Teachin g Notes

Operationa l Reacto r Safet y Course

Lecture : 8 – Powe r Cycle s fo r Nuclea r Plant s - R a nkin e an d Brayto n Cycles

Objective :

To develop an understanding of how Rankine and Brayton cycles work in power production. Key concepts will be the use of TS diagram s, superheat, multi-fluid cycles and the use of pressure ratios in Brayton cycles.

Ke y Point s t o Brin g Out:

Slid e num be r Point s

3 Review basic def i nition s and units w h ich are v er y im portant in therm a l analysis calculations.

4 Review the governing equations for h eat transfer - first and second law of thermodynam i cs - describe how steam tables work introduce co ncept of steam quality.

4-7 Review details of Rankine cycle us ing the TS diagram and therm a l efficiency calculation - repeat explanation of how im portant equations are used.

7-8 Spend tim e on these s lid es which show a Rankine cycle with superheat. Review TS plot since it has m a ny i m portant features of therm a l effi ciency calcu l ation s.

9-10 These slides provide examples of different power cycles with superheat and supercritical cycles to understand options for steam power conversion. Binary cycles should be explained since these are used to appreciate ho w to calcu late overall therm a l efficiency.

22-21 Review fundam entals of gas Brayton power cycles - spend tim e on the perfect g a s law relationships which are need ed in efficien cy and cycle an alysis.

22-23 Key points are to show how gas system s can be c o m bined with

steam system s to m axi m i ze efficiency. Explain how each cycle works in term s off extracting heat for power. Topping and bottom i ng cycles should be discussed in this context.

24 A good slide that summ a r izes Brayton, Rankine and Carnot cycles in the tem p erature - entropy context.

MIT OpenCourseWare http://ocw.mit.edu

22.091 / 22.903 Nuclear Reactor Safety

Spring 200 8

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