Thermodynamic Cycles

Carlos Silva November 18th 2009

THERMODYNAMIC PROCESSES

Different Processes

Isobaric

Isometric

Isothermal
T = 0 but Q 0

Adiabatic
T 0 but Q = 0

Cyclic
If clockwise heat engine If counterclockwise heat pump

THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES

Ideal (Carnot) Cycle

Carnot Theorem No engine operating between two heat reservoirs can be more efficient than a Carnot engine operating between those same reservoirs

Pressure-Volume

Temperature-Entropy

Real Cycles
There are no ideal cycles Irreversible systems, losses of heat

Types of Cycles
Heat Engine Rankine Gas Power Systems Brayton Internal Combustion Engines Otto, Diesel,Stirling, Atckison Refrigeration

Heat Pump
Air Conditioning

HEAT ENGINE

Heat Engines
Converts thermal energy (heat) to mechanical output (work) The working fluids are gases and liquids. Phase change cycles The engine converts the working fluid from a gas to a liquid. Rankine Regenerative Gas cycles

The working fluid is always gas

Carnot Stirling

Rankine (Classical steam engine)

Generation power plants practical Carnot Cycle heat addition and ejection are isobaric (and not isothermal) Working fluid is alternatively vaporized and condensed

PV vs TS diagrams

Alternative Rankine cycles

Super Heat

Reheat

Regenerative

Reheat and Regenerative

Efficiencies

Cycle Efficiencies Carnot efficiency

Unmodified Rankine Cycle 52.6%

Rankine Cycle with Regeneration 52.6%

Thermal efficiency
% Increase in Power Generation mean temperature of heat addition

36.2%
0% 226.7 C

38.4%
6.1% 251.5 C

GAS POWER SYSTEMS

Brayton Cycle (Joule Cycle)

Usually used in gas turbines Basis of jet engines

Examples

1968 Howmet TX 480 MW GE unit

J85 GE unit
A-37 Dragonfly

Jet Engine diagram

Combined Cycle
Combining Rankine and Brayton cycles

INTERNAL COMBUSTION

Special type of heat engines

Combustion of fuel used to produce work directly in heat engines is used to heat the fluid the expansion of the high temperature and pressure gases, produced by the combustion, directly applies force to a movable component of the engine, such as the pistons or turbine blades and by moving it over a distance, generate useful mechanical energy combustion is usually intermittent

Otto engine
Gasoline vehicles External ignition Octane rating- measure of the resistance of gasoline and other fuels to detonate at constant volume. The higher the value, the slower the fuel burns

Diesel engine
Diesel cars no external ignition highest efficiency due to compression ration

low speed engines can exceed 50%

Diesel Cetanes combustion quality during compression ingnition

Stirling Cycle
Similar to Otto cycle replace adiabatic per isothermals Used in Micro CHP

Atkison Cycle
four-stroke cycle to occur in a single turn of the crankshaft designed to bypass patents covering the existing Otto cycle engines

REFRIGERATION AND HEAT PUMP

Vapor compression cycle

Refrigerator vapor Freon

Heat Pump
Can pump heat in two directions reversing valve

Absorption Heat Pump

Heated by gas, solar thermal, etc..

Air Conditioning
Refrigerator + resistance Heat pump