Rankine Cycle

Alejandro
Cabico
Madjilon
 Objectives

• To understand the basic principles and processes in a

Rankine cycle and how it is used for power generation
• To understand both the IDEAL and NON-IDEAL cases,
and its improvements
• Be able to analyze and solve problems on Rankine Cycle
 Significance
• It is the standard cycle used in steam power plants, and
many other power plants
• Most widely used cycle for power generation

Source:
El-Wakil, Mohamed Mohamed. Powerplant Technology. Singapore City: Mc Graw-Hill, 1984.
 Definition
• A vapor-liquid cycle
• Idealized thermodynamic cycle whose purpose is to
convert heat into mechanical work
• Developed by William John M. Rankine (1820 – 1872)

Source:
El-Wakil, Mohamed Mohamed. Powerplant Technology. Singapore City: Mc Graw-Hill, 1984.
 Power Plant Applications
• Fossil Fuel Power Plant
• Use of fuel such as coal to
generate heat
• Prime mover either a steam
turbine or gas turbine
• Rankine cycle is used in
conjunction with other cycles

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Big_Bend_Pow
er_Station.jpg
 Power Plant Applications
• Nuclear Power Plant
• Uses nuclear reactor’s heat to
produce steam

http://www.pennenergy.com/content/dam/pe/online-
articles/2013/01/cr3.JPG
 Power Plant Applications
• Solar Power Plant
• Uses waste heat from
solar panels to generate
steam

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/PS20
andPS10.jpg
 Power Plant Application

• Ocean Thermal Energy

Conversion
• Uses the temperature
difference between cooler
deep water and warmer
shallow water
• Working fluid: ammonia, R-
134a

http://homework.uoregon.edu/pub/class/otec1.jpg
 Schematic:
Ideal Rankine Cycle

4 3

http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090311/full/458138a/box/1.html
 P-v and T-s Diagram for
IDEAL Rankine Cycle

http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090311/full/458138a/box/1.html
 States: Saturated Rankine Cycle

1 - Saturated vapor
2 - Two-phase
3 - Saturated liquid 3

4 - Subcooled liquid
B - Saturated liquid
 Processes: Saturated Rankine Cycle
Initial State Two Independent Parameters Process Condition Final Parameters
State
1 P1 X1 = 1 Expansion Adiabatic 2 P2 S2 = S1
Isentropic
Reversible
2 P2 S2 = S1 Heat Isobaric 3 P3=P2 X3 = 0
Rejection
3 P3 X3 = 0 Compressio Adiabatic 4 P4=P1 S4 = S3
n Isentropic
Reversible
4 P4 S4 = S3 Heat Isobaric 1 P1 X1 = 1
Addition
 States:
Superheated Rankine Cycle

1’ - Superheated vapor
2’ - Two-phase
3 - Saturated liquid
4 - Subcooled liquid 3

B - Saturated liquid
 Processes: Superheated Rankine
Cycle
Initial Two Independent Parameters Process Condition Final Parameters
State State
1 P1’ T1’ Expansion Adiabatic 2 P2’ S2’ = S1’
Isentropic
Reversible
2 P2’ S2’ = S1’ Heat Isobaric 3 P3=P2’ X3 = 0
Rejection
3 P3 X3 = 0 Compression Adiabatic 4 P4=P1’ S4 = S3
Isentropic
Reversible
4 P4 S4 = S3 Heat Isobaric 1 P1’ T1’
Addition
 Equations: Ideal Rankine Cycle
Heat added:
qA = h1 – h4

Turbine work:
wT = h1 – h2

Heat rejected:
| qR | = h2 – h3

Pump work:
| wp | = h4 – h3
| wp | = (v3 )(P4 – P3)

http://homework.uoregon.edu/pub/class/otec1.jpg
 Equations: Ideal Rankine Cycle
Net work:
∆wnet = (h1 – h2) – (h4 – h3)
= (h1 – h2) + (h3 –h4)

