Steam power Plants

(Rankine Cycle)

Previous
Cycle (thermodynamic cycle) is a sequence of processes that begins
and ends at the same state.
A power cycle (or a heat engine) is an installation with a working fluid,
that experiments a thermodynamic cycle, and it produces work as a
consequence of the heat exchanged by the working fluid.
Working fluid is the substance that makes the cycle passing through
the different devices of the installation.
(Steam=vapor water)

Contents

Introduction
Rankine cycle
Principal Work and Heat Transfers. Thermal efficiency
How to improve thermal efficiency of Rankine cycle?
Modifications of Rankine cycle:
Reheat
Regenerative steam power cycle

Introduction
Steam power plants are the most conventional source
of electric power. These power plants are variations of
a thermodynamic cycle in which water is the working
fluid. In this kind of cycle the water is in liquid phase
in a part of the cycle and it is in vapor phase in another
one.
On the other hand, steam turbine are the responsible
of more than 70% of power electricity generated in the
world. They are present in many types of power plants,
such as nuclear plants, conventional thermal plants,
combined cycles, biomass plants and solar power
plants.

Introduction

Introduction
In this figure we have an schematic draw of a very simplified steam
power plant. (Source: Moran Shapiro)

Rankine cycle
T-s diagram for Rankine cycle
Diagrama T-s pel cicle de Rankine ideal
T

1
Qcaldera

4
3

2
Qcondensador

s3 = s4

s1 = s2

1-2 Isentropic expansion in the turbine from

state 1 to the condenser pressure (2) (W>0)
2-3 Heat transfer from the vapor at constant
pressure from state 2 to state 3, in the
condenser (state 3: saturated liquid).
3-4 Isentropic compression in the pump to state
4 (state 4 compressed liquid region) (W<0)
4-1 Heat transfer to the working fluid as it flows
at constant pressure through the boiler to
complete the cycle.

Principal work and heat transfers

Considering that all these devices operates at steady state and the variations of
kinetic and potencial energy can be neglected
1) Turbine
w turbine

= h1 h 2

W&t = m& wt = m& (h1 h2 )

m is the mass flow rate.

2) Condenser

cond

= h

Q& condenser = m& qcondenser ( 23) = m& ( h2 h3 )

3) Pump
wbomba = h4 h3

W&b = m& wb = m& (h3 h4 )

4) Boiler
q boiler

= h1 h 4

Q& boiler = m& qboiler ( 4 1)

Thermal efficiency
Thermal efficiency:

wturb w pump
wnet
=
=
qboyler
qboyler
Thermal efficiency can be also written as an alternative form :

T c ( s1 s 4 )
Tc
=1
= 1
T m ( s1 s 4 )
Tm
Tm (average heat-addition temperature)
Tc (temperature at which condenser operates)

Diagrama T-s pel cicle de Rankine ideal

T

1
Qcaldera

Tm

4
3

2
Qcondensador

s3 = s4

s1 = s2

How to improve thermal efficiency

Tc
= 1
Tm
The thermal efficiency of a Rankine cycle improve when:
-Temperature of the condenser decreases:
This implies:
the decrease of the condenser pressure
- The average temperature of heat absorption increases:
This implies:
the increase of the boiler pressure
the increase the turbine inlet temperature

Effect of the decrease of the condenser pressure

Efecte de la pressi del condensador

T
1

Tm
4'
3'

s 3 ' = s 4'

4
3

2
2'

s3 = s4
s 1 = s 2 = s2'

Problems
Decreases the quality at the exit of the turbine (X2<x2). The presence of
more than 10% liquid water (quality 90%) can cause erosion of the blades.
Air leaks in the condenser (if the condenser pressure decreases a lot)

Effect of the increase of the boiler pressure

Efecte de la pressi de la caldera

T
1
1'

Tm'
Tm

4'
4
3

s 3 = s 4 = s 4'

2'

s 1' = s 2'

s1 = s2

Problems
Decreases the quality at the exit of the turbine (Quality 90%)
Nowadays the maximum boiler pressure achieved is 30 MPa (>22,1 MPa)

supercritical cycle

Effect of the increase of the turbine inlet temperature

Efecte de la temperatura del vapor viu
T

1'
1
Tm'
Tm
4

s 3 = s 4 = s 4'

