The ideal

regenerative Rankine cycle

Problem:
Wnet

Heat is transferred to working fluid during
process 2-2’ at a relatively low temperature
 lowers the average heat addition Q in
temperature
Solution:
Raise the temperature of liquid leaving the
pump (feedwater).
 One possibility is to transfer heat to
feedwater from the expanding steam in a
counterflow heat exchanger built into the
turbine, that is, to use regeneration
 It is impractical in design such a heat
exchanger and because it would increase
the moisture content of the steam at final
stages of turbine.
 The ideal
regenerative Rankine cycle
Regeneration process in steam power plants is accomplished by
extracting steam from turbine to heat the feedwater
 This steam is used to heat the feedwater
 This process is called regeneration and the heat exchanger where
heat is transferred from steam to feedwater by is called a
regenerator, or feedwater heater (FWH)
 The ideal
regenerative Rankine cycle
Open FWH

 An open (or direct-contact) feedwater

heater is basically a mixing chamber
 Saturated water from the condenser is
pumped to feedwater pressure and
send to the FWH.
 At the feedwater heater, the
compressed water is mixed with the
steam extracted from the turbine
 A second pump raises the pressure of
the water to the boiler pressure.
 It exits the feedwater heater as
saturated water at the boiler pressure.
 The ideal
regenerative Rankine cycle
Open FWH
For each 1 kg of steam leaving boiler, y kg expands partially in the
turbine and is extracted at state 6. Remaining (1 - y) kg expands
completely to condenser pressure. Therefore, the mass flow rates
are different in different components. If the mass flow rate through
 , for example, it is (1 - y)m
the boiler is m  through the condenser.

q in  h 5  h 4
q out  1  y h 7  h 1 
w turb ,out  h 5  h 6   1  y h 6  h 7 
w pump ,in  1  y w pump  ,in  w pump  ,in
m6
y (fraction of steam extracted)

m5
w pump  ,in   1 P2  P2 
w pump  ,in   1 P4  P3 
 The ideal
regenerative Rankine cycle
Closed FWH

 Closed FWH are shell-and-tube type in which

feedwater temperature increases as the
extracted steam condenses on the outside of
the tubes carrying the feedwater.
 The two streams can be at different pressures
since the two streams do not mix.
 The extracted stream condenses in the closed
feedwater while heating the feedwater from
the pump.
 The heated feedwater is send to the boiler and
condensate from the feedwater heater is
allowed to pass through a trap into condenser
(traps the vapor).
Open FWH versus Closed FWH

Open FWH Closed FWH

 Open FWH
Simple and inexpensive.
Good heat transfer
Characteristics.
Bring the feedwater to the
saturation state.
Each heater, however, a pump is
required to handle the feedwater.
Closed FWH
More complex because of the
internal tubing network, and thus
they are more expensive.
Less effective since the two
streams are not allowed to be
in direct contact.
Do not require a separate
pump for each heater since the
extracted steam and the feedwater
can be at different pressures.