Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME 322 – Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics

Lecture 24

Power Generation Cycles

Vapor Power Generation
Standard Rankine Cycle
 Power Generation Cycles
• Vapor Power Generation Cycles
– Working fluid experiences a phase change
– Example: Steam Power Plant
• Gas Power Generation Cycles
– Working fluid stays in the vapor or gas phase
– Example: Gas Turbine Engine
• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Cycles
– The working fluid is air in a closed piston-cylinder
– Example: Spark ignition ICE
– Example: Compression ignition ICE

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 A Simple Vapor Power Plant

In ME 322, we are concerned

with subsystem A

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 The Rankine Cycle - Components

(Heat Exchanger)

(Heat Exchanger)

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 The Rankine Cycle – A Heat Engine
(Heat Source)

TH
TH
Wnet  Wcycle

TL

TL

(Heat Sink)

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 Component Analysis
Turbine
Wt  m  h1  h 2 

Condenser
Q out  m  h 2  h3 
Q out  mw  h 6  h5 
Q out  mwc p T 6  T5 
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Boiler
 w
Q in  m  h1  h 4  5

Pump
Wp  m  h 4  h3 

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 Performance Parameters
Thermal Efficiency
energy sought Wt  Wp m  h1  h 2   m  h 4  h3   h1  h 2    h 4  h3 
th    
energy that costs $$ Qin m  h1  h 4   h1  h4 
Heat Rate

HR 
energy input to the cycle (Btu)

Qin [Btu/hr]


h1  h4 [Btu/hr] 
net work output (kW-hr) Wt  Wp  kW  h1  h2  h4  h3  kW
   
Back Work Ratio

bwr 
pump work required

Wp m h 4  h3
 

h 4  h3   
turbine work delivered Wt m h1  h 2 
h1  h 2   

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 Department of Mechanical Engineering
ME 322 – Mechanical Engineering
Thermodynamics

Vapor Power Generation

The Ideal Rankine Cycle

 The Ideal Rankine Cycle
• 1-2: Isentropic expansion through
the turbine from a saturated (or
superheated) vapor state to the
condenser pressure

• 2-3: Heat transfer from the steam

at constant pressure through the
condenser to a saturated liquid

• 3-4: Isentropic process through

The ideal Rankine Cycle is the pump to the boiler pressure
internally reversible
- No friction effects • 4-1: Heat transfer to the steam at
constant pressure through the
Turbine and pump are boiler to complete the cycle
reversible and adiabatic
- Isentropic

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 The Ideal Rankine Cycle
PH

Boiler pressure

PL

Condenser pressure

The ideal cycle also includes the possibility

of superheating the saturated vapor

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 Department of Mechanical Engineering
ME 322 – Mechanical Engineering
Thermodynamics

Example

Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat

 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
Given: An ideal Rankine Cycle with water as the working
fluid with known properties as shown below.
P1  1600 psia
T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr Find:
(a) The net power
developed (Btu/hr)
P2  1 psia (b) The thermal efficiency
T6  80F (c) The heat rate
(d) The back work ratio
T5  60F (e) The mass flow rate of
the cooling water

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

P2  1 psia

T6  80F

T5  60F

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
The net power delivered from the T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

cycle is,
Wnet  Wt  Wp P2  1 psia

T6  80F

The First Law applied to the turbine T5  60F

Wt  m  h1  h 2 

The enthalpy at the exit of the turbine can be found because

the turbine is isentropic,

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
The First Law applied to the pump, T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

Wp  m  h 4  h3 
P2  1 psia

T6  80F

T5  60F

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
The thermal efficiency of the cycle is, T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

Wnet
th 
Qin P2  1 psia

T6  80F

T5  60F

The heat transfer rate at the boiler is

determined from the First Law,

Q in  m  h1  h 4 

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
The heat rate and back work ratio T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

are defined as,

Qin [Btu/hr] Wp
HR  bwr  P2  1 psia

Wnet  kW  Wt T6  80F

T5  60F

To determine the mass flow rate of the cooling water, draw a

system boundary around the condenser that keeps the heat
transfer all internal.

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
For the system identified (red), T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

mh 2  mw h5  mh3  mw h 6  0
m  h 2  h3   mw  h 6  h5 
P2  1 psia

T6  80F

m  h 2  h3   mwc p T6  T5  T5  60F

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
P1  1600 psia
EES Solution (Key Variables): T1  1100F
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr

P2  1 psia

T6  80F

T5  60F

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 Ideal Rankine Cycle with Superheat
Results: P1  1600 psia 891.2  6.7  MBtu/hr  0.429
T1  1100F th 
m  1.4  106 lbm/hr 2063 M/Btuhr

= 891.2 MBtu/hr
(350,257 hp)
P2  1 psia
2063 MBtu/hr =
T6  80F
= 1178 MBtu/hr
T5  60F
2063 MBtu/hr 3412 Btu/hr
HR 
891.2  6.7  MBtu/hr kW
Btu 6.7 MBtu/hr
HR  7958
kW-hr bwr   0.0075
891.2 MBtu/hr
= 6.7 MBtu/hr

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