Thermal efficiency:

Dwnet (h1 - h2 ) - (h4 - h3 )

hth = =
qA (h1 - h4 )
http://homework.uoregon.edu/pub/class/otec1.jpg
 Problem: Ideal Rankine Cycle
• Consider an ideal saturated Rankine cycle, steam being
its working fluid that is operating at 500 psi and 10 psi.
Find the heat added, heat rejected, net work, and
thermal efficiency.
 Given

1
Saturated Ideal Rankine cycle
Working fluid = Steam
P1 = P4 = 500 psi
4
P2 = P3 = 10 psi
3 2
 Required

∆𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 ℎ1−ℎ2 −(ℎ4 −ℎ3 ) 4

η𝑡ℎ = =
𝑞𝐴 ℎ1 −ℎ4
3 2
 Solution
State 1: (P1=500 psi, x1 = 1)
h1 = hg = 1204.7 Btu/lbm
s1 = sg = 1.4639 Btu/lbm·°F

1
State 2: (P2=10 psi, s1=s2)
Solve for x2
1.4639 = 0.2836 + 1.5043(x2)
x2 = 0.785 4

h2 = 161.26 + 982.1(x2) 3 2
h2 = 931.83 Btu/lbm
 Solution
State 3: (P3=10 psi, x3 = 0)
h3= 161.26 Btu/lbm
v3 = 0.01659 ft3/lbm

State 4 : (P3= 500 psi, v4=v3) 1

h4 = h3 + [ v3 (P4-P3) (144)/ 778.16]
h4 = 161.26 +
[0.01659(490)(144)/778.16]

4
h4= 162.76 Btu/lbm
3 2

1 Btu = 778.16 lbf

1 psi = 144 lbf/ft2
 Solution
Substituting:
qA = h1-h4
qA = 1041.9 Btu/lbm

qR = h2-h3 1
qR = 770.57 Btu/lbm

wNET = (h1-h2) – (h4-h3)

wNET = 271.37 Btu/lbm 4

3 2
∆𝑊𝑛𝑒𝑡 271.37
η𝑡ℎ = = x 100%
𝑞𝐴 1041.9

= 26%
Non-Ideal Rankine
Cycle
 Non-Ideal Rankine Cycle
• Two Types
• Externally Irreversible
• occur across the boundaries of the system

• Internally Irreversible
• occur within the boundaries of the system
 Externally Irreversible Rankine
Cycle

• Primarily the result of the temperature differences

between the primary heat source and the working fluid

• Temperature differences between the condensing

working fluid and the heat sink fluid (condenser cooling
water)
Externally Irreversible
Superheat

• Superheating allows heat addition

at an average temperature higher
than that of saturated steam
(states reaching the superheated
region)
 Superheat

• water as primary fluid

• gases or liquid metal as primary
fluid
 Superheat
• Consider a Rankine cycle exhausting at 1 psi. It operates
at 600 psi and 1000°F superheated steam. Isentropic
efficiencies of the turbine and the pump is 0.9 and 0.8
respectively. Find the ideal and non ideal net works, in
Btu/lbm, and efficiencies.
 Superheat
T
1
1

B/SH
T
4
2
4s
2s
4
3 2

s
3
P C
 Superheat
• State 1: sat. vapor • State 2/2s: mixture
 Superheat
• State 3: sat. liquid • State 4/4s: subcooled
liquid
 Superheat
• Non-ideal • Ideal
 Reheat
• Allows heat addition twice, increasing the average
temperature and improvement of cycle efficiency

• Results with drier steam which is beneficial for real cycles

Reheat

CT
 Reheat
wT = (h1 - h2 )+ (h3 - h4 )
• Turbine work

wp = h6 - h5
• Pump work

• Net work Dwnet = (h1 - h2 )+(h3 - h4 )- (h6 - h5 )

• Heat added qA = (h1 - h6 )+ (h3 - h2 )

