Brayton Cycle with Regeneration — Lesson 8

This lesson covers the concept of the Brayton cycle with regeneration, a thermodynamic cycle used in some heat engines. The lesson explains how the addition of reheat to the basic Brayton cycle increases the specific work output but decreases the efficiency. It further discusses how the rate of exergy destruction increases during heat addition and heat rejection in the cycle. The lesson also introduces the concept of intercooling, which reduces the compressor power but increases the heat addition. The lesson concludes by explaining how regeneration, the strategy of transferring enthalpy from the stream after expansion to the air before it enters the combustor, can improve the performance of the cycle.

Video Highlights

01:03 - Concept of high pressure and low pressure turbines
04:24 - Discussion on the concept of regeneration in the cycle
10:45 - Discussion on the effectiveness of the regenerator
15:16 - Discussion on the performance metrics of the cycle with regeneration
18:23 - Comparison of the performance of the basic cycle, intercooling, reheat, and regeneration

Key Takeaways

- The addition of reheat to the basic Brayton cycle increases the specific work output but decreases the efficiency.
- Intercooling reduces the compressor power but increases the amount of heat to be supplied.
- Regeneration, the strategy of transferring enthalpy from the stream after expansion to the air before it enters the combustor, can improve the performance of the cycle.
- The Brayton cycle with regeneration shows improved values for all three performance parameters: first law efficiency, second law efficiency, and specific power output.