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Brayton Cycle Efficiency Formula:
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The Brayton cycle efficiency represents the thermal efficiency of a gas turbine engine. It describes how effectively the engine converts heat into work, calculated as η = 1 - (T1/T2), where T1 is the compressor inlet temperature and T2 is the turbine inlet temperature.
The calculator uses the Brayton cycle efficiency formula:
Where:
Explanation: The efficiency increases as the temperature ratio T2/T1 increases, meaning higher turbine inlet temperatures relative to compressor inlet temperatures yield better efficiency.
Details: Calculating Brayton cycle efficiency is crucial for designing and optimizing gas turbine engines, assessing performance, and comparing different engine configurations in aerospace and power generation applications.
Tips: Enter both temperatures in Kelvin (K). T2 must be greater than T1 for valid results. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: What is the typical efficiency range for Brayton cycles?
A: Modern gas turbine engines typically achieve efficiencies between 30-40%, with advanced designs reaching up to 60% in combined cycle configurations.
Q2: Why must temperatures be in Kelvin?
A: Kelvin is an absolute temperature scale required for thermodynamic calculations where ratios of temperatures are involved.
Q3: What factors affect Brayton cycle efficiency?
A: Efficiency depends primarily on the pressure ratio and temperature ratio across the turbine, with higher ratios generally yielding better efficiency.
Q4: How does this differ from Carnot efficiency?
A: While both are ideal cycle efficiencies, Brayton efficiency is specifically for gas turbines operating on constant-pressure cycles, while Carnot efficiency represents the maximum possible efficiency for any heat engine.
Q5: Can this calculator be used for real gas turbines?
A: This calculates ideal efficiency. Real gas turbines have additional losses from components, so actual efficiency will be lower than the calculated ideal value.