Vapor Power Cycles

Prof. Osama A. El Masry

Mechanical Engineering Dept.
Alexandria University
 Overview

• Review Steam Properties

• Steam Tables & charts
• Steam Cycles
• Steam Cycle Parameters

Prof. O. El Masry
 Steam Power Cycles

Thermodynamic Cycle
– Work Addition
– Heat Addition
– Work Extraction
– Heat Rejection

Basic Cycle = Carnot Cycle

– Most Efficient Cycle Between Temperature of Heat
Addition and Heat Rejection

Prof. O. El Masry
Carnot Cycle within Steam Dome

TL
 Thermal  1 
TH

Net Work Area= 1-2-3-4

Heat Rejection =Area 4-3-b-a

Prof. O. El Masry
To design a Vapor Power Plant
– Use idealized Carnot cycle as the model;
– consider limitations and redesign the cycle accordingly
Idealized Rankine cycle;
 Practical Problems associated with
Carnot Cycle Plant
 Maximum temperature limitation for cycle (a).

 Isentropic expansion in a turbine from 3-4.

What is the quality of the steam inside the turbine?
Will high moisture content affect the operation of the
turbine?

 Isentropic compression process in a pump from 1-2.

Is it practical to handle two-phase flow (liquid +
vapor) using such one system?
The latter two problems can be resolved by the use
of cycle (b) from previous slide. However, the (b)
cycle requires the compression(1-2)of liquid at a
very high pressure (exceeding 22 MPa for a
steam, how do I get this number from?) and that is
not practical. Also, to maintain a constant
temperature above the critical temperature is also
difficult since the pressure will have to change
continuously.

Prof. O. El Masry
 Modified Rankine Cycle

• To avoid transporting and compressing two-phase fluid,

we can try to condense all fluid exiting from the turbine
into saturated liquid before compressed it by a pump.

• When the saturated vapor enters the turbine, its

temperature and pressure decrease and liquid droplets will
form by condensation.
These droplets can produce significant damages to the
turbine blades due to corrosion and impact.
One possible solution: superheating the vapor.
Also increases the thermal efficiency of the cycle.

Prof. O. El Masry
 T-S Diagram for Water/Steam
1000

900
Critical Point
Constant Temperature
800
During Boiling
Te m p e ra tu re (d e g F )

700

600 Higher Pressure

Saturated Water

500
1000 psia
Boiling
-> Higher Temperature
Saturated Steam
300psia
400

300
Above Critical Point
(~220 bar)
200
-> No Phase
100
Change (No Boiling)
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

Entropy (Btu/lbm/deg R)

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle

• The model cycle for vapor power cycles is the

Rankine cycle which is composed of four
internally reversible processes: constant-pressure
heat addition in a boiler, isentropic expansion in a
turbine, constant-pressure heat rejection in a
condenser, and isentropic compression in a pump.
Steam leaves the condenser as a saturated liquid at
the condenser pressure.

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle

Steam/Water
Properties

Constant Pressure
1’
Heat Addition

Concept of Average
Temperature of
Heat Addition

Prof. O. El Masry
The Simple Ideal Rankine Cycle

© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,1998

Prof. O. El Masry
Simple Rankine Cycle Diagram

LEGEND
AIR, GAS
STEAM
WATER

Prof. O. El Masry
 Ideal Rankine Cycle
• Energy analysis: steady flow process, no generation, neglect KE
and PE changes for all four devices,
• 0 = (net heat transfer in) - (net work out) + (net energy flow in)
• 0 = (qin - qout) - (wout - win) + (hin - hout)

• 1-2: Pump (q=0)

wpump = h2 - h1 = v(P2-P1)
• 2-3: Boiler (w=0) qin = h3 - h2
• 3-4: Turbine (q=0)
wout = h3 - h4
•4-1:Condenser(w=0)
qout = h4 - h1
Thermal efficiency η = wnet = 1 - qout/q in = 1 - (h4-h1)/(h3-h2)
wnet = wout - win/ qin = (h3-h4) - (h2-h1)
Example