2'

s 1 = s 2 s 1' = s 2'

Maximum temperature of the turbine inlet is 620C

Exercises
1.- A Rankine cycle has steam entering the turbine at 30 bar and 400C,
and a condenser pressure of 0,05 bar. Turbine and pump are
considered isentropic (adiabatic and reversible process). Determine:
a) the net work of the cycle; b) the heat added to the cycle; c)
thermal efficiency of the cycle. (source: M. J. Moran and H.N.
Shapiro, Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, 2nd
Edition (1992) John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (USA)).
2.- Solve Prob.1 adding an isentropic turbine efficiency of 90%.
3.- Make a MATLAB program to study the improvement of the thermal
efficiency of vapor power plants with the boiler pressure
4.- Make a MATLAB program to study the improvement of the thermal
efficiency of vapor power plants with the turbine inlet temperature.
5.- Make a MATLAB program to study the improvement of the thermal
efficiency of vapor power plants with the decrease of the
condenser pressure.

clear;
% Prob. 1 Ideal Rankine Cycle
P1=30; % pressure bar
T1=400; % temperature Celsius
P2=0.05; % bar
% Previously we calculate thermodynamical properties in diff.
states
h1=XSteam('h_pT',P1,T1)
s1=XSteam('s_pT',P1,T1)
s2=s1
% Detemine in which state is water
sl=XSteam('sL_p',P2)
sg=XSteam('sV_p',P2)

if s2<=sg
x2=(s2-sl)/(sg-sl);
disp ('liquid-vapor mixture:')
disp ('x2=')
disp (x2)
h2=XSteam('hL_p',P2)+x2*(XSteam('hV_p',P2)XSteam('hL_p',P2))
else
disp ('superheated vapor')
h2=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s2)
end
Prob. 1 cont.

h3=XSteam('hL_p',P2)
s3=XSteam('sL_p',P2)
s4=s3;
h4=XSteam('h_ps',P1,s4)
% a) the net work of the cycle
W_turb=h1-h2
W_pump=h4-h3
w_net=W_turb-W_pump
% b) The heat added to the cycle
Q_add=h1-h4
%c) Thermal efficiency
Eff=w_net/Q_add
Prob. 1 cont.

fprintf('Solutions: \n')
fprintf('a)net work: %6.3fkJ/kg \n',w_net)
fprintf('b)Heat added: %6.3fkJ/kg \n',Q_add)
fprintf('c)Thermal efficiency: %6.3f \n',Eff)

% Prob. 2 Ideal Rankine Cycle with isentropic turbine

efficiency
P1=30; % pressure bar
T1=400; % temperature Celsius
P2=0.05; % bar
IST=0.9;
% Previously we calculate thermodynamical properties in
diff. states
h1=XSteam('h_pT',P1,T1)
s1=XSteam('s_pT',P1,T1)
s2s=s1
% Determine in which state is water in 2s
sl=XSteam('sL_p',P2)
sg=XSteam('sV_p',P2)

if s2s<=sg
x2s=(s2s-sl)/(sg-sl);
disp ('liquid-vapor mixture:')
disp ('x2s=')
disp (x2s)
h2s=XSteam('h_px',P2,x2s)
else
disp ('superheated vapor')
h2s=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s2s)
end
W_s=h1-h2s
% IST=W_12/W_s
fun=@(x)IST-(h1-x)/(h1-h2s)
h2=fsolve(fun,1000)
%Detemine in which state is water in 2
hl=XSteam('hL_p',P2)
hg=XSteam('hV_p',P2)

if h2<=hg
x2=(h2-hl)/(hg-hl);
disp ('liquid-vapor mixture:')
disp ('x2=')
disp (x2)
s2=XSteam('sL_p',P2)+x2*(XSteam('sV_p',P2)-XSteam('sL_p',P2))
else
disp ('superheated vapor')
s2=XSteam('s_ph',P2,h2)
end
h3=XSteam('hL_p',P2)
s3=XSteam('sL_p',P2)
s4=s3;
h4=XSteam('h_ps',P1,s4)

% a) the net work of the cycle

W_turb=h1-h2
W_pump=h4-h3
w_net=W_turb-W_pump
% b) The heat added to the cycle
Q_add=h1-h4
%c) Thermal efficiency
Eff=w_net/Q_add
fprintf('Solutions: \n')
fprintf('a)net work: %6.3fkJ/kg\n',w_net)
fprintf('b)Heat added: %6.3fkJ/kg\n',Q_add)
fprintf('c)Thermal efficiency: %6.3f\n',Eff)

function [ eff ] = Rankine_efficiency( P1 )

%UNTITLED Summary of this function goes here
% Detailed explanation goes here
% Isentropic turbine efficiency =1
% P1 Pressure inlet turbine bar
T1=400; % Temperature inlet turbine ?C
P2=0.05; % pressure discharged turbine
h1=XSteam('h_pT',P1,T1);
s1=XSteam('s_pT',P1,T1);
s2=s1;
h2=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s2);
h3=XSteam('hL_p',P2);
s3=XSteam('sL_p',P2);
s4=s3;
h4=XSteam('h_ps',P1,s3);
w_net=h1-h2+h4-h3;
h_abs=h1-h4;
eff=w_net/h_abs
end

Prob.3

clear
hold off;
vp=linspace(80,130,20)
for i=1:length(vp)
vr(i)=rendiment_rankine2(vp(i))
end
plot(vp,vr,'o-');
title Thermal efficiency vs. boiler pressure (bar)'
xlabel('P1 (bar)')
ylabel('\eta')

Plot Prob. 3
Thermal efficiency vs. boiler pressure (bar)
0.425

0.42

0.415

0.41

0.405

0.4
80

85

90

95

100

105
110
P1 (bar)

115

120

125

130

Modifications of the ideal Rankine cycle

a) Reheat
Objetive
Increase the quality at the exit of the turbine(and improve )
The steam expands through the turbine in two stages: high pressure turbine and
low pressure turbine. Steam, after its expansion from high pressure turbine, is
sent again to the boiler and heated at constant pressure to the initial turbine inlet
temperature. It is then left to expand in low pressure turbine to condenser
pressure.
Cicle ideal amb reescalfament(i)
T

Tmr i
2

Tm

6
5

s5 = s6

Source: Moran-Shapiro

W and Qabs

s1 = s2

s3 = s4 s

Supercritical cycle with reheat

Reheat allows to operate with higher pressures in the boiler
avoiding the low quality at the exit of the turbine.

Excercise
Water is the working fluid in a vapor power cycle with reheat.
Steam at 80 bar, 480C enters the first-stage turbine and
expands to 24 bar. Then, it is reheated to 480C before
entering the second turbine stage, where it expands to the
condenser pressure of 0.08 bar. The mass flow rate of steam is
73 kg/s. Each turbine stage operates with an isentropic
efficiency of 88%. The pump operates with an isentropic
efficiency of 92%. Determine for the cycle:
a) The net power developed, in kW
b) The thermal efficiency
c) the rate of heat transfer to cooling water passing to the
condenser, in kW

clear;
% Prob. 8 Reheat
P1=80; % bar
T1=480; %C
P2=24; % bar
P3=P2;
T3=480; % C
P4=0.08; % bar
m=73; % kg/s
RIT=0.88; % isentropic efficiency for each turbine stage
RITP=0.92; % isentropic pump efficiency
% Determination of thermodynamic properties of each state of cycle
h1=XSteam('h_pT',P1,T1);
s1=XSteam('s_pT',P1,T1);
s2s=s1;
% Detemine in which state is water at 2s state
sl=XSteam('sL_p',P2)
sg=XSteam('sV_p',P2)
if s2s<=sg
x2s=(s2s-sl)/(sg-sl)
disp ('liquid-vapor mixture:')
disp ('x2s=')
disp (x2s)
h2s=XSteam('h_px',P2,x2s)
disp ('superheated vapor')
h2s=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s2s);
end

