Maximum power for a power plant with n Carnot-like cycles

Abstract

Abstract A stationary power plant with n Carnot-like cycles is optimized. Each cycle has the following irreversibilities: finite rate heat transfers between the working fluid and the external heat sources, internal dissipation of the working fluid, and heat leak between reservoirs. In a previous work, a plant with two cycles of this type was optimized, with respect to the isentropic temperature ratio, applying the optimal allocation or effectiveness of the heat exchangers for the power plant by two design rules, alternatively: fixed internal thermal conductance or fixed areas. Also, in an above work the optimal allocation or effectiveness of the heat exchangers were extended to a power plant with n Carnot-like cycles. In this work, these optimal relations obtained are substituted in the power and the maximum power is calculated, with respect to the isentropic temperature ratios corresponding to each one of the Carnot-like cycles of the power plant with n Carnot-like cycles. Also, the efficiency to maximum power for both design rules is presented.