STEAM CYCLE- lecture 1

steam power cycle

• Heat is transferred from hot combustion gases to the steam generator or boiler to the water
which changes phase to steam
• The steam enters the turbine, where thermal energy is converted to mechanical energy.
• Nozzle in the turbine increases the steam’s velocity and the steams kinetic energy is converted
to the rotative motion of the turbine rotor.
• The rotor turns the electric generator.
• The steam exits the turbine at low pressures and temperature and is condensed in the
condenser.
• The liquid water is pumped from the condenser back into the steam generator, and the cycle
repeats.

A simplified vapor power cycle

The Carnot cycles

• Is the most efficient heat cycle operating between two temperature limits.
 𝑇𝑙
.𝜂𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑜𝑡 = 1 −
𝑇ℎ

The ideal Rankine cycles

• The heating and cooling processes occurs at constant pressure.

The TS & schematic diagram for Rankine cycle

The Rankine cycle with superheated steam at state 2.

Energy analysis of the ideal Rankine Cycle

• for a steady state open system 𝑄̇ + 𝑚̇ (h + k.e. + p.e.)𝑖𝑛 = 𝑊̇ + 𝑚̇ (h + k.e. + p.e.)𝑜𝑢𝑡

• The turbine work
• Turbine work on unit mass basis
• Heat leaving the steam
• Heat leaving, mass basis
• Work of pump
𝑊̇𝑡 = 𝑚̇ (ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑠 Kj, btu
𝑤𝑡 = (ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑠 , kJ/kg
𝑄̇𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑚̇ (ℎ4 − ℎ3 ) , kJ
𝑞𝑜𝑢𝑡 = (ℎ4 − ℎ3 ) kJ/kg
̇
𝑊𝑝 = 𝑚̇ (ℎ1 − ℎ4 )𝑠 , kJ
 𝑤𝑝 = (ℎ1 − ℎ4 )𝑠 kJ/kg
• Change of enthalpy, isentropic dh = vdp
1
• Equation for pump, based on volume 𝑊̇𝑝 = 𝑚̇ ∫ 𝑣𝑑𝑝4
𝑊̇𝑝 = 𝑚̇𝑣4 (𝑝1 − 𝑝4 )
• Heat added to the water, 𝑄̇𝑖𝑛 = 𝑚̇ (ℎ2 − ℎ1 ), kJ
• Heat added per unit mass, 𝑞𝑖𝑛 = (ℎ2 − ℎ1 ), kJ/kg
𝑤𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑄𝑖𝑛 −𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑄𝑜𝑢𝑡
• Thermal efficiency 𝜂𝑡ℎ = = =1−
𝑞𝑖𝑛 𝑄𝑖𝑛 𝑄𝑖𝑛
• Work net 𝑤𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑤𝑡 − 𝑤𝑝
𝑤𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑞𝑖𝑛 − 𝑞𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑘𝑔
• Steam Rate SR = Kg steam/kW capacity SR =
𝑘𝑊𝑠
𝑄1
• Heat Rate HR = Heat input required/ 1 kw of shaft output HR =
𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡

IRREVERSIBILITIES AND LOSSES

• Fluid friction and heat loss to the surroundings are the most common causes of irreversibility.
• As the steam flows through the turbine blading, fluid friction occurs, increasing the steam’s
entropy so it is greater at exit than at inlet conditions.
• Turbine isentropic efficiency
(ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑎𝑐𝑡
.𝜂𝑡 = (ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑠 = the available energy of the steam
(ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑠

(ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑎𝑐𝑡 = the actual amount of available energy

that is used as work
• In the pump, friction means more work is required than the ideal to raise the water pressure to
a higher value.
• Friction in fluid flow through the pump and impeller increase the entropy.
• Pump isentropic efficiency
(ℎ1 − ℎ4 )𝑠 𝑚̇ (ℎ1 −ℎ4)𝑠
.𝜂𝑝 = =
(ℎ1 − ℎ4 )𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑊̇𝑝

Example
A 100 MW steam power plant operates on the Rankine cycle but with turbine and pump efficiencies of
85%. The steam enters the turbine at 7.0 MPa and 550C. it discharges to the condenser at 20 kPa.
Determine the cycle thermal efficiency, the steam flow rate, and the cooling water flow rate in the
condenser if cooling water enters at 20C and leaves at 35 C.

Solution

Sketch of plant
 TS diagram

From steam table @ 7.0 MPa & 550C h2 = 3530.9 kJ/kg, S2 = 6.9460 kJ/kg K
S3 = Sf + x Sfg
6.9460 kJ/kg K = 0.8311 kJ/kg K + x3(7.0762 kJ/kg K)
X3 = 0.8641
h 3 = hf + x h fg
h3 = 251.96 kJ/kg + 0.8641(2357.9 kJ/kg) = 2289.5
@ 20 kPa, state 4 h4 = 251.96kJ/kg v4 = 0.001017 m3/kg
@ State 1 h1 = h4 + v4(p1-p4)
= 251.96 kJ/kg + 0.001017 m3/kg (7000-20) kN/m2
= 259.05 kJ/kg
The turbine efficiency
(ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑎𝑐𝑡 3530.9−ℎ3′
.𝜂𝑡 = = 0.85 =
(ℎ2 − ℎ3 )𝑠 3530.9−2289.5
ℎ3 ′= 2475.7 kJ/kg
pump efficiency
(ℎ1 − ℎ4 )𝑠 259.05−251.96
𝜂𝑝 = =0.85 =
(ℎ1 − ℎ4 )𝑎𝑐𝑡 ℎ1′ −251.96
h1’ = 260.3 kJ/kg

work of turbine
wt = h2-h3’ =3530.9-2475.7= 1055.2 kJ/kg

work of pump
wp = h1’ -h4 = 260.3-251.96 = 8.3 kJ/kg
work net
wnet = wt - wp = 1055.2 -8.3 =1046.9 kJ/kg

heat input
qin = h2-h1 = 3530.9 -251.96 = 3270.6 kJ/kg

thermal efficiency
𝑤
𝜂𝑡ℎ = 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 1046.9/3270.6 = 0.320 32%
𝑞𝑖𝑛

Steam flow rate

ms = Cap/wnet = 100 000kJ/s/1046.9 kJ/kg = 95.5 kg/s

condenser cooling water

𝑚𝑠 (ℎ3′ −ℎ4)
mcw = hin = hf @ 20C = 82.9 kJ/kg
ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡−ℎ𝑖𝑛
hout = hf @ 35C = 146.2 kJ/kg
95.5𝑘𝑔𝑠/𝑠 (2475.7−251.96)𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔𝑠
mcw = (146.2−82.9)𝑘𝐽/𝑘𝑔 = 3355 kgwater/s
exercises:

1. A steam power plant is to operate between the pressures of 10 kPa and 2 MPa with a maximum
temperature of 400 C as shown. Find the efficiency. If the maximum temperature is increased to 600
C, while the boiler pressure and condenser pressure are kept the same, determine the percentage
increase in efficiency.

2. If the condenser pressure of example 1 is decreased to 2 kPa while maintaining the boiler pressure
and temperature of 2 MPa, 400 C respectively, determine the percentage increase in thermal
efficiency.