W_12s=h1-h2s; % in kJ/kg
W_12=RIT*W_12s % actual work first-stage turbine
h2=h1-W_12;
s2=XSteam('s_ph',P2,h2);
h3=XSteam('h_pT',P3,T3);
s3=XSteam('s_pT',P3,T3);
s4s=s3
% Detemine in which state is water at 4s state
sl=XSteam('sL_p',P4)
sg=XSteam('sV_p',P4)
if s4s<=sg
x4s=(s4s-sl)/(sg-sl);
disp ('liquid-vapor mixture:')
disp ('x4s=')
disp (x4s)
h4s=XSteam('h_px',P4,x4s);
else
disp ('superheated vapor')
h4s=XSteam('h_ps',P4,s4s)
end

W_34s=h3-h4s;
W_34=RIT*W_34s % actual work second-stage turbine
h4=h3-W_34;
s4=XSteam('s_ph',P4,h4);
h5=XSteam('hL_p',P4);
s5=XSteam('sL_p',P4);
s6s=s5;
h6s=XSteam('h_ps',P1,s6s);
W_56s=h6s-h5
W_56=W_56s/RITP
h6=h5+W_56;
s6=XSteam('s_ph',P1,h6);
% a)
Power_turb=m*W_12+m*W_34
Power_pump=m*W_56
Power_net=Power_turb-Power_pump
% b)
Q_add=m*(h1-h6)+m*(h3-h2)
ThEf=Power_net/Q_add
% c)
Q_cond=m*(h4-h5) % in absolute value

fprintf('Solutions: \n')
fprintf('a)net power: %6.3fkW \n',Power_net)
fprintf('b)Thermal efficiency: %6.8f \n',ThEf)
fprintf('c)The rate of heat transfer to cooling
water (condenser): %6.3fkW \n',Q_cond)

Modifications of the ideal Rankine cycle

Achivement:
The working fluid will enter into the boiler at a higher temperature
in order to improve the thermal efficiency.

The regeneration can be accomplished using open feedwater

heater (direct contact type heat exchanger) and closed feedwater
heater (shell-and-tube-type recuperators)

Regenerative vapor power cycle with one open feedwater heater

Source: Moran-Shapiro

Cicle regeneratiu escalfador obert (i)

1

2
6

a
5
4

s 4 = s 5 s6 = s 7

s1 = s2 = s3

In a steam power plant there are several feedwater heater (open and closer). The number of
fedwater heaters used is based on economic considerations, since incremental increases in
thermal efficiency achieved with each additional heater must justify the added capital costs.
The maximum number of heaters used is about 10. A steam power plant used to have one
reheat
(maximum
2).

Exercise
A power plant operates on a regenerative vapor power cycle
with one open feedwater heater. Steam enters the first turbine
stage at 120bar and 520C and expands to 10 bar, where some of
the steam is extracted and diverted to the open feedwater
operating at 10 bar. The remaining steam expands through the
second turbine stage to the condenser pressure of 0.06 bar.
Saturated liquid exists the open feedwater heater at 10 bar. For
isentropic processes in the turbines and pumps, determine:
a) The fraction of mass flow rate extracted from 1st turbine
stage (sol: y=0.2336)
b) The net power, considering a mass flow rate if 106 kg/h
(sol: 3325.1 MW)
c) The thermal efficiency (sol: 0.4554)
Source: Moran-Shapiro

clear;
P1=120
T1=520
P2=10
P3=0.06
m1=10^6; %kg/h
m=10^6/3600; %kg/s
% Calculate state 2
s1=XSteam('s_pT',P1,T1);
h1=XSteam('h_pT',P1,T1);
s2=s1;
sg2=XSteam('sV_p',P2);
sl2=XSteam('sL_p',P2);
if s2<=sg2
x2=(s2-sl2)/(sg2-sl2);
h2=XSteam('hL_p',P2)+x2*(XSteam('hV_p',P2)-XSteam('hL_p',P2));
else h2=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s2);
end
% Calculate state 3
s3=s2;
sg3=XSteam('sV_p',P3);
sl3=XSteam('sL_p',P3);
if s3<=sg3
x3=(s3-sl3)/(sg3-sl3);
h3=XSteam('hL_p',P3)+x3*(XSteam('hV_p',P3)-XSteam('hL_p',P3));
else h3=XSteam('h_ps',P3,s3);
end

