STEAM POWER PLANT (PART 2: RANKINE CYCLE TURBINE)

Rankine cycle is one of the thermodynamic cycles which convert from heat into power (kinetic energy). We say it is a cycle because the process in this cycle always repeat and repeat again. To convert from heat energy into kinetic energy, it has several processes  and needs several components to support those processes. Those are: Boiling, expansion, condensation, and pumping. Figure 1. Is schema of those processes.

               Figure 1. Schema Rankine Cycle

At figure 1 there are two kinds of lines, ref and blue. Red is sign for high pressure and blue is sign for low pressure. Processes from 1 to 4 will be repeated again and again, so the rotor of turbine will be rotated continuously.

1 to 2, pumping  the water into boiler. At point 1 the pressure of water is low and at point 2 the pressure is high. The phase at point 1 and 2 is water (liquid).

2 to 3, Boiling. This Process needs energy especially heat energy, it can be from kerosene, coal, etc. Water will be boiled and water phase changes from water (liquid) into steam (gas). This steam (at point 3) has high pressure and temperature, so it has high energy (enthalpy).

3 to 4, Turbine Expansion. In this process occur the conversion into work (kinetic energy).  The high energy whose steam at point 3 is used to produce work (kinetic energy). This process causes drop pressure and temperature of steam (steam at point 4).

4 to 1, Condensation. To change phase from steam (gas) into water (liquid) need remove heat or in other word it has to be cooled. This process usually need heat exchanger, so that it can remove heat then the steam phase will change.

Those processes from 1 to 4 will be repeated again and again, so the rotor of turbine will be rotated continuously.