• Thermal efficiency
Dwnet
hth =
qA
 Reheat

Efficiency improves as the reheat pressure P2 is lowered and reaches a

peak at a pressure ratio P2/P1 between 20 and 25 percent.
 Reheat
• Calculate the efficiency and exhaust steam quality of a
2500 psia/1000°F/1000°F internally reversible steam
Rankine cycle. The reheat pressure is 500 psia. The
condenser pressure is 1 psia.
 Reheat

• State 1: (2500 psi, 1000°F, superheated vapor)

h1 = 1457.5 Btu/lbm
s1 = 1.5269 Btu/(lbm ·°F)
• State 2: (500 psia, s1=s2)
s2 > sg at 500 psia
Therefore point 2 is in the superheat region. By interpolation
• T2 = 547.8°F h2 = 1265.6 Btu/lbm
 Reheat
• State 3: (500 psia, 1000°F, superheated vapor)
h3 = 1520.3 Btu/lbm
s3 = 1.7371 Btu/(lbm ·°F) = s4
• State 4: (s3=s4, 1 psia)
x4 = 0.8694
h4 = 970.5279 Btu/lbm
• State 5: (1 psia, sat. liquid)
s5 = 0.1326 Btu/(lbm ·°F)
h5 = 69.73 Btu/lbm
v5 = 0.01614 ft 3/lbm
 Reheat
• State 6 (s5=s6, subcooled)
|wp|≈ v5 * (P6 – P5)
P6 = P1
|wp|= 7.46 Btu/lbm
|wp|= h6 – h5
h6 = 77.19 Btu/lbm
 Reheat
|wp|= 7.46 Btu/lbm
wT = (h1 – h2) + (h3 – h4)
wT = 191.5 + 549.8 = 741.7 Btu/lbm
Δwnet = wT – |wp|
Δwnet = 741.7 – 7.46 = 734.24 Btu/lbm
qA = (h1 – h6) + (h3 – h2)
qA = 1380.3 + 254.7 = 1635.0 Btu/lbm
ŋth = Δwnet / qA = 734.24/1635.0 = 0.4491
ŋth = 44.91%
 Regeneration
• Regeneration reduces the irreversibility at the economizer
section of the steam generator

• The internal heat is exchanged between the expanding fluid in

the turbine and the compressed fluid before heat addition

• A compromise that would reduce rather than eliminate the

economizer irreversibility is accomplished by the use of
feedwater heating
 Regeneration

• The compressed liquid at 4 would

have to be carefully passed around
the turbine to receive heat from
the expanding vapor in the turbine
until it enters B
Internally Irreversible Rankine Cycle
• Primarily the result of fluid friction, throttling, and mixing

• The most important of these are the irreversibilities in

turbines and pumps and pressure losses in heat
exchangers, pipes, bends, valves, etc
Internally Irreversible Rankine Cycle
• Turbine Polytropic Efficiency

• ideal expansion (adiabatic

reversible) is 1-2s
• actual expansion is 1-2
 Internally Irreversible Rankine Cycle
• Pump Polytropic Efficiency

• actual work is h4-h3

• adiabatic reversible work is h4s-h3
• Actual Pump Work
 Internally Irreversible Rankine Cycle
Liquid leaving the pump must
be at a higher pressure than at
the turbine inlet because of
the friction drops

P4 – exit pump pressure

P1 – turbine inlet pressure
P5 – steam-generator exit
pressure
 Open/Direct Contact
Feedwater Heater

• The extraction steam is mixed directly with the incoming

subcooled feedwater to produce saturated water at the
extraction steam pressure.
 Open/Direct Contact
Feedwater Heater
• The amount of bled steam
should be just enough to bring
the subcooled liquid to
saturated liquid.
- If less, it will negate the
advantages of feedwater
heating.
- If more, it would result to
unnecessary loss of turbine
work.
• The pressure in the FWH
should be equal to the
pressure of incoming steam.
Open/Direct Contact Feedwater
Heater
Mass Balance and Energy Balance
Mass flow between 1 and 2 = 1

