26-Oct-21

Air Standard Cycles for Gas Turbine

Engines

Analysis of Gas Turbine Engine

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Compressor

• Involve work inputs: requires energy transfer by work to run them

• Heat transfer from compressor is usually negligible ( ̇ = )
• Potential energy changes are negligible (∆PE=0)
• Kinetic energy changes are negligible (∆KE=0)
• SFEE:

̇ = ̇ − = ̇ −

Note: In compressor enthalpy of fluid increases

Turbine

• Provides work output (Power)

• Heat transfer from turbine is usually negligible ( ̇ = )
• Potential energy changes are negligible (∆PE=0)
• Kinetic energy changes are negligible (∆KE=0)
• SFEE:

̇ = ̇ − = ̇ −

Note: In turbine enthalpy of fluid decreases

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Heat Exchanger

• Heat addition or heat rejection

• Work transfer is usually negligible ( ̇ = )
• Potential energy changes are negligible (∆PE=0)
• Kinetic energy changes are negligible (∆KE=0)
• SFEE:
a) Heat addition
Enthalpy
̇ = ̇ − = ̇ − increases

a) Heat rejection
̇ Enthalpy
= ̇ − = ̇ − decreases

Air-Standard Brayton Cycle: Thermal Efficiency

=
, = − ( )⁄ = ℎ

Pressure ratio (rp): ratio of the pressure after and before the compression process

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Back Work Ratio

• The ratio of the compressor work to the turbine work

• For the gas turbine power plant, the back work ratio is very high (0.4 to 0.6). Therefore
larger turbines are required to produce the required power. Therefore, the turbines used
in gas-turbine power plants are larger than those used in steam power plants of the same
net power output. (back power ratio for steam power plant is very low, around 0.01-0.02)

Question
How does the thermal efficiency of an ideal Brayton cycle change with the
pressure ratio and the specific heat ratio?

, = − ( )⁄

Answer
• On increasing the pressure ratio (rp), thermal
efficiency increases.
• On increasing the specific heat ratio (k), thermal
efficiency increases.

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Question
The highest temperature in the cycle occurs at the end of the combustion
process (state 3), and it is limited by the maximum temperature that the
turbine blades can withstand. For fixed maximum and minimum
temperatures (T3 & T1), what is the effect of the pressure ratio on the net
work output of a simple ideal Brayton cycle?

Answer
• The net work output per cycle increases with
the pressure ratio, reaches a maximum, and
then starts to decrease.

Note
• In most common designs, the pressure ratio of gas turbines ranges from
about 11 to 16.

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Note
• If the gas turbine engine is run at higher pressure ratio, thermal efficiency
would be higher but, net work output (per unit mass) would be lower. Now,
to maintain same power output, a larger mass flow rate (thus a larger
system) is needed which may not be economical.

Question
Why the back work ratio (or compressor power) is so high in the gas turbine
engines?

Answer
=−

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Question

If the gas turbine engines have very high back work ratio. Then, why gas
turbine engines are used? Especially to power aircraft?

Answer
• Gas turbine engines have high power-to-weight ratio (they are light and
compact)
• It also has long life, less vibration and more convenient operation.

Question
Name few companies who manufacture gas turbine engines for power plant
and for aviation

Answer
• General Electric (GE)
• Siemens
• Rolls-Royce

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Question

Why aren’t jet engines of airliners fitted with screens to avoid birds being
pulled into the intake?

Answer
• Screen could disrupt the air
flow into the engine. Ice could
be formed over the screen at
the low temperatures at higher
altitude. This would disrupt
airflow.

Problem
Consider an air-standard Brayton cycle in which the air enters into the compressor at 100 kPa, 20°C. The pressure
ratio across the compressor is 12:1. The maximum temperature in the cycle is 1100°C, and the air flow rate is 10
kg/s. Assume constant specific heat for the air. Determine:
a) Temperature of air at the exit of compressor
b) Temperature of air at the exit of turbine
c) Compressor work
d) Turbine work
e) Work done in both the heat exchangers
f) Net work done
g) Back work ratio
h) Heat transfer in constant pressure heat addition process
i) Heat transfer in constant pressure heat rejection process
j) Heat transfer in compressor
k) Heat transfer in turbine
l) Net heat transfer
m) Show that: net heat transfer = net work transfer
n) Thermal efficiency of the cycle.

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Problem
A large stationary Brayton cycle gas-turbine power plant delivers a power output of
100 MW to an electric generator. The minimum temperature in the cycle is 300 K,
and the maximum temperature is 1600 K. The minimum pressure in the cycle is 100
kPa, and the compressor pressure ratio is 14 to 1. Calculate the power output of the
turbine. What fraction of the turbine output is required to drive the compressor (i.e.
back work ratio)? How much head addition is done? What is the thermal efficiency
of the cycle? Ans:
• BWR=0.399
• qin=965.7 kJ/kg
• ηth=0.53
For air (at room temperature)

= .

= .

− = = .
= .

Problem
A gas-turbine power plant operates on a
modified Brayton cycle shown in the
figure with an overall pressure ratio of 8.
Air enters the compressor at 0 °C and
100 kPa. The maximum cycle
temperature is 1500 K. The compressor
and the turbines are isentropic. The high
pressure turbine develops just enough
power to run the compressor.
a) Sketch the P-v and T-s diagram for
the cycle.
b) Determine the temperature and
pressure at state 4, the exit of the
high pressure turbine.
c) If the net power output is 200 MW, Ans.
determine mass flow rate of the air (b) 1278.5 K, 457.3 kPa (c) 441.8 kg/s
into the compressor, in kg/s.

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Brayton Cycle with Regeneration

• Regeneration improves the thermal efficiency.

…..Brayton Cycle with Regeneration

• Effectiveness of the regenerator

• Thermal efficiency of the cycle

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Problem
A gas turbine for an automobile is designed with a regenerator. Air enters the compressor of this engine at
100 kPa and 30 °C. The compressor pressure ratio is 8; the maximum cycle temperature is 800 °C; and the cold
air stream leaves the regenerator 10 °C cooler than the hot air stream at the inlet of the regenerator.
Assuming both the compressor and the turbine to be isentropic, determine:
a) Temperature at the exit of compressor
b) Temperature at the exit of turbine
c) Temperature of cold air stream before entering the combustion chamber
d) Temperature of hot air stream (the air which is loosing heat) at the exit of regenerator
e) Effectiveness of regenerator
f) If the net work output is 115 kW, calculate mass flow rate of air
g) Amount of heat exchanged in the regenerator
h) Heat added in combustion chamber
i) Exhaust Heat rejected
j) Thermal efficiency
k) Thermal efficiency without regenerator

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