Basic Open System Cycles

Most power plants, refrigeration devices and heat pumps rely on thermodynamic cycles where the working fluid runs through a series of open system devices in a closed loop. In this chapter we study the basic systems of this kind, namely the Rankine steam cycle for power generation, the vapor refrigeration/heat pump cycle, and Brayton gas turbine cycles for power generation and cooling. Some emphasis lies on accounting for irreversible losses in heat transfer, compression and expansion processes.