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Example of Rankine Cycle – Problem with Solution

Let us assume the Rankine cycle, one of the most common thermodynamic cycles in thermal power
plants. In this case, assume a simple cycle without
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on
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x
saturated steam (dry steam). In this case, the turbine operates at a steady state with inlet conditions of  6
MPa, t = 275.6°C, x = 1 (point 3). Steam leaves this turbine stage at a pressure of 0.008 MPa, 41.5°C, and x =
??? (point 4).
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5/26/22, 3:44 PM Example of Rankine Cycle – Problem with Solution | nuclear-power.com

Calculate: x

1. The vapor quality of the outlet steam.

2. The enthalpy difference between these two states (3 → 4) corresponds to the work done by the
steam, WT.
3. The enthalpy difference between these two states (1 → 2) corresponds to the work done by pumps,
WP.
4. The enthalpy difference between these two states (2 → 3) corresponds to the net heat added to the
steam generator.
5. The thermodynamic efficiency of this cycle and compare this value with the Carnot’s efficiency.

1)

Since we do not know the exact vapor quality of the outlet steam, we have to determine this parameter.
State 4 is fixed by the pressure p4 =  0.008 MPa and the fact that the specific entropy is constant for the
isentropic expansion (s3 = s4 = 5.89 kJ/kgK for 6 MPa). The specific entropy of saturated liquid water (x=0)
and dry steam (x=1) can be picked from steam tables. In the case of wet steam, the actual entropy can be
calculated with the vapor quality, x, and the specific entropies of saturated liquid water and dry steam:

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s4 = sv x + (1 – x ) sl              

where

s4 = entropy of wet steam (J/kg K) = 5.89 kJ/kgK

sv = entropy of “dry” steam (J/kg K) = 8.227 kJ/kgK (for 0.008 MPa)

sl = entropy of saturated liquid water (J/kg K) = 0.592 kJ/kgK (for 0.008 MPa)

From this equation the vapor quality is:

x4 =  (s4 – sl) / (sv – sl) = (5.89 – 0.592) / (8.227 – 0.592) = 0.694 = 69.4%

2)

The enthalpy for the state 3 can be picked directly from steam tables, whereas the enthalpy for the state 4
must be calculated using vapor quality:

h3, v = 2785 kJ/kg

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h4, wet = h4,v x + (1 – x ) h4,l  = 2576 . 0.694 + (1 – 0.694) . 174 = 1787 + 53.2 = 1840 kJ/kg
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x

Then the work done by the steam, WT, is

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5/26/22, 3:44 PM Example of Rankine Cycle – Problem with Solution | nuclear-power.com

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Photomath

WT = Δh = 945 kJ/kg

3)

Enthalpy for state 1 can be picked directly from steam tables:

h1, l = 174 kJ/kg

State 2 is fixed by the pressure p2 =  6.0 MPa and the fact that the specific entropy is constant for the
isentropic compression (s1 = s2 = 0.592 kJ/kgK for 0.008 MPa). For this entropy s2 = 0.592 kJ/kgK and p2 =
 6.0 MPa we find h2, subcooled in steam tables for compressed water (using interpolation between two
states).

h2, subcooled = 179.7 kJ/kg

Then the work done by the pumps, WP, is

WP = Δh = 5.7 kJ/kg

4)

The enthalpy difference between (2 → 3), which corresponds to the net heat added in the steam generator,
is simply:

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Photomath

OPEN
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x
Qadd = h3, v  – h2, subcooled = 2785 – 179.7 =  2605.3 kJ/kg

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5/26/22, 3:44 PM Example of Rankine Cycle – Problem with Solution | nuclear-power.com

Note that there is no heat regeneration in this cycle. On the other hand, most of the heat added is for the x
enthalpy of vaporization (i.e., for the phase change).

5)

In this case, steam generators, steam turbines, condensers, and feedwater pumps constitute a heat engine
subject to the efficiency limitations imposed by the second law of thermodynamics. In the ideal case (no
friction, reversible processes, perfect design), this heat engine would have a Carnot efficiency of

ηCarnot = 1 – Tcold/Thot = 1 – 315/549 = 42.6%

where the temperature of the hot reservoir is 275.6°C (548.7 K), the temperature of the cold reservoir is
41.5°C (314.7K).

The thermodynamic efficiency of this cycle can be calculated by the following formula:

thus

ηth = (945 – 5.7) / 2605.3 = 0.361 = 36.1%

 
 References:

See above:

Rankine Cycle 

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