Applied / industry
Power Plant Engineering
5 self-contained study topics — notes, diagrams, formulas, and worked examples for exams and GATE.
Topics
- Steam Power PlantA steam power plant runs the Rankine cycle; its efficiency is η = (W_turbine − W_pump)/Q_boiler. Boiler, turbine, condenser, and feed pump form the main circuit, per P.K. Nag.
- Gas Turbine PlantA gas-turbine plant runs the Brayton cycle; efficiency η = (W_turbine − W_compressor)/Q_combustor. Its high power-to-weight and fast start suit peaking duty, per P.K. Nag.
- Combined Cycle PlantA combined-cycle plant uses a gas turbine's hot exhaust to raise steam for a bottoming Rankine cycle; combined efficiency η_CC ≈ η_GT + η_ST − η_GT·η_ST reaches ~55–60 %, per P.K. Nag.
- Nuclear Plant BasicsA nuclear plant releases energy by fission (E = mc² for the mass defect) to raise steam for a Rankine cycle. Reactor, coolant, moderator, and control rods form the core system, per power-plant texts.
- Plant Economics and PerformancePlant economics compares capital cost (₹/kW installed) and running cost against output; key metrics are load factor, capacity factor, and cost per kWh. Base-load plants need high load factor to justify high capital cost, per power-plant texts.