School of Engineering and Sciences

Thermodynamics
Dr. Jorge Francisco Estela

Workshop 6-212
Power and refrigeration cycles

1. Consider an ideal steam reheat cycle where steam enters the high-pressure turbine at 3.5
MPa, 400°C, and expands to 0.8 MPa. It is then reheated to 400°C and expands to 10 kPa in
the low-pressure section of the turbine. Calculate the cycle thermal efficiency and the
moisture contents of the steam leaving the low-pressure turbine. (S/B/VW 11.16)
R: 0.358; 0.077.

2. Consider an ideal air-standard Brayton cycle in which the air into the compressor is at 100
kPa, 20°C and flowing at 0.35 kmol/s. The pressure ratio across the compressor is 12:1. The
maximum temperature of the cycle is 1100°C. Assume that cp= 7R/2. Calculate the power
needed to drive the compressor, the turbine power output and the thermal efficiency of
the cycle: (JFE 7-122)
R: -3085 kW; 7110 kW; 0.508

3. A steam power plant operates with a boiler output of 20 kg/s steam at 2 MPa, 600°C. The
condenser operates at 50°C, dumping energy to a river that has an average temperature of
20°C. There is one open feedwater heater with extraction from the turbine at 600 kPa and
its exit is saturated liquid. Find the mass flow rate of the extraction flow. If the river water
should not be heated more than 5°C, how much water should be pumped from the river to
the condenser? (S/B/VW 11.23)
R: 3.00 kg/s; 1934 kg/s.

4. An ideal steam power plant operates with a combined reheat and regenerative cycle. The
net power output is 10 MW. Steam enters the high-pressure turbine at 8000 kPa and 550°C
and expands to 600 kPa, at which point a fraction of the steam is fed to an open feedwater
heater and the remainder is reheated to 550°C. The reheated steam is expanded in the
low-pressure turbine to 10 kPa. In the boiler, heat is supplied at 1000 K and the heat
rejected at the condenser is received by the ambient at 30°C. Determine the thermal
efficiency of this power cycle. (JFE 7-161)
R: 0.442; 5787 kW.

5. The figure shows a binary power cycle. In the primary circuit, steam is generated by heat
produced by a nuclear reactor at 1000ºC. This steam transfers heat to the secondary cycle
in the heat exchanger and returns to the reactor as saturated liquid. In the secondary
circuit, the turbine has isentropic efficiency of 80 per cent and produces a power output of
50 MW. The surroundings are at 20°C. Calculate the thermal efficiency and irreversibility of
the system.
R: 0.294; 78.5 MW. (JFE 7-112)
School of Engineering

Calle 18 No. 118-250 Av. Cañasgordas • A.A. No. 26239 • PBX 321 8200 • www.javerianacali.edu.co
 School of Engineering and Sciences
Thermodynamics
Dr. Jorge Francisco Estela

600 kPa, 850°C 4000 kPa, 500°C

5 3

Reactor, 20°C 7
Secondary circuit
1000°C 4

Primary circuit
Heat exchanger
6
2
Sat. liq., 600 kPa 1 8
30°C
Sat. liq., 10 kPa

6. The figure shows a combined gas turbine and steam turbine cycle. The gas turbine cycle is
operated with air, cp= 7R/2. The combustion chamber serves as a heat source at 1800 K.
The condenser of the steam cycle discharges heat to the surroundings at 300 K. The
exhaust gases of the gas turbine transfer heat to the steam in the steam generator. The
isentropic efficiency of both turbines and the compressor is 90 per cent. The pump of the
steam cycle is isentropic Determine the thermal efficiency for a power output of 100 MW.
R: R: 0.464 kW.

School of Engineering

Calle 18 No. 118-250 Av. Cañasgordas • A.A. No. 26239 • PBX 321 8200 • www.javerianacali.edu.co
 School of Engineering and Sciences
Thermodynamics
Dr. Jorge Francisco Estela

1000 kPa Combustion 1600 K

chamber
2 3

1 100 kPa, 300 K Steam generator 4

5

100 kPa, 670 K 3000 kPa, 500°C

6 7

9 8
Sat. liq. Condenser 10 kPa

School of Engineering

Calle 18 No. 118-250 Av. Cañasgordas • A.A. No. 26239 • PBX 321 8200 • www.javerianacali.edu.co