A power plant taps steam superheated by geothermal energy to 558 K (the temperature of the hot reservoir) and uses the steam to do work in turning the turbine of an electric generator. The steam is then converted back into water in a condenser at 305 K (the temperature of the cold reservoir), after which the water is pumped back down into the earth where it is heated again. The output power (work per unit time) of the plant is 125 megawatts. Determine (a) the maximum efficiency (as a decimal number between zero and one) at which this plant can operate and (b) the minimum amount of rejected heat that must be removed from the condenser every twenty-four hours.

College Physics
11th Edition
ISBN:9781305952300
Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors
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A power plant taps steam superheated by geothermal energy to 558 K (the temperature of the hot reservoir) and uses the steam to do work in turning the turbine of an electric generator. The steam is then converted back into water in a condenser at 305 K (the temperature of the cold reservoir), after which the water is pumped back down into the earth where it is heated again. The output power (work per unit time) of the plant is 125 megawatts. Determine (a) the maximum efficiency (as a decimal number between zero and one) at which this plant can operate and (b) the minimum amount of rejected heat that must be removed from the condenser every twenty-four hours.

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