Power Plant Lectures 4th Year

1.4. The Regenerative Rankine Cycle

A practical regeneration process in steam power plants is

accomplished by extracting, or “bleeding,” steam from the turbine at various
points. This steam, which could have produced more work by expanding
further in the turbine, is used to heat the feedwater instead. The device where
the feedwater is heated by regeneration is called a regenerator, or a feedwater
heater (FWH).

Regeneration not only improves cycle efficiency, but also provides a

convenient means of deaerating the feedwater (removing the air that leaks in at
the condenser) to prevent corrosion in the boiler. It also helps control the large
volume flow rate of the steam at the final stages of the turbine (due to the large
specific volumes at low pressures). Therefore, regeneration has been used in all
modern steam power plants since its introduction in the early 1920s.

A feedwater heater is basically a heat exchanger where heat is

transferred from the steam to the feedwater either by mixing the two fluid
streams (open feedwater heaters) or without mixing them (closed feedwater
heaters). Regeneration with both types of feedwater heaters is discussed below.

1.4.1. Open Feedwater Heaters: It is an open (or direct-contact) feedwater

heater is basically a mixing chamber, where the steam extracted from the
turbine mixes with the feedwater exiting the pump. Ideally, the mixture leaves
the heater as a saturated liquid at the heater pressure. The schematic of a
steam power plant with one open feedwater heater (also called single-stage
regenerative cycle) and the T-s diagram of the cycle are shown in figure (1.3).

Figure (1.3): Regenerative Rankine Cycle (open feedwater heater)

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In an ideal regenerative Rankine cycle, steam enters the turbine at the

boiler pressure (state 5) and expands isentropically to an intermediate pressure
(state 6). Some steam is extracted at this state and routed to the feedwater
heater, while the remaining steam continues to expand isentropically to the
condenser pressure (state 7). This steam leaves the condenser as a saturated
liquid at the condenser pressure (state 1). The condensed water, which is also
called the feedwater, then enters an isentropic pump, where it is compressed to
the feedwater heater pressure (state 2) and is routed to the feedwater heater,
where it mixes with the steam extracted from the turbine. The fraction of the
steam extracted is such that the mixture leaves the heater as a saturated liquid at
the heater pressure (state 3). A second pump raises the pressure of the water to
the boiler pressure (state 4). The cycle is completed by heating the water in the
boiler to the turbine inlet state (state 5).

In the analysis of steam power plants, it is more convenient to work

with quantities expressed per unit mass of the steam flowing through the boiler.
For each 1 kg of steam leaving the boiler, (y) kg expands partially in the
turbine and is extracted at state 6. The remaining (1-y) kg expands completely
to the condenser pressure. Therefore, the mass flow rates are different in
different components. If the mass flow rate through the boiler is mo , for
example, it is 1 𝑦 𝑚° through the condenser. This aspect of the
regenerative Rankine cycle should be considered in the analysis of the cycle as
well as in the interpretation of the areas on the T-s diagram. The heat and work
interactions of a regenerative Rankine cycle with one feedwater heater can be
expressed per unit mass of steam flowing through the boiler as follows:

𝑄 ℎ ℎ
𝑄 1 𝑦 ℎ ℎ
𝑊 , ℎ ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ ℎ
𝑊 , 1 𝑦 𝑊 , 𝑊 ,
°⁄ °
𝑦 𝑚 𝑚
𝑊 , 𝑣 𝑃 𝑃 ℎ ℎ
𝑊 , 𝑣 𝑃 𝑃 ℎ ℎ

The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle increases as a result of

regeneration. The cycle efficiency increases further as the number of feedwater
heaters is increased. The optimum number of feedwater heaters is determined
from economic considerations.

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Example(1.3) An open feedwater heater in a regenerative steam power cycle

receives 20 kg/s of water at 100°C, 2 MPa. The extraction steam from the
turbine enters the heater at 2 MPa, 275°C, and all the feedwater leaves as
saturated liquid. What is the required mass flow rate of the extraction steam?

Solution:

𝑚° 𝑚° 𝑚°
𝑚° ℎ 𝑚° ℎ 𝑚° ℎ 𝑚° 𝑚° ℎ
ℎ
420.45 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔 , ℎ 908.77 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔 & ℎ 2963 𝑘𝑗 ⁄𝑘𝑔
ℎ ℎ 908.77 420.45
𝑚° 𝑚 ° 20 4.754 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑠
ℎ ℎ 2963 908.77

Example(1.4) A power plant with one open feedwater heater has a condenser
temperature of 45°C, a maximum pressure of 5 MPa, and boiler exit
temperature of 900°C. Extraction steam at 1 MPa to the feedwater heater is
mixed with the feedwater line so the exit is saturated liquid into the second
pump. Find the fraction of extraction steam flow and the two specific pump
work inputs.

State out of boiler 5: ℎ5 4378.82 𝑘𝐽 ⁄𝑘𝑔 , 𝑠5 7.9593 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔. 𝐾

C.V. Turbine reversible, adiabatic: 𝑠7 𝑠6 𝑠5
State 6: P6 , 𝑠6 => ℎ6 3640.6 , 𝑇6 574 ℃
Pump P1
𝑊𝑃1 ℎ2 ℎ1 𝑣1 𝑃2 𝑃1 0.00101 1000 9.6 1.0 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔
=> ℎ2 ℎ1 𝑊𝑃1 188.42 1.0 189.42 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔
°
Feedwater heater: Call ° 𝑦 (the extraction fraction)
Energy Eq.: 1 𝑦 ℎ2 𝑦 ℎ6 1 ℎ3
. .
𝑦 3 2
0.1661
6 2 . .
Pump P2
𝑊𝑃2 ℎ4 ℎ3 𝑣3 𝑃4 𝑃3 0.001127 5000 1000 4.5 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔

Example (1.5) Consider a steam power plant operating on the ideal

regenerative Rankine cycle with one open feedwater heater. Steam enters the
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turbine at 15 MPa and 600°C and is condensed in the condenser at a pressure

of 10 kPa. Some steam leaves the turbine at a pressure of 1.2 MPa and enters
the open feedwater heater. Determine the fraction of steam extracted from the
turbine and the thermal efficiency of the cycle.