h4=XSteam('hL_p',P3);
s4=XSteam('sL_p',P3);
s5=s4
h5=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s5);
h6=XSteam('hL_p',P2);
s6=XSteam('sL_p',P2);
s7=s6;
h7=XSteam('h_ps',P1,s7);
% a) fraction of the total flow extracted;
fun=@(y)h6-h5*(1-y)-h2*y
y=fsolve(fun,0.1)
% b) net power developed;
W_turb=m*(h1-h2)+m*(1-y)*(h2-h3);
W_pump=m*(1-y)*(h5-h4)+m*(h7-h6);
W_net=W_turb-W_pump
%c) Thermal efficiency;
eff=W_net/(m*(h1-h7))

fprintf('Solutions: \n')
fprintf('a)extracted fraction y: %6.3f \n',y)
fprintf('b)net power: %6.3fkW \n',W_net)
fprintf('c)Thermal efficiency: %6.3f \n',eff)

Exercise
From the last exercise, make a graph of the thermal efficiency versus extraction
pressure, P2.

Rendiment vs. Pext (bar)

0.46

0.455

0.45

0.445

0.44

0.435

0.43

0.425

10

20

30

40

50
60
Pext (bar

70

80

90

100

function [eff]=Regenerative(P2)
% P2 is the extraction pressure
This is a function.
P1=120
This program is called Regen_func
T1=520
P3=0.06
m1=10^6; %kg/h
m=10^6/3600; %kg/s
% Calculate state 2
s1=XSteam('s_pT',P1,T1);
h1=XSteam('h_pT',P1,T1);
s2=s1;
sg2=XSteam('sV_p',P2);
sl2=XSteam('sL_p',P2);
if s2<=sg2
x2=(s2-sl2)/(sg2-sl2);
h2=XSteam('hL_p',P2)+x2*(XSteam('hV_p',P2)-XSteam('hL_p',P2));
else h2=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s2);
end
% Calculate state 3
s3=s2;
sg3=XSteam('sV_p',P3);
sl3=XSteam('sL_p',P3);
if s3<=sg3
x3=(s3-sl3)/(sg3-sl3);
h3=XSteam('hL_p',P3)+x3*(XSteam('hV_p',P3)-XSteam('hL_p',P3));

else h3=XSteam('h_ps',P3,s3);
end
h4=XSteam('hL_p',P3);
s4=XSteam('sL_p',P3);
s5=s4
h5=XSteam('h_ps',P2,s5);
h6=XSteam('hL_p',P2);
s6=XSteam('sL_p',P2);
s7=s6;
h7=XSteam('h_ps',P1,s7);
% a) fraction of the total flow extracted;
fun=@(y)h6-h5*(1-y)-h2*y
y=fsolve(fun,0.1)
% b) net power developped;
W_turb=m*(h1-h2)+m*(1-y)*(h2-h3);
W_pump=m*(1-y)*(h5-h4)+m*(h7-h6);
W_net=W_turb-W_pump
%c) Thermal efficiency;
eff=W_net/(m*(h1-h7))
end

This program calls the function

clear;
This is the name of the program
that contains the function we
vP2=linspace(0.1,100,100)
call here.
for i=1:length(vP2);
veff(i)=Regen_func(vP2(i));
end
plot(vP2,veff,'o-');
title ('Thermal efficiency vs. extracted pressure')
xlabel('P2 bar)')
ylabel ('\eta')

Steam power plant using coal as fuel

Bibliography
M. J. Moran and H.N. Shapiro, Fundamentals
of Engineering Thermodynamics, 2nd Edition
(1992) John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (USA)
J.B. Jones and R.E. Dugan, Engineering
Thermodynamics, (1996) Prentice Hall Inc.