Power Plants Thermodynamics

Contents:
Thermodynamics Principles
Thermodynamics of
Steam Power Plant

Thermodynamics of
Gas Turbine Power Plant
 What is Thermodynamics?
Science of relationship between
heat, work and properties of
substances which cause a
change of state.
 How?
By using the way fluid
behaves as it is being
Compressed or
expanded
Heated or cooled
 Concern with:

Transfer of heat and

work

Converting one form

of energy into
another
 Physical Laws & Relationships

Thermodynamics Principles: the three basic laws;

The conservation of mass principle (mass balance)
The 1st Law of Thermodynamics (conservation of energy
principle energy balance)
The 2nd. Law of Thermodynamics (entropy balance, exergy
balance)

Other relationships are;

Relationships among properties of substances
Heat transfer relationships
 Conservation of Mass
Deals with quantity of mass
(bookkeeping of mass during a process)

Mass balance:

Mass change
= mass transfer
 1st. Law of Thermodynamics
Deals with the quantity and transformations of energy
(bookkeeping of energy during a process)

Energy balance:

Energy change
= energy transfer
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Steam Turbine Plant: Thermodynamics

Contents:
Introduction Regenerative Rankine cycle
Simple Rankine cycle Steam turbine system
Reheat Rankine cycle Summary

Generator
Turbine

Boiler

Steam Turbine System

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Introduction
1. Steam turbine => classic and most widely used method

2. Mainly used as base and intermediate plants

3. Operation is based on Rankine cycle => vapour-liquid cycle

4. Common practice is to use reheat and regenerative Rankine cycle

5. Sometimes used in cogeneration plants, i.e.

generating steam for power and heat e.g.
desalination plant, district heating/cooling

6. Utilises high-quality steam as the working fluid

7. Typical fuels: coal, oil, natural gas

 Steam Power Plant

Boiler

Chimney

Coal
bunker

Coal mill Air heater

Electrostatic precipitator
Feedwater
heaters
Generator Turbine
Cooling
tower

Transformer

Condenser
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Simple Rankine Cycle (1)

1. Rankine cycle => ideal cycle for the power vapour-liquid cycle
2. Consists of the following internally reversible processes
1-2 Isentropic compression (pump) 3-4 Isentropic expansion (turbine)
2-3 Constant pressure heat 4-1 Constant pressure heat
addition (boiler) rejection (condenser)
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Simple Rankine Cycle (2)

3. Energy balance in simple Rankine cycle:

Pump : w pump,in h2 h1 v( P2 P1 )

Boiler : qboiler h3 h2

Turbine : wturbine,out h3 h4

Condenser : qcondenser h4 h1

wnet qout
Cy cle efficiency: th 1
Qin qin
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Simple Rankine Cycle (3)

4. Actual cycle differs from the ideal Rankine cycle mainly due to
friction and pressure loss
5. Pump and turbine efficiencies
are defined as:

ws h2 s h1
P
wa h2a h1

wa h3 h4a
T
ws h3 h4 s
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Reheat Rankine Cycle

1. Turbine divided into two parts: high pressure and low pressure
2. Steam leaving the high-pressure (HP) turbine is reheated in the
boiler before entering the low-pressure (LP) turbine
3. In this way, formation of water droplet in turbine is reduced
4. Moisture is destructive to turbine blades due to erosion & corrosion

qin (h3 h2 ) (h5 h4 ) wout (h3 h4 ) (h5 h6 )

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Regenerative Rankine Cycle (1)

1. Feedwater temperature is increased by addition of heat from steam
extracted from turbine (bled steam), before it enters boiler
2. Cycle efficiency is increased significantly
qin h5 h4 wout (h5 h6 ) (1 y )( h6 h7 )

qout (1 y )( h7 h1 ) win (1 y ) wpump1 wpump 2

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Regenerative Rankine Cycle (2)

3. Two types of feedwater heaters:

a. Open (or direct contact) feedwater heater:

mixing of feedwater and steam (i.e. heat and mass transfer)
other function: to remove dissolve O2 in feedwater (deaerator)

b. Closed feedwater heater:

heat transfer without mixing of mass (i.e. heat exchanger)
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Regenerative Rankine Cycle (3)

4. Efficiency is increased as the number of feedwater heaters is
increased
Generator Turbine Boiler
 Heat Balance Diagram & Mollier Chart
What is heat balance diagram? Heat balance diagram

Steam Cycle Rating & Heat balance

Mollier Chart

How to read a Mollier Chart?

