and 500°C and the low-pressure
turbine at 1 MPa and 500°C. Steam leaves the condenser as a saturated liquid at a pressure of 10
kPa. The isentropic efficiency of the turbine is 80 percent, and that of the pump is 95 percent.
Show the cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to saturation lines and determine (a) the quality
(or temperature, if superheated) of the steam at the turbine exit, (b) the thermal efficiency of the
cycle, and (c) the mass flow rate of the steam.

10. Water is the working fluid in an ideal Rankine cycle with reheat. Superheated vapor enters the
turbine at 10 MPa, 480°C, and the condenser pressure is 6 kPa. Steam expands through the first-
stage turbine to 0.7 MPa and then is reheated to 480°C. Determine for the cycle (a) the heat
addition, in kJ per kg of steam entering the first-stage turbine. (b) the thermal efficiency.
(c) the heat transfer from the working fluid passing through the condenser to the cooling water,
in kJ per kg of steam entering the first-stage turbine. (Reconsider the analysis assuming the pump
and each turbine stage have an isentropic efficiency of 80%).

11. Steam heated at constant pressure in a steam generator enters the first stage of a supercritical
reheat cycle at 28 MPa, 520°C. Steam exiting the first-stage turbine at 6 MPa is reheated at
constant pressure to 500°C. Each turbine stage has an isentropic efficiency of 78% while the
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 South Valley University
Faculty Of Engineering
Power Mechanical Engineering Department
4th Academic Year
Power Plants Technology (MPEP412)

pump has an isentropic efficiency of 82%. Saturated liquid exits the condenser that operates at
constant pressure, p. (a) For p = 6 kPa, determine the quality of the steam exiting the second
stage of the turbine and the thermal efficiency.

12. A small power plant produces steam at 3 MPa, 600°C in the boiler. It keeps the condenser at
45°C by transfer of 10 MW out as heat transfer. The first turbine section expands to 500 kPa,
and then flow is reheated followed by expansion in the low-pressure turbine. Find the reheat
temperature so that the turbine output is saturated vapor. For this reheat, find the total turbine
power output and the boiler heat transfer.

13. A power plant produces 25 kg/s steam at 30 MPa, 600°C in the boiler. It cools the condenser
with ocean water, so the condenser exit is at 50°C. A reheat is done up to 400°C followed by
expansion in the low-pressure turbine. Find the net power output and the total heat transfer in the
boiler

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