Power Plant Lectures 4th Year

Exercises (1)
Problem (1.1) Consider a solar-energy-
powered ideal Rankine, see figure (1), this
cycle uses water as the working fluid.
Saturated vapor leaves the solar collector at
175°C, and the condenser pressure is 10
kPa. Determine the thermal efficiency of
this cycle. [reference: Fundamentals of
Thermodynamics by Borgnakke & Sonntag
prob.11.14,p-460].(Ans.26.1 %).
Figure (1): Simple Rankine Cycle.

Problem (1.2) A steam power plant working according to simple Rankine

cycle. It has a high pressure of 3 MPa and it maintains 60oC in the condenser.
A condensing turbine is used, but the quality should not be lower than 90% at
any state in the turbine. Find the cycle efficiency.[reference: Fundamentals of
Thermodynamics by Borgnakke & Sonntag prob.11.18,p-460].(Ans.33.2 %).

Problem (1.3) A smaller power plant as

shown in figure (2), produces steam at 3
MPa, 600oC in the boiler. It keeps the
condenser at 45oC by transfer of 10 MW
out as heat transfer. The first turbine section
expands to 500 kPa and then flow is
reheated followed by the expansion in the
low pressure turbine. Find the reheat
temperature so the turbine output is
saturated vapor. For this reheat find the total
turbine power output and the boiler heat
transfer. [reference: Fundamentals of
Thermodynamics by Borgnakke & Sonntag Figure (2): Rankine with Re-heat
prob.11.33,p-462].(Ans.529 oC, 6487 kW, Cycle.
16475 kW).

Problem (1.4) Consider an ideal steam reheat cycle, see figure (2), where
steam enters the high-pressure turbine at 3.0 MPa, 400°C, and then expands to
0.8 MPa. It is then reheated to 400°C and expands to 10 kPa in the low-
pressure turbine. Calculate the cycle thermal efficiency and the moisture
content of the steam leaving the low-pressure turbine. [reference: Fundamentals
of Thermodynamics by Borgnakke & Sonntag prob.11.36,p-462].(Ans.36.2 %,
0.923).

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Problem (1.5) In a single-heater

regenerative cycle the steam enters
the turbine at 30 bar, 400°C and
the exhaust pressure is 0.10 bar.
The feed water heater is a direct
contact type which operates at 5
bar. Find:
(i) The efficiency and the steam
rate of the cycle.
(ii) The increase in mean
temperature of heat addition,
efficiency and steam rate as
compared to the Rankine cycle
(without regeneration).
Pump work may be neglected.

Ans.: (i) 𝜂 36.08%.

Problem (1.6) A steam power plant operates on an ideal regenerative Rankine

cycle. Steam enters the turbine at 6 MPa and 450°C and is condensed in the
condenser at 20 kPa. Steam is extracted from the turbine at 0.4 MPa to heat
the feedwater in an open feedwater heater. Water leaves the feedwater heater as
a saturated liquid. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram, and determine (a) the net
work output per kilogram of steam flowing through the boiler and (b) the
thermal efficiency of the cycle. [reference: Thermodynamics an Engineering
Approach, by Michael A. Boles, prob. 10-44,p-594].

Ans.: (a) 1017 kJ/kg, (b) 37.8 %

Problem (1.7) Consider a steam power plant that operates on a simple ideal
Rankine cycle and has a net power output of 45 MW. Steam enters the turbine
at 7 MPa and 500°C and is cooled in the condenser at a pressure of 10 kPa by
running cooling water from a lake through the tubes of the condenser. Show the
cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to saturation lines, and determine (a) the
thermal efficiency of the cycle, and (b) the mass flow rate of the steam.
[reference: Thermodynamics an Engineering Approach, by Michael A. Boles,
prob. 10-22,p-591].

Ans.: (a) 38.9 percent, (b) 36 kg/s

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Problem (1.8) Consider a regenerative cycle using steam as the working fluid.
Steam leaves the boiler and enters the turbine at 4 MPa, 400oC. After
expansion to 400 kPa, some of the steam is extracted from the turbine for the
purpose of heating the feedwater in an open feedwater heater. The pressure in
the feedwater heater is 400 kPa and the water leaving it is saturated liquid at
400 kPa. The steam not extracted expands to 10 kPa. Determine the cycle
efficiency.