Cycle Efficiency & Heat Rate

CCGT Rating & Start-up

 Example: Use of Mollier Chart
In a reheat steam turbine, the steam enters the HP turbine section at 140 bar and 5300 C. The steam expands through the turbine
and exhausts to the cold reheat pipelines at 30 bar, 3300 C. The steam then flows to the reheater of the boiler where it is reheated
and returned to the inlet of the IP turbine section at 28 bar and 5300 C. The steam then expands through the IP-LP turbine section
exhausting to the condenser at a temperature, (T4) of 40o C.
Using the given Mollier (h-s) diagram, determine the values for the actual enthalpy and entropy of the steam at the inlet to the HP
turbine and the IP turbine sections, and at the exhaust of the HP turbine section. If the isentropic efficiency of the IP-LP turbine
section is 91%, determine the actual entropy, (s4a) and the steam dryness fraction, (x4a) at the LP turbine exhaust into the
condenser.
Using the above values, sketch the Mollier (h-s) chart to show the process flow of the steam through the above steam turbine.

Referring to the Mollier diagram, at T4 = 40o C, the steam

saturation pressure Psat = 0.07 bar.

h1 = 3400 kJ/kg, s1 = 6.500 kJ/kg.K

h2 = 3070 kJ/kg,
h3 = 3525 kJ/kg,
(h4a = 2396.6 kJ/kg),
(h4s = 2285 kJ/kg),
x4a = 0.928
s2 = 6.680 kJ/kg.K
s3 = 7.340 kJ/kg.K
s4a = 7.720 kJ/kg.K
s4s = 7.340 kJ/kg.K,

Isentropic efficiency for IP-LP = (3525-2396.6)/(3525-

2285) = 0.91

Using the above, the sketch of the Mollier (h-s) chart showing the
process flow of the steam through the steam turbine as shown
below.
 Example Process Flow Diagram & Use of Mollier Chart
In a reheat steam turbine, the steam enters the HP turbine section at 140 bar (P1) and 530 C (T1).
The steam expands through the HP turbine section and exhausts to the cold reheat pipelines at 30
bar (P2), 330o C. The steam then goes through a constant pressure heating process in the reheater
of the boiler, and returned to the inlet of the IP turbine section at 28 bar (P3) and 530 C (T3). The
steam then expands through the IP-LP turbine section exhausting into the condenser with an
actual enthalpy of 2435 kJ/kg and temperature, (T4) of 46 C.

(a).Using the process data given above, sketch the Process Flow Diagram (PFD) to show the
process flow of the steam through the above steam turbine.

(b) Using the given Mollier (h-s) diagram, determine the values for the followings:
i. The actual specific enthalpy and specific entropy of the steam at the inlet and the outlet of
the HP turbine sections, at the inlet of the IP turbine section and at the exhaust of the LP
turbine section.
ii. The actual steam dryness fraction at the LP turbine exhaust into the condenser.
iii. The isentropic efficiency of the IP-LP turbine section.

(c). Using the above values, sketch the Mollier (h-s) chart to show the process flow of the
steam through the above steam turbine.
Example of Regenerative Power Cycle from Cengel 8 ed.
Properties
Steam Turbine System
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Steam Turbine System

A complete steam turbine power plant consists of many sub-systems

Fuel system

Feedwater system
Draught system

Water treatment
Boiler system

Electrical system
Turbine system

Condenser system
Control system
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Gas Turbine Plant

Gas Turbine Plant

1. Simple (open) cycle:

a. Most simple configuration =>
exhaust gas rejected to atmosphere
b. Used primarily for peaking load
(<2000 hours per year)

Gas Turbine
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Gas Turbine Plant

Gas Turbine Plant

2. Combined cycle:
a. Combines gas turbine & steam turbine cycles
=> Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT)
b. Heat recovery steam generator (HRSG):
used to utilize exhaust gas from gas turbine
to generate steam for steam turbine
c. Most efficient => combined efficiency
50~60%
d. Used primarily for intermediate & base loads
CCGT
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Brayton Cycle
Gas Turbine Plant

1. Simple gas turbine (open cycle) is

Brayton
modelled as Brayton cycle Cycle
1-2 Isentropic compression (Compressor)
2-3 Const. pressure heat addition (Heat exchanger)
3-4 Isentropic expansion (Turbine)
4-1 Const. Pressure heat rejection (Heat Exchanger)

Brayton
Cycle Brayton Actual
Cycle
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Brayton Cycle
Gas Turbine Plant

2. Thermal efficiency of Brayton cycle: Brayton

Cycle
Wnet QL
th 1
QH QH

3. For constant specific heat:

1
th 1
( P2 P1 ) ( k 1) / k

4. Typical pressure ratio P2/P1 ~ 11-15

 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh

Brayton Cycle
Gas Turbine Plant

6. Actual cycle includes losses due to

pressure drops and irreversibilities

7. Back-work ratio :- Fraction of turbine

work used to drive compressor

8. Combined steam and gas turbine

cycle:
 Dr. Mohd Hariffin Boosroh
Steam Turbines: Thermodynamics

Summary
1. Steam turbine plant is in principle based on the simple Rankine cycle
2. Actual steam turbine plant usually includes reheat and regenerative
cycles to improve efficiency and to avoid excessive steam moisture
3. A complete steam turbine system can be divided into several sub-
systems
4. Basic Gas Turbine operation: based on Brayton cycle

Thank You