Thermodynamic and Exergy Analysis of an AP1000-Based Steam Turbine Unit with Optimized Cycle Configuration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26565/2312-4334-2026-3-21Keywords:
Nuclear energy, AP1000, Steam turbine unit, Thermodynamic analysis, Exergy analysis, Regenerative feedwater heating, Nuclear power plantAbstract
According to the strategic importance of Ukraine’s nuclear energy sector modernization, the results of investigation in the development and analysis of the cycle configuration of a steam turbine unit (STU) intended for operation with the AP1000 nuclear reactor are given in the paper. The K-1000-60/1500-2 turbine unit was selected as the reference configuration. Based on this design, a new cycle configuration that includes a combined single-flow high- and intermediate-pressure turbine (HIPT), two low-pressure turbines (LPTs), a steam separator, and a two-stage steam reheating system, was proposed. A thermodynamic and exergy analysis of the proposed STU configurations was performed to evaluate the influence of steam extraction pressures, regenerative feedwater heating parameters, and turbine stage distribution on the cycle performance. Numerical simulation and flow-path calculations of the turbine sections were carried out using modern gas-dynamic design methods. The results show that the optimal selection of steam extraction parameters and intermediate reheating conditions significantly improves the cycle efficiency. The maximum internal efficiency of the STU cycle reached 38.96 %. Exergy analysis demonstrated that the largest exergy destruction occurs in the low-pressure turbine section, while both investigated configurations exhibit high exergy efficiency. A comparative analysis of the turbine stage configurations and axial dimensions of the turbine flow parts was also carried out. The developed approaches can be applied in the design and optimization of next-generation steam turbine units for nuclear power plants.
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