Isentropic Efficiencies of Turbines,

Compressors and Nozzles

Lecture # 28
Nov. 3, 08

Announcements
Midterm-II: Friday, Nov. 7
th
, 11 am, in class
10 problems from Chapters 4,5,6
4 from Ch. 4, 2 from Ch.5, 4 from Ch. 6
Todays material is NOT included. Entropy Balances for control
volumes (HW # 10) is included.
Total Points: 20
Review Session in Class on Wednesday
Homework # 10 Solutions will be posted on Wed. morning
Equation sheet will contain all Key Equations listed at end of
chapters 1-6; Cover page with unit conversions will be
provided. Where necessary property tables will be given

Isentropic Processes
A process for which the entropy is constant, is called
an isentropic process. On the h-s diagram and on the
T-s diagram, we can draw the processes, as shown in
the next figures. The state at the end of the isentropic
process can be obtained by matching the initial
entropy and another property such as pressure or
specific volume or temperature.
Fig06_08
F
i
g
0
6
_
0
9

Ideal Gas Model
Let us now derive some analytical relations for an
isentropic process for an ideal gas. We can write


]
) ( ) (
exp[
) ln( ) ( ) (
) ln( ) ( ) (
R
T s T s
p p
p
p
R T s T s
p
p
R T s T s
1
0
2
0
1 2
1
2
1
0
2
0
1
2
1
0
2
0
0

=
+ =
=
Constant Specific Heats
Let us consider an isentropic process for an ideal gas
when the specific heats are constants.




Introducing the ideal gas relations,


|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
0
0
v
v
R
T
T
c
p
p
R
T
T
c
v
P
ln ln
ln ln
1 1
=

=
k
R
c
k
kR
c
v P
;
Constant Specific Heats
We can then derive the following relations from the
above equations:


Substituting the above relation by eliminating the
temperature ratio from the above relation, we can
write:


The process is shown in the following figure


) ( / ) (
) ( ) (
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
2

= =
k k k
v
v
T
T
p
p
T
T
constant ; ) ( = =
k k
pv or
v
v
p
p
2
1
1
2
Fig06_10
Isentropic Efficiencies
Isentropic efficiencies involve a comparison between
the actual performance of a device and the
performance that would be achieved under idealized
circumstances for the same inlet state and the same
exit pressure.
Isentropic Turbine Efficiency
For a turbine with no heat transfer and KE and PE
effects neglected, we can write an expression for rate
of work as:

2 1
h h
m
W
CV
=

Fig06_E6
Isentropic Efficiency, Turbine
The maximum value for rate work is obtained for the
smallest value of permitted h
2
for the given exit
pressure. This value is obtained using the second law
constraint. Since there is no heat transfer,


The smallest value of s
2
corresponds to a reversible
process, with s
2
= s
1
. All sates to the left of the
isentropic vertical lines are not possible. The
corresponding enthalpy for isentropic process is h
2s.
.

0
1 2
> = s s
m
CV

o
Turbine Isentropic Efficiency
The turbine isentropic efficiency is defined as:




Typical values of isentropic efficiencies are between
0.7 and 0.9.


s
s
CV
CV
t
h h
h h
m
W
m
W
2 1
2 1

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

q
Isentropic Efficiency of Compressors
For compressors, we want to the minimum amount of
work. The actual work is given by:


The minimum work corresponds to an isentropic
process (since there is no heat transfer). Hence



); (
1 2
h h
m
W
CV
=

); ( ) (
1 2
h h
m
W
s s
CV
=

F
i
g
0
6
_
1
2

Isentropic Efficiency of Compressors
The isentropic efficiency of a compressor is defined as:



Typical values for isentropic efficiency of a compressor
is between 75 and 85%.
Isentropic pump efficiency can be defined similarly.

1 2
1 2
h h
h h
m W
m W
s
CV
s CV
C

=
) / (
) / (

q
Nozzles
Since nozzles produce kinetic energy from a drop in
enthalpy, the nozzle isentropic efficiency is defined as:



For well-designed nozzles, the isentropic efficiencies
are around 95%, hence nozzles are fairly easy to
design free of internal irreversibilities.


2
2
2
2
2
2
/
/
s
n
V
V
= q
Sample Problem 2
A steam turbine operates at steady state with inlet
conditions of p
1
= 5 bar, T
1
= 320
o
C. Steam leaves the
turbine at a pressure of 1 bar. There is no significant
heat transfer between the turbine and surroundings.
KE and PE effects are negligible. If the isentropic
efficiency is 75%, determine the work developed per
unit mass flowing through the turbine, in kJ/kg.

Given: Turbine inlet and outlet conditions, isentropic
efficiency. KE and PE effects are negligible, and no
heat transfer.

Fig06_E6
Solution
The work developed can be calculated from the
isentropic efficiency and the isentropic work. Evaluate
the following properties:
h
1
= 3105.6 kJ/kg. s
1
= 7.5308 kJ/kg.K The exit
pressure is 1 bar, and if for an isentropic process, the
exit entropy is 7.5308 kJ/kg.K. The corresponding h
2s
=
2743.0 kJ/kg. Substituting the values for the inlet and
isentropic enthalpy, the actual work is:

kg kJ
m
W
CV
/ . ) . . ( . 95 271 0 2743 6 3105 75 0 = =

Sample Problem 2
Steam enters a nozzle operating at steady state at p
1
=
140 lbf/in
2
and T
1
= 600
o
F with a velocity of 100 ft/s.
The pressure and temperature at the exit are p
2
= 40
lbf/in
2
and T
2
= 350
o
F. There is no significant heat
transfer between nozzle and its surroundings and
changes in PE between inlet and exit can be
neglected. Determine the nozzle isentropic efficiency.
Solution: The nozzle efficiency is defined as the ratio
of actual Kinetic energy developed to the isentropic
value
Fig06_E6
Solution
For the actual operation,


The inlet enthalpy for T
1
= 600
o
F and p
1
= 140lbf/in
2
is
1326.4 Btu/lbm; s
1
= 1.7191 Btu/lbm.
o
R
T
2
= 350
o
F, p
2
= 40 lbf/in
2
, h
2
= 1211.8 Btu/lb. Hence



) (
2 1
2
1
2
2
2 2
h h
V V
+ =
lbm Btu
lbm Btu lbm Btu
V
/ .
/ ) . . ( /
) )( . )( (
) (
8 114
8 1211 4 1326
778 2 32 2
100
2
2 2
2
=
+ =
Solution
Now we need to evaluate h
2s
for the isentropic
process. Match pressure = 40 lbf/in
2
, and s
2
= s
1
=
1.7191 Btu/lbm.
o
R results in h
2s
= 1202.3 Btu/lbm


%) . ( .
.
.
)
/ .
/ ) . . ( /
) )( . )( (
) (
)
4 92 924 0
3 124
8 114
2
2
3 124
8 1202 4 1326
778 2 32 2
100
2
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
= = =
=
+ =
s
s
V
V
efficiency Isentropic
lbm Btu
lbm Btu lbm Btu
V