Tutorial Sheet No.

01
Numerical on Rankine Cycles and binary vapor cycle
Date: 08/04/2022
1. A geothermal power plant utilizes steam produced by natural means underground. Steam
wells are drilled to tap this steam supply which is available at 4.5 bar and 175°C. The steam
leaves the turbine at 100 mm Hg absolute pressure. The turbine isentropic efficiency is 0.75.
Calculate the efficiency of the plant. If the unit produces 12.5 MW, what is the steam flow
rate? [25.28%, 29.18 kg/s]
2. A simple steam power cycle uses solar energy for the heat input. Water in the cycle enters
the pump as a saturated liquid at 40°C, and is pumped to 2 bar. It then evaporates in the
boiler at this pressure, and enters the turbine as saturated vapor. At the turbine exhaust the
conditions are 40°C and 10% moisture. The flow rate is 150 kg/h. Determine, (a) the turbine
isentropic efficiency, (b) the net work output (c) the cycle efficiency, and (d) the area of solar
collector needed if the collectors pick up 0.58 kW/ m2. [76.72%, 373.1 kJ/kg, 14.69 %,
182.4 m2 ]
3. In a reheat cycle, the initial steam pressure and the maximum temperature are 150 bar and
550°C respectively. If the condenser pressure is 0.1 bar and the moisture at the condenser
inlet is 5%, and assuming ideal processes, determine (a) the reheat pressure, (b) the cycle
efficiency, and (c) the steam rate. [13.5 bar, 43.6%, 2.05 kg/kW h ]
4. In a nuclear power-plant heat is transferred in the reactor to liquid sodium. The liquid sodium
is then pumped to a heat exchanger where heat is transferred to steam. The steam leaves this
heat exchanger as saturated vapour at 55 bar, and is then superheated in an external gas fired
super heater to 650°C. The steam then enters the turbine, which has one extraction point at 4
bar, where steam flows to an open feed water heater. The turbine efficiency is 75% and the
condenser temperature is 40°C. Determine the heat transfer in the reactor and in the super
heater to produce a power output of 80 MW. [167.046 MW, 75.864 MW]
5. A steam power plant operates on a theoretical reheat Rankine cycle. Steam at 25 bar pressure
and 4000C is supplied to high pressure turbine. After its expansion to the dry state, the steam
is reheated at constant pressure to its original temperature. Subsequent expansion of the
steam occurs in the low pressure turbine to a condenser pressure of 0.04 bar. Considering
feed pump work, calculate; (1) quality of steam at the entry of condenser (2) Thermal
efficiency. [0.945, 37%]
6. Consider a regenerative Rankine cycle utilizing steam as a working fluid. Steam leaves the
boiler and enters to the turbine at 4 MPa, 4000C. After expansion to 400 kPa, some of the
steam is extracted from the turbine for the purpose of heating the feed water in an open feed
water heater. The pressure in the feed water heater is 400 kPa and the water leaving it is
saturated liquid at 400 kPa. The steam not extracted, expands to 10 KPa. Determine the cycle
efficiency. [37.5%]
7. Consider a steam power plant operating on the ideal Rankine Cycle. Steam enters in the
turbine at 3 MPa and 350 0C and is condensed in a condenser at a pressure of 10 kPa.
Determine; (a) Thermal efficiency of the power plant, (b) The thermal efficiency if the steam
is superheated to 600 0C instead of 350 0C, (c) The thermal efficiency if the boiler pressure is
 raised to 15 MPa while the turbine inlet temperature is maintained at 600 0C. Show the cycle
on T-S diagram. [33.4%, 37.3%, 43%]
8. A cyclic steam power plant is designed for a steam temperature at turbine inlet of 360 0C and
an exhaust pressure of 0.08 bar. After isentropic expansion of steam in the turbine, the
moisture content of the turbine exhaust is not exceeded to 15%. Determine the greatest
allowable steam pressure at the turbine inlet, and calculate the Rankine cycle efficiency for
these steam conditions. Estimate also the mean temperature of heat addition. [16.832 bar,
31.68%, 187.51 0C]
9. In a single heater regenerative cycle, the steam enters the turbine at 30 bar, 4000C and the
exhaust pressure is 0.10 bar. The feed water heater is direct contact type which operates at 5
bar. Find; (a) the thermal efficiency and steam rate of the cycle, and (b) the increase in mean
temperature of heat addition, efficiency and steam rate as compared to the Rankine cycle
(without regeneration). Neglect pump work, [ 35.36%, 3.93 kg/kWh, 27.4 0C, 0.47
kg/kWh, 1.18%]
10. Steam at 20 bar pressure and 3500C temperatures is supplied to a turbine where its expansion
takes place to a condenser pressure of 0.04 bar, Calculate the thermal efficiency of the cycle.
It is desired to improve the efficiency by regenerative feed heating by bleeding steam at 2 bar
pressure and heating in open water heater. Calculate the percentage improvement in thermal
efficiency. Neglect the pump work. [34.45%, 36.35%, 5.515%]
11. In a binary vapor power cycle, the steam cycle operates between pressure of 30 bar and 0.07
bar and uses a superheat temperature of 350C. The mercury cycle works between the
pressure of 12.68 bar and 0.07 bar, the mercury vapor entering the turbine being in a dry and
saturated condition. Compute the efficiency of the combined cycle assuming expansion in
both cycles is isentropic. The data for the mercury;
p Saturation hfm hg sfm sg
0
bar Temp C kJ/kg kJ/kg kJ/kgK kJ/kgK
0.07 236.5 32.395 326.667 0.08548 0.662906
12.68 537.5 71.9796 360.704 0.145798 0.50185
[Ans. 57.7%]

12. In a binary vapor cycle, mercury vapor dry and saturated enters the mercury turbine at 10 bar
and exhausts at 0.1 barinto the mercury condenser-steam boiler unit. The steam comes out
from this unit at 40 bar, dry and saturated and expands in the steam turbine to 0.06 bar.
Assuming the efficiency ratio for mercury and steam turbines are 0.75 and 0.80, respectively.
Calculate; (a) amount of mercury circulating per kg of steam, (b) Thermal efficiency of the
cycle, (c) workdone by mercury and steam turbines.
p Saturation hfm hg sfm sg
bar Temp 0C kJ/kg kJ/kg kJ/kgK kJ/kgK
10 515.5 72.105 362.406 0.14755 0.5158
0.10 249.6 34.485 332.975 0.089 0.6604
[Ans. 10.575 kg/kg of steam, 45.44%, 822.49 kJ/kg of steam, 733.20 kg/kg of steam]

Submission Date: 18/04/2022