5
Single-Flash Steam Power Plants 101

Thus,
h1 5 cðT1 2 T6 Þ 5 h2 ð5:38Þ
and
h3 5 cðT3 2 T6 Þ ð5:39Þ
From the definition of the latent heat of evaporation, it follows that
h4 2 h3 5 hfg ð5:40Þ
where we adopt the Steam Table “fg” subscript notation for the latent heat. Thus,
h4 5 h3 1 hfg 5 cðT3 2 T6 Þ 1 hfg ð5:41Þ
Now we invoke a little-known approximation, namely,
h4 2 h 3  h 5 2 h 6 ð5:42Þ
For the range of temperatures typical of geothermal systems, this approximation is
good to about 1.5%. Note that the actual turbine outlet state 5 is used in eq. (5.42),
not the ideal isentropic state 5s. Then, it follows that
hfg  h5 2 h6  h5 ð5:43Þ
Now we can express the separator quality, x2, as follows:
h2 2 h3 cðT1 2 T6 Þ 2 cðT3 2 T6 Þ cðT1 2 T3 Þ
x2 5 5 5 ð5:44Þ
hfg hfg hfg
The specific work can now be expressed as the following function:
c c2
w5 ðT1 2 T3 Þðh4 2 h5 Þ 5 ðT1 2 T3 ÞðT3 2 T6 Þ ð5:45Þ
hfg hfg
It is necessary only to differentiate this expression with respect to T3, set the result
equal to zero, and solve for T3, a typical application of the calculus of variations [17].
In carrying out the differentiation, we simplify the task by assuming that the multi-
plier, c2/hfg, is a constant. This approximation is weaker than the one used in
eq. (5.42) but for this purpose is acceptable. The differentiation goes as follows:
dw
5 ðT1 2 T3 Þð1Þ 1ðT3 2 T6 Þð21Þ 5 T1 2 T3 2 T3 1 T6 5 0 ð5:46Þ
dT3
Solving for T3, we find the optimum value of the separator temperature is given
approximately as
T1 1 T6
T3;opt 5 ð5:47Þ
2
Since this rule indicates that the temperature range between the reservoir and
the condenser is divided into two equal segments, this rule is sometimes called the
“equal-temperature-split” rule. This approximate rule applies to all flash plants
regardless of the number of flashes [10]. For a double-flash plant (see Chap. 6), the
rule says: (1) the temperature difference between the reservoir and the first flash is