EXAMPLES:

1. In a geothermal power plant, the enthalpies of the ground water and

kJ kJ
the turbine inlet are 1500 kg and 3500 kg , respectively. If the enthalpy
kJ
of the hot water in the flash tank is 700 kg and the mass flow rate of
kg
steam is 15 s , what is the mass flow rate of ground water.

3, saturated steam

2 4
ms=15 kg/s

mg

1
6, sat. liquid

Given:
kJ
Enthalpy of ground water, h1 = 1500 kg
kJ
Enthalpy of steam entering turbine, h3 = 3500 kg
kJ
Enthalpy of the not water in the flash tank, h6 = 700 kg
Solution:
1-2: Throttling process (h=constant)
h1 = h2 = hf2 + x2 hfg2
h2 = hf2 + x2 (hg2 – hf2)
1500 = 700 + x2 (3500 – 700)
x2 = 0.2857 or 28.57%
mass flow rate of steam entering the turbine, ms = x2 mg
ms = x 2 mg
15 = 0.2857 (m g)
 kg
mg= 52.50 s

2. The turbine power of a geothermal power plant is 2 MW and the

kJ
enthalpy at the inlet of the turbine is 2500 kg . Steam flows at a rate of
kg kJ
2.5 s . If the enthalpy at the outlet of the condenser is 300 kg and the
temperature rise is 10 oC, what is the volume flow rate of the cooling
water?

s3 = s4
3

5
Given:
kJ
Enthalpy of steam entering turbine, h3 = 3500 kg
kJ
Enthalpy of condensate, h5 = 300 kg
Turbine power output, Wt = 2 MW or 2000 kW
kg
Mass flow rate of steam entering turbine, ms= 2.50 s
Rise of cooling water temperature in the condenser, ∆T= 10 K or 10 oC
kJ
Specific heat of water, cp = 4.187 kg−K
Solution:

Wt = ms (h3 – h4)
2000 = 2.50 (2500 – h4)
kJ
h4 = 1700 kg

Quantity of Cooling Water Required in the Condenser:

Heat Balance: Condenser
Heat from Exhaust Steam = Heat to Cooling Water
ms (h4 – h5) = mH2O cp ∆T
2.50 (1700 – 300) = mH2O (4.187) (10)
kg
mass flow rate of cooling water, mH2O = 83.59 s

Therefore, the volumetric flow rate of cooling water in condenser,

mH 2 O 83.59 m
3 3
m
VH2O = ρ = 1000 = 0.08359 or 300.93
H 2O s hr
 3. In a geothermal power plant, the mass flow rate of ground water is 400
kg/s and the quality of wet vapor after throttling is 20%. If the turbine
power is 80 MW, what is the change in enthalpy of steam at the inlet
and outlet of the turbine?

3
4

Ground water, state 1,

6
mg= 400 kg/s

Given:
kg
Mass flow rate of ground water, mg= 400 s
Quality of wet vapor after the throttling process, x2= 20%
Turbine power output, Wt= 80 MW or 80,000 kW

Solution:
kg
Mass flow rate of steam, ms = x2 mg = 0.20 (400) = 80 s
Wt = ms (h3 – h4); 80,000 =80 (h3 – h4)
kJ
(h3 – h4) = 1000 kg
kJ
Therefore, ∆h3-4 = (h4 – h3) = - 1000 kg ---decreased in enthalpy
4. A geothermal plant draws hot pressurized water from a well at 20 MPa
and 300 oC. To produce a steam-water mixture in the separator where
the unflashed water is removed, this water is throttled to a pressure of
1.50 MPa. The flashed steam which is dry and saturated passes through
a steam collector and enters the turbine at 1.50 MPa and expands to 1
atmosphere. The turbine efficiency is 85% at a rated power output of 10
MW. Calculate: (a) the ground water flow rate in kg/hr required for
continuous operation, and (b) the overall plant efficiency.

2
4

1
Given:
Pressure of hot pressurized water, P1= 20 MPa
Temperature of hot pressurized water, t1= 300 oC
Pressure of wet vapor leaving the throttling valve, P2= 1.50 MPa
Pressure of saturated steam entering the turbine, P3= 1.50 MPa
Pressure of exhaust steam in the turbine, P4= 101.325 kPa

Solution:

(a) the ground water flow rate in kg/hr required for continuous operation,
kJ
h3 = hg3 at 1.50 MPa = 2792.2 kg
kJ
s3 = sg3 at 1.50 MPa = 6.4448 kg−K
kJ
s4 = s3= 6.4448 kg−K
s4 = sf4 + x4 sfg4
6.4448 = 1.3069 + x4 (6.0480)
x4 = 0.8495 or 84.95%
kJ
h4 = hf4 + x4 hfg4 = 419.04 + (0.8495) (2257) = 2336.36 kg

Let ms = mass flow rate of steam entering the turbine

Wt = ms (h3 – h4) Ƞt
10,000 = ms (2792.2 – 2336.36) (0.85)
kg kg
ms= 25.81 s or 92,911.86 hr

From compressed liquid tables, Table 4:

At P1= 20 MPa and t1= 300 oC,
kJ
h1= 1333.3 kg

h1 = h2 = hf2 + x2 (hfg2)
1333.3 = 844.89 + x2 (1947.3)
x2 = 0.2508 or 25.08%

Let mg = mass flow rate of ground water

m s= x 2 mg
 92,911.86 = (0.2508) (mg)
kg
mg = 370,461.96 hr

Wk 10,000
Output
(b) Overall Plant Efficiency, ek= Input = m h = 25.81
(1333 .3) x 100 = 7.288%
g 1
0.2508