The power and efficiency of the open combined Brayton and two parallel inverse Brayton cycles are analysed and optimized based on the model established using finite-time thermodynamics in Part 1 of the current paper by adjusting the compressor inlet pressure of the two parallel inverse Brayton cycles, the mass flowrate and the distribution of pressure losses along the flow path. It is shown that the power output has a maximum with respect to the compressor inlet pressures of the two parallel inverse Brayton cycles, the air mass flowrate or any of the overall pressure drops, and the maximized power output has an additional maximum with respect to the compressor pressure ratio of the top cycle. The power output and the thermal conversion efficiency have the maximum values when the mass flowrates of the first and the second inverse Brayton cycles are the same. When the optimization is performed with the constraints of a fixed fuel flowrate and the power plant size, the power output and thermal conversion efficiency can be maximized again by properly allocating the fixed overall flow area among the compressor inlet of the top cycle and the turbine outlets of the two parallel inverse Brayton cycles. The numerical examples show the effects of design parameters on the power output and heat conversion efficiency.

A thermodynamic model of an open cycle gas turbine power plant with a refrigeration cycle for compressor inlet air cooling with pressure drop irreversibilities is established using finite-time thermodynamics in Part 1 of this article. The flow processes of the working fluid with the pressure drops of the working fluid and the size constraints of the real power plant are modelled. There are 12 flow resistances encountered by the working fluid stream for the cycle model. Three of these, the friction through the blades, vanes of the compressor, and the turbines, are related to the isentropic efficiencies. The remaining flow resistances are always present because of the changes in the flow cross-section at the mixing chamber inlet and outlet, the compressor inlet and outlet, the combustion chamber inlet and outlet, the heat exchanger inlet and outlet, and the turbine inlet and outlet. These resistances associated with the flow through various cross-sectional areas are derived as functions of the mixing chamber inlet relative pressure drop, and they control the air flowrate and the net power output. The analytical formulae about the power output, efficiency, and other coefficients are derived with the 12 pressure drop losses. The numerical examples show that the dimensionless power output reaches its maximum at the optimal value and that the dimensionless power output and the thermal efficiency reach their maximum values at the optimal values of the compressor fore-stages pressure ratio of the inverse Brayton cycle.

The performance analysis and optimization of a real regenerated air refrigerator is carried out by using finite-time thermodynamic method in this article. To maximize the cooling load and the coefficient of performance of the refrigerator, the heat conductance distribution between the hot-and cold-side exchangers and the regenerator for the fixed total heat exchanger inventory and heat capacitance rate matching between the working fluid and heat reservoirs are optimized, respectively. The influences of the pressure ratio, the total heat exchanger inventory, the efficiencies of the compressor and expander, the pressure recovery coefficient, and the ratio of the heat capacitance rates of heat reservoirs on the optimum characteristic of the refrigerator are shown by detailed numerical examples. The results obtained may provide guidance for the design of practice air refrigeration plants.

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A thermodynamic model for open combined Brayton and two parallel inverse Brayton cycles is established using finite-time thermodynamics in part A of the current paper. The flow processes of the working fluid with the pressure drops of the working fluid and the size constraints of the real power plant are modelled. There are 17 flow resistances encountered by the gas stream for the combined Brayton and two parallel inverse Brayton cycles. Six of these, the friction through the blades and vanes of the compressors and the turbines, are related to the isentropic efficiencies. The remaining flow resistances are always present because of the changes in flow cross-section at the compressor inlet of the top cycle, combustion inlet and outlet, turbine outlet of the top cycle, turbine outlets of the bottom cycle, heat exchanger inlets, and compressor inlets of the bottom cycle. These resistances control the air flowrate and the net power output. The relative pressure drops associated with the flow through various cross-sectional areas are derived as functions of the compressor inlet relative pressure drop of the top cycle. The analytical formulae about the relations between power output, thermal conversion efficiency, and the compressor pressure ratio of the top cycle are derived with the 17 pressure drop losses in the intake, compression, combustion, expansion, and flow process in the piping, the heat transfer loss to ambient, the irreversible compression and expansion losses in the compressors and the turbines, and the irreversible combustion loss in the combustion chamber. The performance of the model cycle is optimized by adjusting the compressor inlet pressure of the bottom cycles, the mass flowrate and the distribution of pressure losses along the flow path in part B of the current paper.