Mass flow between 2 and 9 = ṁ2

Mass flow between 2 and 3 = 1 - ṁ2

Mass flow between 3 and 7 = ṁ3

Mass flow between 4 and 7 = 1 - ṁ2 - ṁ3

Mass flow between 7 and 9 = 1 - ṁ2

Mass flow between 9 and 1 = 1

ṁ2(h2 – h9) = (1- ṁ2)(h9 – h8)

ṁ3(h3 – h7) = (1- ṁ2- ṁ3)(h7 – h6)

 Open/Direct Contact Feedwater Heater
Equations

Heat Added qa = (h1 - h10)

Turbine work wt = (h1 - h2) + (1- ṁ2)(h2 – h3) + (1- ṁ2- ṁ3)(h3 – h4)
Heat rejected |qr| = (1- ṁ2- ṁ3)(h4 - h5)
Pump work |Σwp| = (1- ṁ2- ṁ3)(h6 – h5) + (1- ṁ2)(h8 – h7) - (h10 – h9)
≈ (1- ṁ2- ṁ3)[v7(P6 – P5)]/ ηp∙J + (1- ṁ2)[v7(P8 – P7)]/
ηp∙J + [v9(P10 – P9)]/ ηp∙J
Net work Δwnet = wt - |wp|
Thermal eff ηth = Δwnet / qa
Work Ratio WR = Δwnet / wt
For Ideal s1 = s2 = s3 = s4
s5 = s6 s7 = s8 s9 = s10
Open/Direct Contact Feedwater
Heater
Sample Computation

Find the net work and

efficiency of an ideal
Turbine Gen
saturated Rankine cycle using
Freon-12 as a working fluid
and operating at 200 and
2
72°F. The cycle has an open Boiler 3

type feed heater placed

optimally. Condenser CT

FWH Pump
Pump
• Given
- Ideal Saturated Rankine Cycle T
- Working Fluid: Freon-12
- T1 = 200°F
- T2 = 72°F

1
• Required
7
2
wNET = wT -Σ|wP|
6
= (h1-h2) + (1-m2)·(h2-h3) - (h5-h4)
5
- (h7-h6) 3
4
ηcycle = wNET/qA
s
= ((h1-h2) + (1-m2)·(h2-h3) - (h5-h4) -
(h7-h6))/ (h1-h7)
• Solution
Feed heating: T

T1 = 200°F
T3 = 72°F
1
Toptimal = (T1 – T3)/2
7
2
Toptimal = 64°F 6

Tfw = T3 + Toptimal = 5
3
136°F 4

s
Pfw = 210.79 psi
State 1: (200°F, sat vapor)
h1 = 91.278 Btu/lbm
s1 = 0.15651 Btu/lbm·°F
P1 = 430.09 psi T

State 2: (136°F, s1=s2)

1
Solve for x2 7
2
0.15651 = .078489 + 6

0.083281(x2) 5
3
4
x2 = 0.93684 s
h2 = 40.110 + 49.608(x2)
h2 = 86.58478 Btu/lbm
State 3: (72°F, s1=s3)
Solve for x3
0.15651 = 0.051338 +
0.112912(x3) T
x3 = 0.93145
h3 = 24.511 + 60.035(x3)
h3 = 80.43066 Btu/lbm 1

7
2
6

State 4 : (72°F, sat liquid) 5

3
4
h4= 24.511 Btu/lbm
s
v4 = 0.012126 ft3/lbm
P4 = 87.559 psi
State 5:
h5 = h4 + (v4(P5-
P4)(144)/778.16)
h5 = 24.511 +
(0.012126(210.79- T
87.56)(144)/778.16)
h5= 24.78752 Btu/lbm
1

7
2
State 6 : (136°F, sat liquid) 6
5
h6= 40.110 Btu/lbm 4
3

v6 = 0.013623 ft3/lbm s

P6 = 210.79 psi
State 7:
h7 = h6 + (v6(P7-P6)(144)/778.16)
h7 = 40.110 + (0.013623(430.09-
210.79)(144)/778.16)
h7= 40.66285 Btu/lbm
T

Mass and Energy Balance:

m2+m5=m6
m2h2+m5h5=m6h6 1

We let m6 = 1 thus m5 = 1-m2 7

2
6
m2h2 + (1-m2)h5 = h6
5
We solve for m2 3
4
m2 = 0.248
s
m5 = (1-0.248) = 0.752
m5 = 0.752
Substituting:
wNET = (h1-h2) + (1-m2)·(h2-
h3 ) T

- (h5-h4) - (h7-h6)
= 8.49207 Btu/lbm
1

7
2

ηcycle = ((h1-h2) + (1-m2)·(h2- 6

h3 )
5
3
4

- (h5-h4) - (h7-h6))/ (h1-h7) s

= 16.778%
Closed-Type FWH with Drains
Cascaded Backward
 Closed-Type FWH with Drains
Cascaded Backward
• Results in greater loss of availability than open types
• Simplest and most commonly used in powerplants
• Feedwater passes through the tubes while the bled steam is on the
shell side
• Bled steam transfers its energy to the feedwater and then,
condenses
• Because feedwater goes through the tubes in successive closed
feedwater heaters, it does not mix with bled steam and therefore can
be pressurized only once by the first condensate pump
Closed-Type FWH with Drains
Cascaded Backward
 Closed-Type FWH with Drains
Cascaded Backward
Mass Balance and Energy Balance
between 1 and 2 =1 ṁ2(h2 - h11) = (h8 - h7)
between 2 and 3 = 1 - ṁ2
between 3 and 10 = 1 - ṁ2 - ṁ3
ṁ3(h3 - h9) + ṁ2(h12 - h9)
= (h7 - h6)
between 10 and 1 = 1
between 2 and 12 = ṁ2
between 3 and 12 = ṁ3
between 12 and 10= ṁ2 + ṁ3
 Closed-Type FWH with Drains
Cascaded Backward
Equations
Heat added qa = h1 - h8
wT = (h1 - h2) + (1 - m2)(h2 - h3) +
Turbine work
(1 - m2 - m3)(h3 -h4)
Pump work wP = v5(P6 - P5)/PJ
qR = (1 - m2 - m3)(h4 - h5) +
Heat rejected
(m2 - m3)(h10 - h5)
Net work wnet = wT - wP
Thermal Efficiency ɳthermal= wnet/qa
Work Ratio WR = wnet/wT
 Closed-Type FWH with Drains
Cascaded Backward
Sample Computation
An ideal Rankine cycle operates at with 1000 psia, 1000 F steam.
It has one enclosed feedwater heater with drain cascaded
backward placed at 100 psia. The condenser pressure is 1 psia.

Use TTD = 5F. The heater has a drain cooler resulting in DC drain
(drain cooler temperature difference) = 10F.

Find wnet, qa, qr, ɳthermal, and WR

• Given:
P1 = 1000 psia
P2 = 100 psia
P3 = 1 psia
T1 = 1000 F
TDD = 5 F
Tdrain cooler = 10 F
state 1 (P1 = 1000 psia, T1
=1000 F)
h1 = 1505.4 Btu/lbm
s1 = 1.6530 Btu/lbmF
state 2 (P2 = 100 psia, s2 = s1)
h2 = 1228.67028 Btu/lbm
state 4 (P4 = P3, x4 = 0)
h3 = 69.73 Btu/lbm
v3 = 0.01614
state 5 (P5 = 1000 psia, v5 = 0.01614)
h5 = 69.73
+ 0.01614(1000-1)(144/778.16)
h5 = 72.71375 Btu/lbm
T5 = 104.7232 F

state 3 (P3 = 1 psia, s3 = s1)

