Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• Focus on electricity power generation and the underlying thermodynamic theory.
• Introduce some concepts in thermo-mechanical energy storage to support intermittent generation technologies.
• Cover topics including power generation by direct electrochemical conversion by fuel cells, gas turbines, steam and combined cycles.
• Introduce some advanced cycle concepts and discuss the possibility of carbon dioxide capture and storage.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• Understand the principles of exergy analysis, be able to calculate the lost work terms of power cycle components.
• Know the importance of the Helmholtz and Gibbs functions, the uses of standard property changes in chemical reactions, and the idea of rational efficiency..
• Understand the principles of electrochemical energy conversion, be aware of different types of fuel cell technology, be able to calculate the Gibbs and Nernst potentials, and have a basic knowledge of fuel cell losses.
• Understand the principles of phase equilibrium for single and multi-component systems, the role of the chemical potential, and the Clausius-Clapeyron equation.
• Understand equation of state theory including characteristic form, Maxwell’s relations, ideal gases, ideal gas mixtures, imperfect gases, van der Waals form, and law of corresponding states.
• Understand chemical equilibrium theory and the use of the equilbrium constant, be able to perform calculations for gas mixtures with one or two independent reactions, and be able to apply van’t Hoff’s equation.
• Appreciate the need for energy storage and apply exergetic analysis to some thermo-mechanical storage concepts.
• Understand the rôle of steam and gas turbine cycles in electricity power generation and be conversant with likely future developments.
• Be able to evaluate the performance of gas turbine plants including reheat, intercooling and recuperation.
• Be able to evaluate the performance of steam power plants including reheat and feedheating.
• Be able to evaluate the performance of combined cycles.
• Understand the issues involved in the capture and storage of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuelled power plants.

Content

Introduction, Thermodynamics and Energy Storage (9L)

• Overview of current and future electricity power generation, and the associated carbon emissions.
• Thermodynamic availability, lost work and entropy production, exergy analysis, application to power cycles.
• Gibbs and Helmholtz functions, standard property changes in chemical reactions, overall and rational efficiencies, electrochemical conversion, fuel cells (theory and practice).
• Equilibrium criteria, phase equilibrium, chemical potential, Clapeyron equation, equations of state, ideal gas mixtures, imperfect gases, van der Waals equation.
• Gibbs equation, chemical equilibrium, chemical potential of ideal gas, equilibrium constant, gas phase reactions, van’t Hoff equation.
• Role of energy storage, description and anaysis of some storage tehnologies.

Power Generation (7L)

• Gas turbines with intercooling, reheat and recuperation. Turbine blade cooling.
• Steam cycles with feed heating and reheat. The combustion process and boiler efficiency. Steam cycles for nuclear power.
• Combined gas-steam cycles.
• Advanced cycles and carbon dioxide sequestration.

This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:

Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.

 
Last modified: 13/09/2021 09:16