GAS TURBINE CYCLES

1. Show that efficiency of Brayton cycle is only a function of pressure ratio.

2. Compare: Open cycle and closed cycle gas turbine cycles.
3. How are the maximum and minimum temperatures in a gas turbine cycle decide?
4. Explain the effect of pressure ration on the efficiency and work output of a Brayton
cycle.
5. Explain what you understand by maximum pressure ratio and the optimum pressure ratio. How are
they related?
6. How does an actual cycle differ from an ideal cycle? Define isentropic efficiencies of compressor
and turbine.
7. What do you understand by regeneration in gas turbine power plant? How is regenerator
effectiveness defined?
8. Discuss the effects of pressure ratio on the performance of a ideal regenerative cycle? In this
respect discuss why regeneration is not always desirable.
9. Why is inter-cooling done in a gas turbine cycle? Derive a criterion for minimum compressor work
required for a two-stage compression with ideal inter-cooling.
10. What are the effects of inter cooling on the performance of the gas turbine cycle?
11. Why is reheating done in a gas turbine cycle? Derive a criterion for maximum expansion work
output for two-stage expansion with ideal reheating in between.
12. What are the effects of reheating on the performance of the gas turbine cycle?
13. Develop expressions for work output per kg and the efficiency of an ideal Brayton cycle with
regeneration, assuming maximum possible regeneration. For fixed maximum and minimum
temperatures, how do the efficiency and work outputs vary with the pressure ratio? What is the
optimum pressure ratio?

NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
1. In a gas turbine plant the ratio of Tmin/Tmax is fixed. Two arrangements of components are to be
investigated: (a) single-stage compression followed by expansion in two turbines of equal pressure
ratios with reheat to the maximum cycle temperature, and (b) compression in two compressors of
equal pressure ratios, with intercooling to the minimum cycle temperature, followed by single-
stage expansion. If C and T are the compressor and turbine efficiencies, show that the optimum
specific output is obtained at the same overall pressure ratio for each arrangement.

2. If C is 0.85 and T is 0.9. and Tmin/Tmax is 3.5, determine the above pressure ratio for optimum
specific output and show that with arrangement (a) the optimum output exceeds that of
arrangement (b) by about 11%.

3. Obtain an expression for the specific work output of a gas turbine unit in terms of pressure ratio,
isentropic efficiencies of the compressor and turbine, and maximum and minimum temperatures,
 T3 and T1. Hence show that the pressure ratio rp for maximum power is given by:

If T3 = 1073 K, T1=300 K, C = 0.8, T = 0.8 and = 1.4, compute the optimum value of pressure
ratio, the maximum net work output per kg of air, and corresponding cycle efficiency. [4.263, 100
kJ/kg, 17.2%]

4. A simple open cycle gas turbine power plant takes air at 1 bar and 15C and compresses the air to 5
bar. This is then heated in a combustion chamber to a temperature of 800C. The hot air expands in
the turbine to 1 bar. Find: (a) power developed, if the flow rate of air is 10 kg/s, and (b) thermal
efficiency of the plant.

5. A stationary gas-turbine power plant operates on simple ideal Brayton cycle with air as the
working fluid. The air enters the compressor at 95 kPa and 290 K and the turbine at 760 kPa and
1100 K. Heat is transferred to air at a rate of 35,000 kJ/s. Determine the power delivered by this
plant.

6. Air enters the compressor of a gas-turbine engine at 300 K and 100 kPa, where it is compressed to
700 kPa and 580 K. Heat is transferred to air at the rate of 950 kJ/kg before it enters the turbine.
For a turbine efficiency of 86 percent, determine (a) the fraction of the turbine work output used to
drive the compressor and (b) the thermal efficiency.
7. In a gas turbine plant working on Brayton cycle, the air at the inlet to the compressor is at 0.1 MPa
and 30°C. The pressure ratio is 6 and the maximum cycle temperature is 900°C. If both the turbine
and the compressor have efficiencies 80%, determine the cycle efficiency. What should be the
optimum pressure ratio for the cycle?
8. If a regenerator of 75% effectiveness is used for the above problem, determine the percentage
increase in the cycle efficiency due to regeneration. [42.56%]
9. A gas-turbine power plant operating on an ideal Brayton cycle has a pressure ratio of 8. The gas
temperature is 300 K at the compressor inlet and 1300 Kat the turbine inlet. Utilizing the air-
standard assumptions, determine (a) the gas temperature at the exits of the compressor and the
turbine, (b) the back work ratio, and (c) the thermal efficiency. [(a) 540 K, 770 K, (b) 0.403, (c)
42.6%]

10. Determine the above parameters assuming a compressor efficiency of 80 percent and a turbine
efficiency of 85 percent. [(a) 598 K, 853 K, (b) 0.592, (c) 26.6%]

11. Determine the thermal efficiency of the gas-turbine described in above problem, if a regenerator
having an effectiveness of 80 percent is installed. [36.9%]
12. An ideal gas-turbine cycle with two stages of compression and two stages of expansion has an
overall pressure ratio of 8. Air enters each stage of the compressor at 300 K and each stage of the
turbine at 1300 K. Determine the back work ratio and the thermal efficiency of this gas-turbine
cycle, assuming (a) no regenerators and (b) an ideal regenerator with 100 percent effectiveness.
[(a) 0.304, 35.8% (b) 0.304, 69.6%]
13. A simple Brayton cycle using air as the working fluid has a pressure ratio of 8. The minimum and
maximum temperatures in the cycle are 310 and 1160 K. Assuming an isentropic efficiency of 75
percent for the compressor and 82 percent for the turbine; determine (a) the air temperature at the
turbine exit, (b) the net work output, and (c) the thermal efficiency.

14. Air is used as the working fluid in a simple ideal Brayton cycle that has a pressure ratio of 12, a
compressor inlet temperature of 300 K, and a turbine inlet temperature of 1000 K. Determine the
required mass flow rate of air for a net power output of 70 MW, assuming both the compressor and
the turbine have an isentropic efficiency of (a) 100 percent and (b) 85 percent. Assume constant
specific heats at room temperature. [(a) 352 kg/s, (b) 1037 kg/s]

15. In a gas turbine plant, there are two turbines - one turbine drives the compressor (the compressor
turbine) and the other turbine develops power (the power turbine). Air enters the compressor at 1
bar and 25°C, pressure ratio is 4 and the maximum temperature is 920°C. Isentropic efficiency of
the compressor is 80% and that for both the turbines are 85%. Determine (i) Pressure ratio in the
compressor turbine, (ii) Net work output per kg of air, (iii) Air flow rate if the plant produces 150
kW, (iv) thermal efficiency, and (v) air-fuel ratio if heating value of fuel is 45 MJ/kg.
16. Determine all the above parameters if a regenerator of effectiveness 0.72 is used.
17. In a regenerative gas turbine plant air enters the compressor at 1 bar and 27°C and is compressed
to 4 bar. The isentropic efficiency of the compressor is 80% and the regenerator effectiveness is
90%. Power developed by the HP turbine is used to drive the compressor and the LP turbine
produces the net power output of 97 kW. Each turbine has an isentropic efficiency of 87% and the
temperature at inlet to the HP turbine is 1200 K. Determine (i) the mass flow rate of air into the
compressor, (ii) the thermal efficiency, and (iii) the temperature of exhaust gas at the exit of the
regenerator.
18. A gas turbine unit has a pressure ratio of 6:1 and the maximum cycle temperature is 610C. the
isentropic efficiencies of the compressor and the turbine are 80% and 82% respectively. Calculate
the power output when air enters the compressor at 15C at the rate of 16 kg/s. Take cp = 1.005
kJ/kg-K,  = 1.4 for compression and  = 1.33 for expansion.

19. A gas-turbine power plant operates on the simple Brayton cycle with air as the working fluid and
delivers32 MW of power. The minimum and maximum temperatures in the cycle are 310 and 900
K, and the pressure of air at the compressor exit is 8 times the value at the compressor inlet.
Assuming an isentropic efficiency of 80 percent for the compressor and 86 percent for the turbine,
determine the mass flow rate of air through the cycle.

20. A gas-turbine power plant operates on the simple Brayton cycle between the pressure limits of 100
and 1200 kPa. The working fluid is air, which enters the compressor at 30°C at a rate of 150
m3/min and leaves the turbine at 500°C.Using variable specific heats for air and assuming a
compressor isentropic efficiency of 82 percent and a turbine isentropic efficiency of 88 percent,
determine (a) the net power output, (b) the back work ratio, and (c) the thermal efficiency. [(a) 659
kW, (b) 0.625, (c) 0.319]

21. The 7FA gas turbine manufactured by General Electric is reported to have an efficiency of 35.9%
in the simple-cycle mode and to produce 159 MW of net power. The pressure ratio is 14.7 and the
 turbine inlet temperature is 1288°C. The mass flow rate through the turbine is 1,536,000 kg/h.
Taking the ambient conditions to be 20°Cand 100 kPa, determine the isentropic efficiency of the
turbine and the compressor. Also, determine the thermal efficiency of this gas turbine if a
regenerator with an effectiveness of 80 percent is added.