Consider the Rankine power

cycle as shown. Steam enters
the turbine as 100% saturated
vapor at 6 MPa and saturated
liquid enters the pump at a
pressure of 0.01 MPa. If the net
power output of the cycle is 50
MW.
Determine
(a) the thermal efficiency,
(b) the mass flow rate of the
system,
(c) the rate of heat transfer into the
boiler,
(d) the mass flow rate of the
cooling water from the
condenser, in kg/s, if the cooling
water enters at 20°C and exits
at 40°C
Solution
• At the inlet of turbine, P3=6MPa, 100% saturated
vapor x3=1, from saturated steam tables,
h3=hg=2784.3(kJ/kg), s3=sg=5.89(kJ/kg K)
• From 3-4, isentropic expansion: s3=s4=5.89 (kJ/kg K)
From tables, P4=P1=0.01MPa, T4=T1=45.8°C
sf4=0.6491, sfg4=7.5019, hf4=191.8, hfg4=2392.8
x4 = (s4-sf4)/sfg4 = (5.89-0.6491)/7.5019 = 0.699
h4 = hf4+x4* hfg4 = 191.8+0.699(2392.8) = 1864.4 (kJ/kg)
Or from h-s chart, h4=1865 (kJ/kg), x4=0.699
Solution (cont.)
• At the inlet of the pump: saturated liquid
h1=hf1=191.8
qout = h4-h1=1672.6(kJ/kg)
• At the outlet of the pump: compressed liquid
v2=v1=vf1=0.00101(m3/kg)
work input to pump Win = h2-h1 = v1 (P2-P1) =
0.001 (6000-10) = 6.05
h2 = h1 + v1 (P2-P1) =191.8 + 6.05 = 197.85
(kJ/kg)
• In the boiler, qin=h3-h2=2784.3-
197.85=2586.5(kJ/kg)
 3 4 1 2

P-t or x 6 MPa 0.01 MPa 0.01 MPa 6 MPa

Dry &sat X=0.699 Sat. liq.
h(kJ/kg) 2784.3 1864.4 191.8 197.85

Prof. O. El Masry
Solution (cont.)
(a)The thermal efficiency η=1-qout/qin
=1-1672.6/2586.5=0.353=35.%

(b) Net power output =50MW=(ms)(Wout-Win)=(ms)((h3-h4)-

(h2-h1))
mass flow rate (ms)=50000/((2784.3- 1864.4 )-(197.85-
191.8))=54.7(kg/s)

(c) heat transfer into the boiler qin = (ms)(h3-

h2)=54.7(2586.5)=141.5(MW)
 Solution (cont.)
(d) Inside the condenser, the cooling water is being
heated from the heat transferred from the
condensing steam.
q cooling water = qout = (ms)(h4-h1)
= 54.7(1672.6) = 91.49 (MW)
(mcw)Cp (Tout - Tin) = q cooling water
C p (water) = 4.18(kJ/kg K)
(mcw) = 91490/(4.177*(40-20)) = 1095.2 (kg/s)
Very large amount of cooling water is needed
Rankine Cycle: Actual Vapor Power Deviation
and Pump and Turbine Irreversibilities
(a) Deviation of actual vapor power cycle from the ideal Rankine cycle.
(b) The effect of pump and turbine irreversibilities on the ideal Rankine cycle.

(Fig. 9-4)

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Efficiency
• The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle can be
increased by increasing the average temperature at
which heat is added to the working fluid and/or by
decreasing the average temperature at which heat is
rejected to the cooling medium.

• The average temperature during heat rejection can

be decreased by lowering the turbine exit pressure.
Consequently, the condenser pressure of most
vapor power plants is well below the atmospheric
pressure.

Prof. O. El Masry
9-3
Effect of Lowering Condenser
Pressure on the Ideal Rankine cycle

(Fig. 9-6)

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Efficiency (cont.)

