STEAM FORMATION

THE CARNOT CYCLE

LIMITATIONS OF CARNOT
IMPROVEMENTS TO CARNOT
PRACTICAL STEAM PLANT
ENTHALPY ENTROPY CHART
 Example
A steam power plant operates between a boiler
pressure of 42 bar and a condenser pressure of
0.035 bar. Calculate for these limits the cycle
efficiency, the work ratio, and the specific steam
consumption:
A) for a carnot cycle using wet steam
B) for a Rankine cycle with dry saturated steam
at entry to the turbine; and
C) For the rankine cycle of (b) , when the
expansion process has an isentropic efficiency
of 80%
 Calculations
The steam flows around the cycle and
each process may be analysed using the
steady flow energy equation. Changes in
potential and kinetic energy being
neglected
H1 + Q = h2 + W
 Boiler analysis h4 + Q451 = h1 + W
Since W = 0, Q451 = h1 h4

Turbine analysis
Expansion is adiabatic i.e. Q=0 and isentropic
S 1 = S2
h1 + Q12 = h2 + W12
h1 - h2 = W12

Condenser: h2 + Q23 = h3 + W but W = 0

Q23 = h3 - h2 or Q23 = -(h2 - h3)
 Pump
h3 + Q34 = h4 + W34
The compression is isentropic s3 = s4 and
adiabatic Q = 0.
W34 = (h3 h4) = -(h4 h3)
Work input to the pump = (h4 h3)
This is the feed pump term and since it is small
in comparison to turbine work W12 it is normally
neglected esp when the boiler pressure is low.
Net work done in cycle W = W12+W34
W = (h1- h2) (h4 - h3)
Feed pump work W = (h4 h3)
 Rankine efficiency R = net work output
heat supplied in the boiler

R
h1 h 2 h 4 h 3
h1 h 4

R
h1 h 2 h 4 h 3
h1 h 3 h 4 h 3
If the feed pump term h4 h3, is neglected,
Then
R
h1 h 2
h1 h 3
 For a liquid assumed incompressible
(v=constant) the increase in enthalpy for
isentropic compression is given by:
(h4 h3) = v(p4 p3)
Proof fromdq=du + pdv
 Efficiency ratio cycle efficiency
Rankine efficiency
Isentropic efficiency for expansion
actual work
isentropic work
Isentropic efficiency for compression
isentropic work input
actual work input
Work ratio =
NetWork Turbinewor k pumpWork

GrossWork TurbineWor k

Ssc = 3600
W