22. An ideal Brayton cycle with regeneration has a pressure ratio of 10. Air enters the compressor at
300 K and the turbine at 1200 K. If the effectiveness of the regenerator is 100%, determine the net
work output and the thermal efficiency of the cycle.

23. A Brayton cycle with regeneration using air as the working fluid has a pressure ratio of 7. The
minimum and maximum temperatures in the cycle are 310 and 1150 K. Assuming an isentropic
efficiency of 75 percent for the compressor and 82 percent for the turbine and an effectiveness of
65 percent for the regenerator, determine (a) the air temperature at the turbine exit, (b) the net work
output, and (c) the thermal efficiency. [(a) 783 K, (b) 108.1 kJ/kg, (c) 22.5%]

24. A stationary gas-turbine power plant operates on an ideal regenerative Brayton cycle ( = 100%)
with air as the working fluid. Air enters the compressor at 95 kPa and 290 K and the turbine at 760
kPa and 1100 K. Heat is transferred to air from an external source at a rate of 75,000 kJ/s.
Determine the power delivered by this plant (a) assuming constant specific heats for air at room
temperature and (b) accounting for the variation of specific heats with temperature.

25. Air enters the compressor of a regenerative gas-turbine engine at 300 K and 100 kPa, where it is
compressed to 800 kPa and 580 K. The regenerator has an effectiveness of 72%, and the air enters
the turbine at 1200 K. For a turbine efficiency of 86%, determine (a) the amount of heat transfer in
the regenerator and (b) the thermal efficiency.

26. Consider an ideal gas-turbine cycle with two stages of compression and two stages of expansion.
The pressure ratio across each stage of the compressor and turbine is 3. The air enters each stage of
the compressor at 300 K and each stage of the turbine at 1200 K. Determine the back work ratio
and the thermal efficiency of the cycle, assuming (a) no regenerator is used and (b) a regenerator
with 75 percent effectiveness is used.

27. Repeat the above Problem, assuming an efficiency of 80% for each compressor stage and an
efficiency of 85% for each turbine stage.

28. Consider a regenerative gas-turbine power plant with two stages of compression and two stages of
expansion. The overall pressure ratio of the cycle is 9. The air enters each stage of the compressor
at 300 K and each stage of the turbine at 1200 K. Determine the minimum mass flow rate of air
needed to develop a net power output of 110 MW. [250 kg/s]

29. A gas turbine plant draws in air at 1.013 bar, 10°C and has a pressure ratio of 5.5. The maximum
temperature in the cycle is limited to 750°C. Compression is conducted in an uncooled rotary
compressor having an isentropic efficiency of 82%, and expansion takes place in a turbine with an
isentropic efficiency of 85%. A heat exchanger with an efficiency of 70% is fitted between the
compressor outlet and combustion chamber. For an air flow of 40 kg/s, find (a) the overall cycle
efficiency, (b) the turbine output, and (c) air-fuel ratio if the calorific value of the fuel used is 45.22
MJ/kg. [(a) 30.4%, (b) 4272 kW, (c) 115]
30. Air enters the compressor of a gas turbine plant at 25C and 1 atm and compressed with a pressure
ratio of 4.0. There are two turbines in the plant. In the first turbine, the gas expands partially up to a
pressure, so that the turbine power is just sufficient to drive the compressor. The gas is then
expanded through a second turbine up to 1 atm. pressure and is passed through a regenerator before
exhausted to the atmosphere. The maximum temperature of the cycle is 920 C and the power
output in 150 kW. Consider air as the working fluid and assume that all processes are ideal.
Determine (a) pressure after the first turbine, (b) the net work per kg air mass flow rate, (c)
temperature T3 and cycle thermal efficiency, and (d) the T-s diagram for the cycle.

31. Repeat the above problem assuming that the compressor has an efficiency of 80%, both the
turbines have efficiencies of 85%, and the regenerator has an efficiency of 72%.

