What is specific steam consumption (SSC) in Rankine cycle?

Specific steam consumption (SSC) is defined as the amount of steam flow rate required to produce 1 kW of net work done in a steam turbine power plant. Specific Steam Consumption (SSC) = [3600/W_net] kg/kWh

What is the work ratio in Rankine cycle?

Work ratio is Rankine cycle is defined as the ratio of net work done (W_net) in steam turbine power plant and work done in turbine (W_T). Work ratio = W_net/W_T

How to improve the efficiency of the Rankine cycle?

Reheating and regeneration techniques should be implemented to improve the efficiency of Rankine cycle. In reheat Rankine cycle, reheater is installed at the end of the turbine to reheat the steam, i.e., steam is expanded for two times in this cycle thereby work output by the turbine increases and amount of heat supplied also increases. In regenerative Rankine cycle, the feed water heater is used to extract the heat from expanded steam present at the end of the turbine i.e., some amount of heat is extracted and supplied so that amount of heat required to supply heat in boiler decreases and there is no effect on net work done in power plant due to regeneration there by increases the efficiency of Rankine cycle.

What is the heat rate in the Rankine cycle?

Heat rate in the Rankine cycle is defined as the ratio of heat supplied (Q_s) in the boiler and network done (W_net) in the steam turbine power plant. Heat rate (H.R) =3600Q_s/W_net kJ/kWh

What is an Ideal Rankine Cycle?

By Mohit Uniyal|Updated : June 16th, 2022

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The Rankine cycle was first proposed and developed by Scottish engineer William J.M. Rankine in the 19th century. The Ideal Rankine cycle is used in steam turbine power plants to represent the thermal changes of working substances in various processes. A steam turbine power plant consists of a boiler, steam turbine, condenser and pump. A working substance undergoes several changes during supplying heat in the boiler, expansion of steam in the turbine, and heat rejection in the condenser. All these processes are represented in a cycle. It is called the Rankine cycle.

The working substance in a steam turbine power plant is steam and the objective of the plant is to generate power. Here, the thermal energy of steam is converted into kinetic energy in steam nozzles, then this high-velocity steam is allowed to impinge the steam turbine blades so that the kinetic energy of steam is converted into mechanical energy. In this article, the ideal Rankine cycle is discussed in detail.

Table of Content

1. What is Rankine Cycle?
2. Ideal Rankine Cycle
3. h-s and T-s Diagram for Ideal Rankine Cycle
4. Efficiency of Ideal Rankine Cycle

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What is Rankine Cycle?

The Rankine cycle is used for analyzing the changes in working substances in steam turbine power plants. Heat is supplied to the working substance so that it can produce some amount of work. Q_s amount of heat is supplied to the boiler then water converted into steam, this high thermal energy steam passes through nozzle then this high-velocity stream impinging the turbine blade so that turbine produces W_T amount of work then it passes through the condenser, Q_R amount of heat rejected from the steam so that steam is converted into water then this water pumped into the boiler by using a hydraulic pump. W_P amount of work input is required to run the pump.

Ideal Rankine Cycle

A steam turbine power plant consists of a boiler, turbine, condenser and pump. Reversible isobaric heat addition (1-2) takes place in the boiler then the steam passes through the nozzle and high-velocity steam is impinging the turbine blades. Reversible adiabatic expansion or isentropic expansion (2-3) takes place in the turbine. Steam is allowed to pass into the condenser and reversible isobaric heat rejection (3-4) takes place in the condenser. Steam is converted into the water in a condenser and water is pumped into the boiler by using a hydraulic pump. Reversible adiabatic pumping (4-1) takes place in the pump.

h-s and T-s Diagram for Ideal Rankine Cycle

As we discussed above, reversible isobaric heat addition (1-2) takes place in a boiler, reversible adiabatic expansion or isentropic expansion (2-3) in a turbine, reversible isobaric heat rejection (3-4) in the condenser and reversible isentropic pumping (4-1) in the heat pump. The h-s and T-s diagrams for the ideal Rankine cycle are shown in Fig. below.

Efficiency of Ideal Rankine Cycle

The efficiency of the ideal Rankine cycle is defined as the ratio of net work done by the steam turbine power plant W_net and heat supplied to the boiler Q_s. The difference between turbine workout W_T and pump work input W_p is defined as net work done W_net.

The procedure to determine the expression for efficiency of the ideal Rankine cycle is given below.

The process (1-2): reversible isobaric heat addition (Boiler)

Amount of heat supplied in the boiler:

Apply S.F.E.E

h₁+Q_s=h₂

Q_s=h₂-h₁

The process (2-3): reversible adiabatic expansion (isentropic expansion) (turbine)

Amount of work done by the turbine:

Apply S.F.E.E

h₂=W_T+h₃

W_T=h₂-h₃

The process (3-4): reversible isobaric heat rejection (Condenser)

Amount of heat rejected in condenser:

Apply S.F.E.E

h₃=Q_R+h₄

Q_R=h₃-h₄= h₃-h_f4

The process (4-1): reversible adiabatic pumping or isentropic pumping (Pump)

Amount of work input in pump:

Apply S.F.E.E

h₄+W_P=h₁

W_p=h₁-h₄=h₁-h_f4=v_f4(P_b-P_c)

Net work done in steam turbine power plant:

W_net= W_T-W_P=(h₂-h₃)-(h₁-h_f4)

The efficiency of Rankine cycle

η_Rankine=Net Work Done/Heat Supplied

η_Rankine=W_net/Q_s=[(h₂-h₃)-(h₁-h_f4)]/h₂-h₁

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FAQs on Ideal Rankine Cycle

What is specific steam consumption (SSC) in Rankine cycle?
Specific steam consumption (SSC) is defined as the amount of steam flow rate required to produce 1 kW of net work done in a steam turbine power plant.
Specific Steam Consumption (SSC) = [3600/W_net] kg/kWh
What is the work ratio in Rankine cycle?
Work ratio is Rankine cycle is defined as the ratio of net work done (W_net) in steam turbine power plant and work done in turbine (W_T).
Work ratio = W_net/W_T
How to improve the efficiency of the Rankine cycle?
Reheating and regeneration techniques should be implemented to improve the efficiency of Rankine cycle. In reheat Rankine cycle, reheater is installed at the end of the turbine to reheat the steam, i.e., steam is expanded for two times in this cycle thereby work output by the turbine increases and amount of heat supplied also increases. In regenerative Rankine cycle, the feed water heater is used to extract the heat from expanded steam present at the end of the turbine i.e., some amount of heat is extracted and supplied so that amount of heat required to supply heat in boiler decreases and there is no effect on net work done in power plant due to regeneration there by increases the efficiency of Rankine cycle.
What is the efficiency of the Rankine cycle?
Efficiency of ideal Rankine cycle is defined as the ratio of net work done by the steam turbine power plant (W_net) and heat supplied to the boiler (Q_s).
The efficiency of Rankine cycle
η_Rankine= W_net/Q_s = [(h_2-h_3)-(h_1-h_f4)]/(h_2-h_1)
What is the heat rate in the Rankine cycle?
Heat rate in the Rankine cycle is defined as the ratio of heat supplied (Q_s) in the boiler and network done (W_net) in the steam turbine power plant.
Heat rate (H.R) =3600Q_s/W_net kJ/kWh