MEET 4360 Lab 2 Vapor Power Cycles

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School

University of North Texas *

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4360

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Mechanical Engineering

Date

Apr 3, 2024

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UNT Mechanical Engineering Technology MEET 4360 Experimental Thermal Sciences 2/18/2024 Name: David Ford Batchelder Lab Assignment #2 Vapor Power Cycles RESULTS Table data represents when the Rankine Cycler TM steam turbine power generator reaches steady-state conditions Generator RPM Boiler Pressure (psig) Boiler Temperature (C ° ) Turbine Inlet Temperature (C ° ) Turbine Inlet Pressure (psig) Turbine Exit Temperature (C ° ) Turbine Exit Pressure (psig) Generator Voltage (DC) Generator Current Output (Amps) 1605 RPM 74.55 C ° 241 C ° 181 C ° 11.14 psig 160 C ° 3.08 psig 6 V 0.21 A Calculate the net electrical power output of the system based on your steady-state data. What? would be the required heat input with a 30% thermal efficiency assumption? The Net electrical power output by the Rankine Cycler TM steam turbine power generator at steady state conditions was 1.26 Watts using the equation P = V x I. Assuming a 30% thermal efficiency system the required heat input is 4.2 J. DISCUSSION and CONCLUSIONS Discussion Compare the “Rankine Cycler TM system with an actual power plant in terms of the major components. The "Rankine Cycler TM" system and an actual power plant share similar major components including boilers for steam generation, turbines for mechanical work extraction, condensers for steam condensation, pumps for water circulation, heat exchangers for thermal energy transfer, and generators for electricity. The "Rankine Cycler TM" system features compact and simplified versions of these components designed for educational purposes, while actual power plants employ larger, more robust, and efficient components made for practical energy generation on a larger scale. Power plants also have cooling systems within the vapor power cycle and can be used with many different fuel sources. The "Rankine Cycler TM '' system serves as a tool to replicate the thermodynamic process in a laboratory setting. Although the overall general process and the overall components are the exact same just scaled down and simplified. Page 1 of 4

UNT Mechanical Engineering Technology Discuss the differences between the “Rankine Cycler TM system and an “ideal” Rankine cycle in terms of the thermodynamic processes. Following the analysis of these two power cycles. An “Ideal” Rankine cycle is one with no internal irreversibility’s in the system. It assumes perfect conditions with no friction or heat loss. Therefore, heat addition and rejection throughout the process are considered an isentropic process and this does not reflect real world vapor power cycle. This cycle can serve as a benchmark to make the system as efficient as possible. The Rankine cycler TM system aims to implement the same principles of the Rankine cycle in practical or real- world applications; this represents an “actual” vapor power cycle which is lower in efficiency. This is due to the irreversibility’s and practical limitations and losses in various components of the system such as the pump or turbine. This can be due to heat loss to the surroundings and the friction of the fluid. Therefore, the cycle has a lower thermal efficiency. This can be seen in the temperature and pressure drop throughout the system. Therefore, the temperature and pressure are considered an isotropic process. The graph below shows how the actual vapor power cycle differs from the ideal Rankine cycle due to some of the irreversibility and how that affects the system. Figure 2: Actual Power Cycle vs. ideal Rankine Cycle Conclusion In summary, this lab focused on examining the operation of the Rankine Cycler ™ steam turbine power generation system. Once the system reached a steady state condition, data was recorded to facilitate the calculation of net electrical power output and required heat input, offering insights into practical energy conversion and efficiency considerations. Furthermore, the comparison between the "Rankine Cycler TM" system and an ideal Rankine cycle underscored the impact of irreversibility’s and practical limitations on system performance. While the ideal Rankine cycle serves as a theoretical benchmark, the "Rankine Cycler TM" system provides an actual representation of real-world vapor power generation processes and thermodynamic principles. Additionally, the comparison of power plants and the Rankine cycle's major components highlighted differences in scale, complexity, and functionality between the "Rankine Cycler TM" system, intended for educational purposes, and actual power plants, engineered for practical energy generation on a larger scale. Page 2 of 4