Solve for x3
1.6530 = 0.1326 + 1.8455(x3)
x3 = 0.82384
h3 = 923.31247 Btu/lbm
state 7 (P7 = 100 psia, x7 = 0)
h7 = 298.5 Btu/lbm
T7 = 327.82 F

TTD = 5 F
T6 = T7 – TTD = 327.82 F - 5 F =
322.82 F

state 6 (P6 = 1000 psia, T6 = 322.82

F)
h6 = 293.36 Btu/lbm
TDC = 10 F
T8 = T5 + TDC = 104.72 + 10 = 114.72
F

state 8 (T8 = 114.72 F, x8 = 0)

h8 = 82.69 Btu/lbm

Energy Balance:
m2(h2 - h8) = h6 - h5
m2 = (293.36 - 72.71)/(1228.6 -
82.69)
m2 = 0.1926
wT = (h1 - h2) + (1 - m2)(h2 - h3)
= (1505.4 - 1228.6) + (1 - 0.19626)(1228.6 - 923.31)
= 523.29 Btu/lbm

wP = h5 - h4 = 72.71 - 69.73 = 2.98 Btu/lbm

wnet = wT - wP = 523.29 - 2.98 = 520.31 Btu/lbm

qa = h1 - h6 = 1505.4 - 293.36 = 1212.04 Btu/lbm

qr = (1 - m2)(h3 - h4) + m2(h9 - h4)

= (1 - 0.1926)(923.31 - 69.73) + 0.1926(82.69 - 69.73)
= 691.68 Btu/lbm
Plant thermal efficiency:
th = wnet/qa = 520.31/1212.04 = 42.93%

Work Ratio:
WR = wnet/wT = 520.31/523.29 = 0.9943
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump
Forward
Closed-Type Feedwater Heaters
with Drains Pumped Forward
 Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

Source: El-Wakil, Power Plant Technology, McGraw Hill Inc, 1984

Closed-Type Feedwater Heaters
with Drains Pumped Forward
Mass Balance:
Mass flow between 1 and 2 = 1
Mass flow between 2 and 12 = ṁ2
Mass flow between 2 and 3 = 1 - ṁ2
Mass flow between 3 and 14 = ṁ3
Mass flow between 3 and 7 = 1 - ṁ2 - ṁ3
Mass flow at 14 = ṁ3
Mass flow between 8 and 9 = 1 - ṁ2
Mass flow at 12 = ṁ2
Mass flow between 10 and 1 = 1

Energy Balance:

ṁ2(h2 - h11) = (1- ṁ2)(h9 - h8)

ṁ3(h3 - h13) = (1 - ṁ2 - ṁ3)(h7 - h6)
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

An ideal Rankine cycle operates with 1000psia,

1000°F steam. It has one closed type feedwater
heater with drains pump forward placed at 100
psia. The condenser pressure is 1psia. Use TTD = 5°F.
Find the net work and efficiency.
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

Turbine
Gen

Boiler

Condenser
CT

Pump

Pump
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

State 1: superheated
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

State 2: superheated
Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

State 3: mixture
 Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward
State 4: sat liquid

State 5: sub cooled liquid

 Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

State 7: sat liquid

State 6: sub cooled liquid

Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

State 8: sub cooled liquid

Energy balance of FW heater

State 9: sub cooled liquid

Closed-Type FWH drains Pump Forward

Work and Efficiency

 Placement of FWH

• The optimum of the pressure to which the one feed water

is to be placed is obtained by finding the the temperature
that is halfway between TB and TC, and the obtaining the
saturation pressure corresponding to that temperature

• For n feedwater heaters, the optimum temperature rise

per heater would be given by
TB  TC
Topt 
n 1
Supercritical
 Supercritical

• Operates in the supercritical region of the fluid

• Uses once-through boilers (universal pressure boilers)
• Provides a bigger increase in the efficiency than the
superheat cycle
Supercritical