• The average temperature during heat

addition can be increased by raising the
boiler pressure or by superheating the
fluid to high temperatures. There is a
limit to the degree of superheating,
however, since the fluid temperature is
not allowed to exceed a metallurgically
safe value.

Prof. O. El Masry
Effect of Increasing Boiler Pressure
on the Ideal Rankine cycle

(Fig. 9-8)

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Enhancements
• Superheating decreases the moisture content of the steam at the turbine exit.
• Lowering the exhaust pressure or raising the boiler pressure, however, increases the moisture content.
• For improved efficiencies at higher boiler pressures and lower condenser pressures, steam is usually
reheated after expanding partially in the high-pressure turbine.

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Enhancements

• Steam is extracted after partial expansion in the high-pressure turbine, it is

sent back to the boiler where it is reheated at constant pressure, it is returned
to the low-pressure turbine for complete expansion to the condenser
pressure.

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Enhancements
• The average temperature during the reheat process, and
thus the thermal efficiency of the cycle, can be increased
by increasing the number of expansion and reheat stages.
• As the number of stages is increased, the expansion and
reheat processes approach an isothermal process at
maximum temperature.
• Reheating also decreases the moisture content at the
turbine exit.

Prof. O. El Masry
The Ideal Reheat Rankine Cycle

(Fig. 9-11)

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Enhancements

• Another way of increasing the thermal efficiency

of the Rankine cycle is by regeneration.

• During a regeneration process, liquid water

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

Prof. O. El Masry
Rankine Cycle Enhancements

• Notes

a) The two streams are mixed in open feedwater

heaters, and the mixture leaves as a saturated
liquid at the heater pressure.
b) In closed feedwater heaters, heat is transferred
from the steam to the feedwater without
mixing.

Prof. O. El Masry
Feedwater Heaters
• The purpose for feedwater heaters is to
increase the temperature of the boiler
feedwater to a saturated liquid state prior to
entering the boiler

• Irreversibilities associated with the heat

transfer from the flue gas to the steam can be
reduced by transferring energy at the highest
possible temperature (minimizing the T)

Prof. O. El Masry
Feedwater Heaters
• This temperature would be the saturation
temperature for the boiler pressure
• Minimizing the irreversibilities in the
reheaters can be accomplished by
increasing the feedwater temperatures in
small increments.

Prof. O. El Masry
 Feedwater Heaters
• Introducing several feedwater heaters can reduce the
temperature differences and the irreversibilities
• Counterflow heaters can also reduce temperature
differences and irreversibilities
• Feedwater heaters can have three stages for the
extracted steam:
• a de-superheater (for superheated extraction)
• a condenser
• A drain cooler

Prof. O. El Masry
 Feedwater Heaters
• de-superheater
• condenser
• drain cooler

Prof. O. El Masry
Open Feedwater Heaters

• Steam extracted from the turbine is mixed directly

with the boiler feedwater.
• The boiler feedwater must be pumped to a
pressure slightly less than the pressure of the
extracted steam by a feedwater pump. (If the
feedwater pressure is allowed to exceed the extraction
pressure feedwater could flow into the turbine.)
• One feedwater pump is required for each open
feedwater heater.

Prof. O. El Masry
Open Feedwater Heaters
• Open feedwater heaters are also used as deaerators
because the open feedwater liberates non-condensing
gasses that are vented to the atmosphere

• Each additional feedwater pumps require additional

capital expense and are a source of operational
problems, service problems and noise problems.

• As a result, most feedwater heaters are closed

feedwater heaters

Prof. O. El Masry
Ideal Regenerative Rankine Cycle
with Open Feedwater Heater

(Fig. 9-15)

Prof. O. El Masry
Steam Turbines

Turbines perform the energy conversion in two steps:

Step 1: Thermal energy of the steam to kinetic energy of the

steam

Step 2: Kinetic energy of the steam to mechanical energy of

the rotor

Prof. O. El Masry
12/07/21
THE CONCEPT OF PRODUCING
ELECTERCITY

12/07/21 Prof. O. El Masry

12/07/21