What is the Carnot Cycle?
The Carnot cycle is an idealized thermodynamic cycle that describes a perfect heat engine. All real heat engines are imperfect approximations of the theoretical perfection embodied by the Carnot cycle. In the Carnot cycle, not all heat energy is converted into mechanical work, but a large portion is — the largest portion allowed by physical law. A heat engine produces work from the temperature differential of two reservoirs. In a combustion engine, one reservoir is the heat created inside the engine (source), and the other is the external surroundings (sink). The heat generated by the source causes the gas inside the cylinder to expand, driving a piston that does work. The thermodynamic state of the gas — expanding, but with a constant temperature — is called isothermal. Eventually the heat source is removed and the gas stops expanding so quickly. If the heat were kept on continuously, the cylinder would explode. The gas begins losing temperature as it reaches its maximum volume and
The Carnot Cycle has been described as being the most efficient thermal cycle possible, wherein there is no heat losses, and consisting of four reversible processes, two isothermal and two adiabatic. It has also been described as a cycle of expansion and compression of a reversible heat engine that does works with no loss of heat. What is the Rankine Cycle? The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle used to generate electricity in many power stations, and is the real-world approach to the Carnot cycle. Superheated steam is generated in a boiler, and then expanded in a steam turbine. The steam turbine drives a generator, to convert the work into electricity. The remaining steam is then condensed and recycled as feed-water to the boiler. A disadvantage of using the water-steam mixture is that superheated steam has to be used, otherwise the moisture content after expansion might be too high, which would erode the turbine blades. What is the Brayton Cycle? A turbine operates on the princip
The Carnot Cycle has been described as being the most efficient thermal cycle possible, wherein there is no heat losses, and consisting of four reversible processes, two isothermal and two adiabatic. It has also been described as a cycle of expansion and compression of a reversible heat engine that does works with no loss of heat. History of the Brayton Cycle, Rankine Cycle, and Organic Rankine Cycle What is the Brayton Cycle? A turbine operates on the principal of the Brayton Cycle, which is defined as a constant pressure cycle, with four basic operations which it accomplishes simultaneously and continuously for an uninterrupted flow of power. What is the Rankine Cycle? The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle used to generate electricity in many power stations, and is the real-world approach to the Carnot cycle. Superheated steam is generated in a boiler, and then expanded in a steam turbine. The steam turbine drives a generator, to convert the work into electricity. The remaining
The Carnot Cycle has been described as being the most efficient thermal cycle possible, wherein there is no heat losses, and consisting of four reversible processes, two isothermal and two adiabatic. It has also been described as a cycle of expansion and compression of a reversible heat engine that does works with no loss of heat. What is An Organic Rankine Cycle? A Rankine cycle is a closed circuit steam cycle. (Also – see Rankine Cycle). An “organic” Rankine cycle uses a heated chemical instead of steam as found in the Rankine Cycle. Chemicals used in the Organic Rankine Cycle include freon, butane, propane, ammonia, and the new environmentally-friendly” refrigerants. Why use a chemical refrigerant? A refrigerant boils at a temperature below the temperature of frozen ice. Solar heat, for example, of only 150 degrees Fahrenheit from a typical rooftop solar hot water heater, will furiously boil a refrigerant. The resulting high-pressure refrigerant vapor is then piped to an organic Ran
