Power Cycles
Rankine Cycle
The Rankine cycle is an idealised vapour power cycle. It is used in many thermal power plants throughout the world.
This simulator allow the user to set many operating pressures and temperatures and adjust both turbine and pump efficiencies. It can model up to two reheaters and it can include regeneration using open and/or closed feedwater heaters. State point properties, cycle performance parameters, and a T–s diagram are displayed.
Open simulator → Demo Video Playlist →Brayton Cycle
The Brayton cycle is an idealised gas power cycle. It is used in many thermal power plants throughout the world.
This simulator allow the user to set many operating pressures and temperatures and adjust both turbine and compressor efficiencies. It can model reheat, intercooling, and regeneration. State point properties, cycle performance parameters, and a T–s diagram are displayed.
Open simulator → Demo Video Playlist →Combined Cycle
The combined cycle uses the rejected heat of a Brayton cycle (the topping cycle) as the heat source for a Rankine cycle (the bottoming cycle). By doing so, it achieves a thermal efficiency that is higher than either cycle operating alone.
This simulator allow the user to set many operating pressures and temperatures for both cycles. It can model reheat, intercooling, and regeneration in both cycles. State point properties, cycle performance parameters, a T–s diagram and a Q–T diagram are displayed.
Open simulator → Demo Video Playlist →Otto Cycle
The Otto cycle is an idealised thermodynamic cycle modelling a spark-ignition engine.
This simulator allow the user to set the state at the beginning of the compression process as well as the compression ratio and the temperature at the beginning of the expansion process. Both an air standard and a cold air standard analysis can be performed. State point properties, cycle performance parameters, a T–s diagram and a P–V diagram are displayed.
Open simulator →Diesel Cycle
The Diesel cycle is an idealised thermodynamic cycle modelling a ompression-ignition engine.
This simulator allow the user to set the state at the beginning of the compression process as well as the compression ratio and the cuttoff ratio. Both an air standard and a cold air standard analysis can be performed. State point properties, cycle performance parameters, a T–s diagram and a P–V diagram are displayed.
Open simulator →Dual Cycle
The Dual cycle combines features of the Otto and Diesel cycles to more closely model an actual internal combustion engine.
This simulator allows the user to set the state at the beginning of the compression process as well as the compression ratio, the pressure ratio for the constant volume heat addition process, and the cuttoff ratio. Both an air standard and a cold air standard analysis can be performed. State point properties, cycle performance parameters, a T–s diagram and a P–V diagram are displayed.
Open simulator →Refrigeration
Refrigeration Cycle
The vapour-compression refrigeration cycle is the most common type of refrigeration system used in residential and commercial applications.
Set parameters such as the operating pressures and the refrigerant type. Several different equipment configurations can also be selected. State point properties, a T–s diagram, a P–h diagram, and coefficient of performance results are calculated.
Open simulator → Demo Video Playlist →Thermodynamics
Polytropic Processes
Polytropic processes are a generalised form of thermodynamic process describing the relatioship between pressure and volume.
The simulator allows the user to adjust the polytropic index for two differtnt polytropic processes. The processes are plotted on a P–v diagram.
Open simulator →Compressible Flow
Converging-Diverging Nozzle
This simulator models the behavior of one-dimensional, adiabatic, compressible flow through a converging-diverging nozzle.
The area ratio and overall pressure ratio can be adjusted. The simulator shows the variation of properties, including Mach number, along the nozzle length.
Open simulator →Heat Transfer
Transient Heat Conduction
One-dimensional, transient heat conduction through a multi-layer solid.
Users can set the initial and boundary conditions as well as the physical characteristics of the layers. The number of layers can also be adjusted. The temperature profile through the wall is displayed and the heat flux is calculated.
Open simulator → Demo Video Playlist →Fluid Dynamics
Wind Turbine Simulator
Blade element momentum theory is used extensively to analyse wind turbine blade and aircraft propellor performance.
The simulator allows the user to adjust many physical and operating characteristics of the wind turbine. It plots power and torque curves as well as spanwise profiles of lift and drag coefficents. A vector diagram at a selectable spanwise location is also produced.
Open simulator →Centrifugal Pump Impellers
This simulator does a "Design Point Calculation" for centrifugal pump impellers.
The simulator allows the user adjust the number and shape of the impeller vanes. It displays a vector diagram at the impeller inlet and exit and it calculates the head, flow, torque, and power requirements of the design.
Open simulator →