Ans.: 37.5%

Problem (1.9) A steam power plant operates on an ideal regenerative Rankine

cycle. Steam enters the turbine at 6 MPa and 450°C and is condensed in the
condenser at 20 kPa. Steam is extracted from the turbine at 0.4 MPa to heat
the feedwater in an open feedwater heater. Water leaves the feedwater heater as
a saturated liquid. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram, and determine (a) the net
work output per kilogram of steam flowing through the boiler and (b) the
thermal efficiency of the cycle.

Ans.: (a) 1017 kJ/kg, (b) 37.8 %

Test Example
‫ ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻟﺐ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﻟﺪﻳﻪ ﺍﻟﻘﺪﺭﺓ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﻞ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻨﻮﻉ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺄﺋﻞ ﻳﻜﻮﻥ ﻣﺆﻫﻞ ﻟﺨﻮﺽ ﺍﻻﺧﺘﺒﺎﺭ ﺑﻤﺎﺩﺓ‬:‫ﺍﻳﻀﺎﺡ‬
.‫ﺍﻟﻔﺼﻞ‬

The Ideal Reheat–Regenerative Rankine Cycle

Solved problem: Consider a steam power plant that operates on an ideal

reheat–regenerative Rankine cycle with one open feedwater heater, one closed
feedwater heater, and one reheater. Steam enters the turbine at 15 MPa and
600°C and is condensed in the condenser at a pressure of 10 kPa. Some steam
is extracted from the turbine at 4 MPa for the closed feedwater heater, and the
remaining steam is reheated at the same pressure to 600°C. The extracted
steam is completely condensed in the heater and is pumped to 15 MPa before it
mixes with the feedwater at the same pressure. Steam for the open feedwater
heater is extracted from the low-pressure turbine at a pressure of 0.5 MPa.
Determine the fractions of steam extracted from the turbine as well as the
thermal efficiency of the cycle.

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The enthalpies at the various states and the pump work per unite mass of the
fluid following through them are:
h1=191.81 kj/kg h6=1087.4 kj/kg h12=3014.8 kj/kg
h2=192.3 kj/kg h7=1101.2 kj/kg h13=2335.7 kj/kg
h3=640.09 kj/kg h8= kj/kg WP1=0.49 kj/kg
h4=643.92 kj/kg h9=3155 kj/kg WP2=3.83 kj/kg
h5=1087.4 kj/kg h10=3155 kj/kg WP3=13.77 kj/kg
The fractions extracted are determined from the mass and energy balanced of
the feedwater heaters:
1. For closed feedwater heater:
∑𝐸 ∑𝐸 ⟹ 𝑦ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ 𝑦ℎ
. .
𝑦 . . .
0.1766
2. For open feedwater heater:
∑𝐸 ∑𝐸 ⟹ 𝑦ℎ 1 𝑦 𝑧 ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ
1 0.1766 640.09 192.3
𝑧 3014.8 192.3
0.1306
The enthalpy at state 8 is determined by applying the mass and energy equation to the
mixing chamber:
∑𝐸 ∑𝐸 ⟹ 1 ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ 𝑦ℎ
ℎ 1 0.1766 1087.4 0.1766 1101.2 1089.8 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑄 ℎ ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ ℎ
𝑄 3583.1 1089.8 1 0.1766 3674.9 3155 2921.4 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑄 1 𝑦 𝑧 ℎ ℎ
𝑄 1 0.1766 0.1306 2335.7 191.81 1485.3 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
Finally
𝑄 1485.3
𝜂 1 1 49.2 %
𝑄 2921.4

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Problem (1.10) A steam power plant operates on the reheat regenerative

Rankine cycle with a closed feedwater heater. Steam enters the turbine at
12.5 MPa and 550°C at a rate of 24 kg/s and is condensed in the
condenser at a pressure of 20 kPa. Steam is reheated at 5 MPa to 550°C.
Some steam is extracted from the low-pressure turbine at 1.0 MPa, is
completely condensed in the closed feedwater heater, and pumped to 12.5
MPa before it mixes with the feedwater at the same pressure. Assuming
an isentropic efficiency of 88 percent for both the turbine and the pump,
determine (a) the temperature of the steam at the inlet of the closed
feedwater heater, (b) the mass flow rate of the steam extracted from the
turbine for the closed feedwater heater, (c) the net power output, and (d)
the thermal efficiency.

Ans.: (a) 328°C, (b) 4.29 kg/s, (c) 28.6 MW, (d) 39.3 %

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