Solution:

State 1:

𝑘𝐽 𝑚
@10 𝑘𝑃𝑎 & 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 ℎ ℎ 191.81 & 𝑉 𝑣 0.00101
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔

State 2:

@1.2 𝑀𝑃𝑎 & 𝑆 𝑆

𝑊 , 𝑣 𝑃 𝑃 0.00101 1.2 10 10 10 1.2 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔

𝑊 , ℎ ℎ →ℎ 191.81 1.2 193.01 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔

State 3: @1.2 𝑀𝑝𝑎 & 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑

kJ
𝑣 𝑣 0.001138 𝑚 /𝑘𝑔 & ℎ ℎ 798.33
kg
State 4: @15 𝑀𝑝𝑎 & 𝑆 𝑆

𝑊 , 𝑣 𝑃 𝑃 0.001138 15 10 1.2 10 15.7 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔

𝑊 , ℎ ℎ →ℎ 798.33 15.7 814.03 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔

State 5: @15 𝑀𝑝𝑎 & 𝑇 600 ℃

Thus, ℎ 3583.1 & 𝑆 6.6796

.

State 6: @ 1.2 𝑀𝑝𝑎 & 𝑆 𝑆

Thus, ℎ 2860.2 &𝑇 218.4 ℃

State 7: @10 𝑘𝑝𝑎 & 𝑆 𝑆

𝑆 𝑆
6.679 0.6492
𝑋 0.8041
𝑆 7.4996
ℎ ℎ 𝑋 ℎ 191.81 0.8041 2392.1 2115.3 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔

The energy analysis of open feedwater heaters is identical to the energy

analysis of mixing chambers. The feedwater heaters are generally well insulated 𝑄
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0 , and they do not involve any work interactions 𝑊 0 . The energy balance of the
feedwater heater is:

𝐸 𝐸 → 𝑚 ℎ 𝑚 ℎ
. .
𝑦ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ 1 ℎ →𝑦 0.227
. .
𝑄 ℎ ℎ 3583.1 814.03 2769.1 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑄 1 𝑦 ℎ ℎ 1 0.227 2115.3 191.81 1486.9 𝑘𝐽⁄𝑘𝑔
.
𝜂 1 1 46.29 %
.

Example (1.6) A steam power plant operates on an ideal regenerative

Rankine cycle. Steam enters the turbine at 6 MPa and 450°C and is condensed
in the condenser at 20 kPa. Steam is extracted from the turbine at 0.4 MPa to
heat the feedwater in an open feedwater heater. Water leaves the feedwater
heater as a saturated liquid. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram, and determine (a)
the net work output per kilogram of steam flowing through the boiler and (b)
the thermal efficiency of the cycle.

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Solution:
(a) From steam tables:
@ 𝑝 20 𝑘𝑃𝑎 ℎ ℎ 251.42 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔 & 𝑣 𝑣 0.001017 𝑚 ⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑊 𝑣 𝑝 𝑝 0.001017 0.4 10 20 10 0.39 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
ℎ ℎ 𝑊 251.42 0.39 251.81 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
@𝑝 0.4 𝑀𝑝𝑎 ⟹ ℎ ℎ 604.66 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔 & 𝑣 𝑣 0.001084 𝑚 ⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑊 𝑣 𝑝 𝑝 0.001084 6 10 0.4 10 6.07 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
ℎ ℎ 𝑊 604.66 6.07 610.73 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
@𝑝 6 𝑀𝑝𝑎 & 𝑇 450℃ ⟹ ℎ 3302.9 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔 & 𝑠 6.7219 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔 . 𝐾
. .
@𝑝 0.4 𝑀𝑝𝑎 & 𝑠 𝑠 ⟹𝑥 0.9661
.
Also, ℎ ℎ 𝑥 .ℎ 604.66 0.9661 2133.4 2665.7 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
. .
@𝑝 20 𝑘𝑃𝑎 & 𝑠 𝑠 ⟹𝑥 0.8325
.
Also, ℎ ℎ 𝑥 .ℎ 251.42 0.8325 2357.5 2214.0 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
The fraction of steam extracted is determined from the steady flow energy balance
equation applied to the feedwater heater.
∑𝐸 ∑𝐸 ⇒ 𝑚∘ ℎ 𝑚∘ ℎ 𝑚∘ ℎ ⇒ 𝑦ℎ 1 𝑦 ℎ 1 ℎ
∘
Where y is the fraction of steam extracted from the turbine 𝑦 ∘

. .
𝑦 0.1463
. . . .
𝑄 ℎ ℎ 3302.9 610.73 2692.2 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑄 1 𝑦 ℎ ℎ 1 0.1463 2214 251.42 1675.4 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
𝑊 𝑄 𝑄 2692.2 1675.4 1016.8 𝑘𝑗⁄𝑘𝑔
(b) The thermal efficiency is determined from:
.
𝜂 1 1 37.8 %
.

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