Modern subcritical cycles have attained efficiencies close

to 40%. Further improvement in efficiency (up to 45%) can
be achieved by using supercritical steam conditions.
Supercritical

wnet
Thermal efficiency: th 
Equations
qA

Heat addition: qA  (h1  h64)  (h3  h2 )

For ideal: s2  s1 s3  s4 s5  s6
Supercritical
Equations
Pump work: | wp | h6  h5

wT  (h1  h2 )  (h3  h4 )

Total work: wnet  (h1  h2 )  (h3  h4 )  (h6  h5 )

Supercritical

Calculate the net work and efficiency of an internally

reversible supercritical 3500psia/1000°F cycle. Condensing
at 1psia. Use steam as the working fluid.
Supercritical

B/SH 1
4

P T

2 4
C
3
3 2
Supercritical

State 1: sat vapor State 2: mixture

Supercritical

State 3: x = 0 State 4: sub cooled liquid

Supercritical

Work and Efficiency

Supercritical with Reheat

For steam cp= 3208 psia 1025 ° F 1050 ° F

1000 ° F

800 psia

200 psia

1 psia
Supercritical with Reheat

• Heat addition: qa = (h1 – h8) + (h3 – h2) + (h5 – h4)

• Turbine work: wt = (h1 – h2) + (h3 – h4) + (h5 – h6)

• Pump work: |wp| = (h8 – h7)

• Net work: Δwnet = wt - |wp|

• Thermal Efficiency: ηth = Δwnet / qa

Supercritical with Reheat

B/SH 1
4

P T

2 4
C
3
3 2
Supercritical with Reheat

• Calculate the net work, heat added, efficiency, and work ratio
of an internally reversible supercritical double-reheat
3500/1000/1025/1050 cycle. Reheats occur at 800 and 200
psia. Condensing is at 1 psia
For steam cp= 3208 psia 1025 ° F1050 ° F
1000 ° F

800 psia
200 psia

1 psia
 Supercritical with Reheat
State 1: P1= 3500 psia, T1= 1000°F h5=1555.4 s5=1.8603
h1=1422.2 s1=1.4709 State 6: P6= 1 psia, s5=s6
State 2: P2= 800 psia, s2=s1 x6=0.936 h6=1039.7
h2=1254.5 State 7: P7= 1 psia, x=0
State 3: P3= 800 psia, T3=1025°F h7= 69.73
h3=1525.3 s3=1.69015
State 4: P4=200 psia, s3=s4
h4=1336.3
State 5: P5= 200 psia, T5= 1050°F
 Supercritical with Reheat
State 8: Δwnet=861.95 Btu/lb
h8=69.73+0.016136(3500-1)(144)/778.16
h8= 69.73 + 10.45 qA=(h1-h8)+(h3-h2)+(h5-h4)
h8= 80.18 qA=1342.02+270.8+219.3
qA=1831.92 Btu/lb
Δwnet=(1422.20-1254.5)+(1525.3-1336.3)
+(1555.4-1039.7)-10.45
Δwnet=167.7+189+515.7-10.45
Δwnet=872.4-10.45
 Supercritical with Reheat
ηth= 861.95/1831.92
ηth=0.4705

WR=861.95/872.41
WR=0.9880
Improvements
 Improvements
• Efficiency of a Rankine cycle can be increased by:
• Increasing the boiler temperature
• Changing the working fluid
 Improvements
Increasing the boiler temperature
• Changing the boiler material so that it can withstand elevated
temperature
• Minimizing heat loss by use of insulation
• Changing working fluid so that it doesn’t degrade in high
temperatures
 Improvements
Changing the working fluid
• Lower specific heat capacity
• Lower heat needed to attain desired temperature thus higher efficiency
• Example: mercury(1.72kJ/kg*K) VS water (4.19kJ/kg*K)