Combined cycle systems have been recognized as efficient power systems in which exhaust gas from the topping cycle provides the available energy to the bottoming cycle. Since most heat sources available to the bottoming cycle are sensible‐heat sources, there may be a better thermal match, and an increase thermodynamic efficiency, on reducing the entropy generation of the simple combined cycle. To increase the efficiency of the Rankine cycle working with sensible heat, two conventional methods have been proposed: one is to incorporate a multipressure boiler; the other is to implement a supercritical cycle. An alternative method is to use a multicomponent working fluid boiling at a variable temperature with a change in the liquid composition of the components, and yielding a better thermal match with the sensible‐heat source than the constant temperature boiling process. The Kalina cycle is an implementation of this concept, where ammonia/water mixtures are used as the working fluid. The purpose of this study is to conduct a preliminary study of the Kalina power cycle system in connection with a combined cycle system, comparing the Kalina cycle and the Rankine cycle. This study is performed using new thermodynamic properties of ammonia/water mixtures developed by the authors. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
