Vapour Power Cycles Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M .

Mallikarjuna

5.2 Rankine Cycle:

Rankine cycle is the idealized cycle for steam power plants. This cycle is shown on p-v,

T-v, h-s, diagram in the above figures. It consists of following processes:

3
BOILER

TURBINE

CONDENSER

PUMP 1
Fig.5.2(a). Rankine vapour power cycle

3''
2' 3' 3 5

2
1 1' 4' 4 4''

a b s

Fig.5.2(b). T-s diagram Rankine power cycle

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Vapour Power Cycles Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

2 2' 3' 3 3''

1 4' 4 4''

Fig.5.2(c). p-v diagram Rankine power cycle

3''

3
3'
h
2 2'

4''
4' 4
1

s
Fig.5.2(d). h-s diagram Rankine power cycle

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Vapour Power Cycles Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

Process 1-2: Water from the condenser at low pressure is pumped into the boiler at

high pressure. This process is reversible adiabatic.

Process 2-3: Water is converted into steam at constant pressure by the addition of heat

in the boiler.

Process 3-4: Reversible adiabatic expansion of steam in the steam turbine.

Process 4-1: Constant pressure heat rejection in the condenser to convert condensate

into water.

The steam leaving the boiler may be dry and saturated, wet or superheated. The

corresponding T-s diagrams are 1-2-3-4-1; 1-2-3’-4’-1 or 1-2-3”-4”-1.

Thermal Efficiency of Rankine Cycle:

Consider one kg of working fluid, and applying first law to flow system to various

processes with the assumption of neglecting changes in potential and kinetic energy,

we can write,

δq - δw = dh

For process 2-3, δw = 0 (heat addition process), we can write,

( δq )boiler = ( dh )boiler = ( h3 - h2 )

For process 3-4; δq = 0 (adiabatic process)

( δw )turbine = - ( dh )turbine = ( h 3 - h4 )

Similarly,

( δq )cond = ( h1 - h 4 )
( δw )pump = ( h1 - h 2 )
( δw )net = ( δw )turbine + ( δw )pump = (h 3 - h 4 ) + (h1 - h 2 ) = (h 3 - h 4 ) - (h 2 - h1 )

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Vapour Power Cycles Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

Net work ( δw )net

Now, Thermal efficiency = ηth = =
heat sup plied ( δq )boiler
( h3 - h 4 ) - (h 2 - h1 ) area 122 '341
ηrankine = ηth = =
(h 3 - h 2 ) area a22 '3ba

The pump work ( δw )pump is negligible, because specific volume of water is very small.

Therefore,

h3 - h 4 area 12 '341
ηrankine = = (Neglecting pump work)
h3 - h 2 area a12 '3ba

Note that the rankine cycle has a lower efficiency compared to corresponding Carnot

cycle 2’-3-4-1’ with the same maximum and minimum temperatures. The reason is that

the average temperature at which heat is added in the rankine cycle lies between T2

and T12 and is thus less than the constant temperature T12 at which heat is added to the

Carnot cycle.

Reasons for Considering Rankine Cycle as an Ideal Cycle For Steam

Power Plants:
1) It is very difficult to build a pump that will handle a mixture of liquid and vapor
at state 1’ (refer T-s diagram) and deliver saturated liquid at state 2’. It is
much easier to completely condense the vapor and handle only liquid in the
pump.
2) In the rankine cycle, the vapor may be superheated at constant pressure from
3 to 3” without difficulty. In a Carnot cycle using superheated steam, the
superheating will have to be done at constant temperature along path 3-5.
During this process, the pressure has to be dropped. This means that heat is
transferred to the vapor as it undergoes expansion doing work. This is difficult
to achieve in practice.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras