Vapor Power Systems

Power plants work on a cycle that produces net work

from a fossil fuel (natural gas, oil, coal) nuclear, or solar
input.

For Vapor power plants the working fluid, typically

water, is alternately vaporized and condensed.

Consider the following Simple Vapor Power Plant

Consider subsystem A, each unit of mass periodically

undergoes a thermodynamic cycle as the working fluid
circulates through the four interconnected components
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For the purpose of analyzing the performance of the
system, the following cycle describes the basic system

Consider each process separately applying conservation

of energy

For steady-state, neglecting KE and PE effects,

conservation of energy applied to a CV yields

1 dE Q& CV W& CV
= − + (hin − hout ) + 1 / 2(Vin2 − Vout
2
) + g ( z in − z out )
m& dt m& m&

Q& CV W& CV
0= − + (hin − hout )
m& m&

156
1Æ2 Turbine (adiabatic expansion)

Q& W& out

0= − + ( h1 − h2 ) 1
m& m& W& out (+ )
W& out
wout = = (h1 − h2 ) 2
m&

2Æ3 Condenser (no work)

2

− Q& out W& Q& out (−)

0= − + (h2 − h3 )
m& m&

Q& out
qout = = ( h2 − h3 ) 3
m&

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3Æ4 Pump (Adiabatic)

Q& − W& in 4
0= − + (h3 − h4 )
m& m& 3

W& in W& in (−)

win = = (h4 − h3 )
m&

4Æ1 Steam Generator (no work)

1
Q& in W& Q& in (+)
0= − + (h4 − h1 )
m& m&

Q& in
qin = = (h1 − h4 ) 4
m&

Rankine Cycle Thermal Efficiency

net work out (W& out / m& ) − (W& in / m& ) wout − win
η = = =
heat input &
Qin / m& qin

(h1 − h2 ) − (h4 − h3 )
η Rankine =
h1 − h4

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Back Work Ratio (bwr)

work input (pump) W& in / m& w

bwr = = = in
work output (turbine) W& out / m& wout

h4 − h3
bwr =
h1 − h2

Ideal Rankine Cycle - no irreversibilities present in any

of the processes: no fluid friction so no pressure drop, and
no heat loss to surroundings

1. Steam generation occurs at constant pressure 4Æ1

2. Isentropic expansion in the turbine 1Æ2
3. Condensation occurs at constant pressure 2Æ3
4. Isentropic compression in the pump 3Æ4
Pboiler

With superheating

Pcondenser

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Note: For an ideal cycle no irreversibilities present so the
pump work can be evaluated by

⎛ W& p ⎞ 4
⎜ ⎟ = − ∫ vdP
⎜ m& ⎟ int
⎝ ⎠ rev 3

if the working fluid entering the pump at state 3 is pure

liquid, then
⎛ W& p ⎞
⎟ = ∫ vdP = v3 ( P4 − P3 )
4
win = ⎜⎜ ⎟
⎝ m& ⎠ int 3
rev

The negative sign has been dropped to be consistent with

previous use of win

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Factors Affecting Cycle Efficiency

wout − win qin − qout q

η = = = 1 − out
qin qin qin

Recall: for a reversible heat addition process q = ∫ Tds

Consider qin at the boiler and qout at the condenser

T 1
qin 1
Tin qin = q 4→1 = ∫ Tds
4
4
= shaded area

Define mean temperature for process 4 Æ 1

1
∫ Tds
Tin = 4
s1 − s 4

∴ qin = ∫ Tds = Tin ∫ ds = Tin (s1 − s 4 )

1 1

4 4

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 3
T qout = q 2→3 = ∫ Tds
2

3
qout
2
= Tout (s 2 − s3 )
Tout
= shaded area

Noting s 2 − s3 = s1 − s 4 , the Ideal Rankine cycle thermal

efficiency is

qout T (s − s ) T
η Ideal = 1− = 1 − out 2 3 = 1 − out
Rankine qin Tin ( s1 − s 4 ) Tin

Note: this is identical to the Carnot Engine efficiency

which is also a reversible cycle

The back work ratio is

win v3 ( P4 − P3 )
bwrIdeal = =
Rankine wout (h1 − h2 s )

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Increase Rankine Cycle Efficiency

Tout
η Ideal = 1−
Rankine Tin

Cycle efficiency can be improved by either:

- increasing the average temperature during heat
addition (Tin )
- decreasing the condenser temperature (Tout)

Increase the amount of superheat (4Æ1’)

’
1

2 ’

Amount of superheating is limited by metallurgical

considerations of the turbine (T1 < 670C)
Added benefit is that the quality of the steam at the
turbine exit is higher

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Increase boiler pressure (4 Æ 1’)

Disadvantages:

- Requires more robust equipment

- Vapor quality at 2’ lower than at 2

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Decrease Condenser Pressure (2’ Æ 3’)

’
’
’

Tout is limited to the temperature of the cooling medium

(e.g., lake at 15C need 10C temperature difference for
heat transfer so Tout >25C)

Disadvantages:

- Note: for water Psat(25C)= 3.2 kPa lower than

atmospheric, possible air leakage into lines

- Vapor quality lower at lower pressure not good for

turbine

165
The most common method to increase the cycle thermal
efficiency is to use a two-stage turbine and reheat the
steam in the boiler after the first stage

net work out wout − win (w1→ 2 + w3→ 4 ) − w5→6

η = = =
heat input qin (q6→1 + q2→3 )

(h1 − h2 ) + (h3 − h4 ) − (h6 − h5 )

η Rankine =
w / reheat (h1 − h6 ) + (h3 − h2 )

166