32. A gas turbine plant operates on the Brayton cycle using an optimum pressure ratio for maximum
net work output and a regenerator of 100% effectiveness. Derive expressions for net work output
per kg of air and corresponding efficiency of the cycle in terms of the maximum and the minimum
temperatures. If the maximum and minimum temperatures are 800°C and 30°C, respectively,
compute the optimum value of pressure ratio, the maximum net work output per kg and the
corresponding cycle efficiency. ,

33. A gas turbine unit is to provide peaking power for an electrical utility with a net power output of
10 MW. The pressure ratio across the compressor is 7, the efficiency of the compressor and turbine
are 80% and 92%, respectively. In order to conserve fuel, a regenerator with an effectiveness of
85% is used. The maximum temperature of the cycle is 1200 K. The air at compressor inlet is at
20°C, 1.1bar. Assume the working fluid to be air which behaves as an ideal gas with cp = 1.005
kJ/kg K and  = 1.4. Neglect pressure drops in the combustion chamber and regenerator. Determine
the required air flow and the fuel flow rates for a fuel heating value of 42 MJ/kg, and the power
plant efficiency.

34. Helium is used as the working fluid in an ideal Brayton cycle. Gas enters the compressor at 27 C
and 20 bar and is discharged at 60 bar. The gas is heated to 1000 C before entering the turbine. The
cooler returns the hot turbine exhaust to the temperature of the compressor inlet. Determine: (a) the
temperatures at the end of compression and expansion, (b) the heat supplied, the heat rejected and
the net work per kg of He, and (c) the cycle efficiency and the heat rate. Take cp = 5.1926 kJ/kg-K.
[(a) 465.5, 820.2 K, (b) 4192.5, 2701.2, 1491.3 kJ/kg, (c) 0.3557, 10,121 kJ/kWh]

35. A stationary gas turbine power plant operates on the Brayton cycle and delivers 20 MW to an
electric generator. The maximum temperature is 1200 K and the minimum temperature is 290 K.
The minimum pressure is 95 kPa and the maximum pressure is 380 kPa. If the isentropic
efficiencies of the turbine and compressor are 0.85 and 0.80, respectively, find (a) the mass flow
 rate of air to the compressor, (b) the volume flow rate of air to the compressor, (c) the fraction of
the turbine work output needed to drive the compressor, and (d) the cycle efficiency.

36. If a regenerator of 75% effectiveness is added to the plant, what would be the changes in the cycle
efficiency and the net work output? [(a) 126.37 kg/s, (b) 110.71 m3/s, (c) 0.528, (d) 0.2146,  =
0.148, Wnet = 0]

37. Air enters the compressor of a gas turbine operating on Brayton cycle at I bar, 27°C. The pressure
ratio in the cycle is 6. Calculate the maximum temperature in the cycle and the cycle efficiency.
Assume WT = 2.5.WC and  = 1.4. [251.4 K, 40%]

38. 13.46 In a gas turbine the compressor is driven by the h.p. turbine. The exhaust from the h.p.
turbine goes to a l.p. turbine which runs the load. The air flow rate is 20 kg/s, and the minimum
and maximum temperatures are 300 K and 1000 K, respectively. The compressor pressure ratio is
4. Calculate the pressure ratio of the l.p. turbine and the temperature of the exhaust gases from the
unit. The compressor and turbine are isentropic. Take cP of air and exhaust gases as 1 kJ/kg K and
 = 1.4. Ans. 2.3, 673 K

39. A regenerative gas turbine with intercooling and reheat operates at steady state. Air enters the
compressor at 100 kPa, 300 K with a mass flow rate of 5.807 kg/s. The pressure ratio across the
two-stage compressor as well as the turbine is 10. The intercooler and reheater each operate at 300
kPa. At the inlets to the turbine stages, the temperature is 1400 K. The temperature at inlet to the
second compressor stage is 300 K. The efficiency of each compressor and turbine stage is 80%.
The regenerator effectiveness is 80%. Determine (a) the thermal efficiency, (b) the back work ratio,
WC / WT, and (c) the net power developed. [Ans. (a) 0.443, (b) 0.454, (c) 2046 kW]

40. In a regenerative gas turbine power plant air enters the compressor at 1 bar, 27°C and is
compressed to 4 bar. The isentropic efficiency of the compressor is 80% and the regenerator
effectiveness is 90%. All of the power developed by the h.p. turbine is used to drive the
compressor and the l.p. turbine provides the net power output of 97 kW. Each turbine has an
isentropic efficiency of 87% and the temperature at inlet to the h.p. turbine is 1200 K. Determine
(a) the mass flow rate of air into the compressor, (b) the thermal efficiency, and (c) the temperature
of air at the exit of the regenerator. [Ans. (a) 0.562 kg/s, (b) 0.432, (c) 523.2 K]