This thesis describes the modifications made to the Cal Poly Thermal Science Laboratory’s steam turbine experiment. While the use of superheating or reheating is commonly used to increase efficiency in a Rankine cycle the methods prove unfeasible in a small scale project. For this reason, a mathematical model and proof of concept design using hydrostatic head generated by elevation and venturi ejection for use by the condenser is developed along with the equations needed to predict the changes to the system. These equations were used to create software to predict efficiency as well as lay down the foundation for future improvements of the system.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis describes the modifications made to the Cal Poly Thermal Science Laboratory’s steam turbine experiment. While the use of superheating or reheating is commonly used to increase efficiency in a Rankine cycle the methods prove unfeasible in a small scale project. For this reason, a mathematical model and proof of concept design using hydrostatic head generated by elevation and venturi ejection for use by the condenser is developed along with the equations needed to predict the changes to the system. These equations were used to create software to predict efficiency as well as lay down the foundation for future improvements of the system.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ruiz, Nathan Daniel"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MS in Mechanical Engineering","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Jim Locascio"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:32:42Z","subjects":["Thermodynamics","Rankine Cycle","Laboratory","Turbine","Energy Systems","Heat Transfer, Combustion"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["10.15368/theses.2015.100"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.15368/theses.2015.100","href":"https://doi.org/10.15368/theses.2015.100","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1450","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Jim Locascio"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ruiz, Nathan Daniel"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-06-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS in Mechanical Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Thermodynamics","Rankine Cycle","Laboratory","Turbine","Energy Systems","Heat Transfer, Combustion"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1450","10.15368/theses.2015.100"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis describes the modifications made to the Cal Poly Thermal Science Laboratory’s steam turbine experiment. While the use of superheating or reheating is commonly used to increase efficiency in a Rankine cycle the methods prove unfeasible in a small scale project. For this reason, a mathematical model and proof of concept design using hydrostatic head generated by elevation and venturi ejection for use by the condenser is developed along with the equations needed to predict the changes to the system. These equations were used to create software to predict efficiency as well as lay down the foundation for future improvements of the system.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Increasing Isentropic Efficiency with Hydrostatic Head and Venturi Ejection in a Rankine Power Cycle"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Jim Locascio"],"dc:creator":["Ruiz, Nathan Daniel"],"dc:date.available":["2015-06-14T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis describes the modifications made to the Cal Poly Thermal Science Laboratory’s steam turbine experiment. While the use of superheating or reheating is commonly used to increase efficiency in a Rankine cycle the methods prove unfeasible in a small scale project. For this reason, a mathematical model and proof of concept design using hydrostatic head generated by elevation and venturi ejection for use by the condenser is developed along with the equations needed to predict the changes to the system. These equations were used to create software to predict efficiency as well as lay down the foundation for future improvements of the system.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1450","10.15368/theses.2015.100"],"dc:subject":["Thermodynamics","Rankine Cycle","Laboratory","Turbine","Energy Systems","Heat Transfer, Combustion"],"dc:title":["Increasing Isentropic Efficiency with Hydrostatic Head and Venturi Ejection in a Rankine Power Cycle"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS in Mechanical Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:32:42Z"}