Brayton Cycle
One type of heat engine that uses air or another gas as its working fluid operates according to a thermodynamic cycle called the Brayton cycle. Modern gas turbine engines and air-breathing jet engines also follow the Brayton cycle; however, the original Brayton engine had a piston compressor and piston expander.
The Carnot efficiency, which is determined by the following equation, is what determines the Brayton cycle’s efficiency:
η = 1 – TC / TH
Where,
- η is the Brayton cycle’s effectiveness.
- TC is the cold reservoir temperature
- TH is the hot reservoir temperature
Here are some more specifics on the four steps of the Brayton cycle:
Step 1: Without any heat transmission, the working fluid is compressed during an isentropic compression process. This is an unrealistic method that cannot be carried out in real life. However, by making the compression process as isentropic as feasible, the Brayton cycle’s effectiveness can be increased.
Step 2: In a process called constant pressure heat addition, the working fluid is heated at a fixed pressure. Typically, this is accomplished by burning fuel with the help of air. The working fluid receives heat from combustion, which raises its temperature and pressure.
Step 3: Isentropic expansion is a process in which no heat is transferred and the working fluid expands. This is an unrealistic method that cannot be carried out in real life. Making the expansion process as isentropic as possible, however, can boost the Brayton cycle’s effectiveness.
Step 4: In a process called constant pressure heat rejection, the working fluid is cooled at a fixed pressure. Most frequently, a heat exchanger is used to do this. The environment’s temperature and pressure decrease as a result of the working fluid’s heat being transferred to it.
Heat may be converted into work very effectively using the Brayton cycle. However, the heated reservoir’s temperature has a limit on the cycle’s efficiency. In reality, the materials used to build the engine have a limit on how hot the hot reservoir can go.
There are numerous applications for the Brayton cycle, including:
- Gas Turbine Engines
- Jet Engines
- Turbochargers
- Air Compressors
- Spacecraft Power Systems
Thermodynamic Cycles
Thermodynamic cycles are used to explain how heat engines, which convert heat into work, operate. A thermodynamic cycle is used to accomplish this. The application determines the kind of cycle that is employed in the engine. The thermodynamic cycle consists of a series of interrelated thermodynamic processes involving heat and works going in and out of the body, simultaneously changing pressure, temperature, and other changes in body state, and eventually returning to the initial state.
In this article, we will learn all about the Thermodynamics Cycles including various types of cycles such as Carnot, Rankin, Otto, Diesel, Brayton, Stirling, etc. Also, we will learn about the various processes happening during these cycles. So, let’s start our learning of Thermodynamics Cycles.