Improved Rankine Cycle

Carnot Cycle
The Carnot cycle is composed of 4 totally reversible processes :

(a) Isothermal heat addition at high temperature (TH).

(b) Isentropic expansion from high temperature to low temperature.
(c) Isothermal heat rejection at low temperature (TL).
(d) Isentropic compression from low temperature to high temperature.

Thermal efficiency of Carnot cycle

Carnot Cycle
• A Carnot gas cycle operating in a given temperature
range is shown in the T-s diagram in Figure.
• One way to carry out the processes of this cycle is
through the use of steady-state, steady-flow devices
as shown in Figure.
• The isentropic expansion process 2-3 and the
isentropic compression process 4-1 can be simulated
quite well by a well-designed turbine and
compressor respectively, but the isothermal
expansion process 1-2 and the isothermal
compression process 3-4 are most difficult to
achieve.
• Because of these difficulties, a steady-flow Carnot
gas cycle is not practical
Carnot Cycle
Carnot Cycle
 Rankine Cycle :
The Ideal Cycle for Vapour Power Cycle

(a) The impracticalities associated with Carnot cycle can be eliminated by

superheating the steam in the boiler and condensing it completely in the
condenser. This cycle that results is the Rankine cycle, which is the ideal cycle for
vapor power plants. The construct of power plant and T-s diagram is shown in
Figures 2.2(a) and (b).

(b) The ideal Rankine cycle dose not involve any internal irreversibilities
 The Rankine cycle consists of the
following four processes :

• 1-2 : Isentropic compression in

pump (compressors)

• 2-3 : Constant pressure heat

addition in boiler

• 3-4 : Isentropic expansion in

turbine

• 4-1 : Constant pressure heat

rejection in a condenser
DEVIATION OF ACTUAL VAPOR POWER CYCLE FROM IDEALIZED ONES
• The actual vapor power cycle differs from the ideal Rankine cycle, as a result of
irreversibilites in various components.

• Fluid friction and heat loss to the surroundings are the two common sources of
irreversibilites.

• Fluid friction causes pressure drop in the boiler, the condenser and the piping between
various components.

• Also the pressure at the turbine inlet is somewhat lower than that at the boiler exit
due to the pressure drop in the connecting pipes.

• To compensate for these pressure drops, the water must be pumped to a sufficiently
higher pressure than the ideal cycle.

• This requires a large pump and larger work input to the pump, are shown in Figures
2.3(a) and (b).

• The other major source of irreversibility is the heat loss from the steam to the
surrounding as the steam flows through various components.
The deviation of actual pumps and turbine from the isentropic ones can be accurately
accounted by isentropic efficiencies, define as :

How can We Increase the Efficiency of the Rankine cycle?

Than Rankine cycle efficiency can be increased by increasing average temperature at

which heat is transferred to the working fluid in the boiler or decreasing the average
temperature at which heat is rejected from the working fluid in the condenser. That is,
the average fluid temperature should be as high as possible during heat addition and as
low as possible during heat rejection.

The three ways by which efficiency of the Rankine cycle can be increased are :
(a) Lowering the condenser pressure (Lowers T).
(b) Superheating the steam to high temperatures (Increases T).
(c) Increasing the boiler pressure (Increases T).
 Lowering the Condenser Pressure

Steam exists as a saturated mixture in the condenser at the saturation temperature

corresponding to the pressure inside the condenser. Therefore, lowering the operating
pressure of the condenser automatically lower the temperature of the steam, and thus the
temperature at which heat is rejected. The effect of lowering the condenser pressure on
the Rankine cycle efficiency is illustrated in below Figure 2.4.
 Superheating the Steam to High Temperatures

The average temperature at which heat is added to the steam can be increased without
increasing the boiler pressure by superheating the steam to high temperatures. The effect
of superheating on the performance of vapor power cycle is illustrated on a T-s diagram as
shown in Figure 2.5.

It decreases the moisture content of the steam at the turbine exit .

 Increasing the Boiler Pressure

The average temperature during the heat addition process is to increase the operating
pressure of the boiler, which automatically raises the temperature at which boiling take
place. This, in turn, raises the average temperature at which heat is added to the steam and
thus raises the thermal efficiency of the cycle.
 THE IDEAL REHEAT RANKINE CYCLE
The efficiency of the Rankine cycle can increase by expanding the steam in the turbine in
two stages, and reheating it in between. Reheating is a practical solution to the excessive
moisture problem in turbines, and it is commonly used in modern steam power plants.
The schematic and T-s diagram of the ideal reheat Rankine cycle is shown in Figures 2.7(a)
and (b).

Thus the total heat input and the total work output for a reheat cycle become :
 THE IDEAL REGENERATIVE RANKINE CYCLE
As shown in Figure 2.8, T-s diagram for the Rankine cycle shows that heat transferred to
the working fluid during process 2 – 2‘ at a relatively low temperature. This lowers the
average heat-addition temperature and thus the cycle efficiency.

To remedy this shortcoming, the temperature of the liquid leaving the pump (called
feedwater) before it enters the boiler need to be increased.

During a regeneration process, liquid water

(feedwater) leaving the pump is heated by
steam bled off the turbine at some intermediate
pressure in devices called feedwater heaters.

There are two type of feedwater Heaters :

(a) Open Feedwater Heater
(b) Closed Feedwater Heater
Open Feedwater Heater

An open (or direct-contact)

feedwater heater is basically a
mixing chamber, where the
steam extracted from the
turbine mixes with the
feedwater exiting the pump.
Ideally, the mixture leaves the
heater as a saturated liquid at
the heater pressure.

The schematic of a steam

power plant with one open
feedwater heater and the T-s
diagram of the cycle are
shown in the Figure 2.9.
Closed Feedwater Heaters

Another type of feedwater

heater used is steam power
plants is the closed feedwater
heater in which heat is
transferred from the extracted
steam to the feedwater
without any mixing taking
place.

The two streams now can be

at different pressure, since
they do not mix.

The schematic of a steam

power plant with one closed
feedwater heater and the T-s
diagram of the cycle are
shown in Figure 2.10