ME4225/ME4225EQuiz2

April2014

Question(30minutes):
Averticaltubeevaporatorcontains100stainlesssteeltubes(eachwithaninnerdiameterof36mmand
a length of 1 m), and generates steam at a total rate of 60 kg/s flowing upwards. At the inlet of the
tubes, the pressure is 0.9 MPa, and the vapour mass quality is 16%. The heating rate per tube is
0.25105W/m.Determine:
(a)theflowpatternattheinlet;

(9marks)
(b)vapourmassqualityatthetubeexit;and

(4marks)
(c)thepressuredropperunitlengthofthetube.

(12marks)
You may assume a constant 2phase friction factor of 0.03 and use the homogeneous flow model for
yourcomputations.

SolutionOutline:
(a)
Given, Totalmassflowrate=60kg/s

Pressure=0.9MPa=9bar

SaturationTemp,Ts=175.4C

Lengthoftheverticaltube,L=1m

Heattransferratepertube=0.25105W/m

Inletvapormassquality,xi=16%

Frictionfactor,=0.03

PropertiesatTs=175.4C(fromsteamtable)

vfi=0.1121102m3/kg

vgi=0.2149m3/kg

vfgi=vgivfi=0.2138m3/kg

hfi=743kJ/kg

hgi=2774kJ/kg

hfgi=hgihfi=2031kJ/kg

A=0.25(0.032)2=8.04x104m2

Massflowratepertube,M=60/100=0.6kg/s

Massvelocity,G=M/A=0.6/[(0.036)2/4]=589.5kg/s.m2

At the inlet,

f j 2f
g jg2

1 x

xG

G2

1 0.16 589.52 (0.1121102 ) 274.8 kg/ms 2

2

0.16 589.52 (0.2149) 1191.5 kg/ms 2

2

Flow pattern at the inlet is annular

(b)
x xo xi

q
fg
mh

0.25 105 1
0.6 2031
0.02

xo 0.16 0.02 0.18

(c)
Ptotal PG PF PM
Pressure drop due to gravity:
v f xo v fg
gL cos
log e
with xi 0
v x v
v fg x
i fg
f
0.1121 102 0.18 0.2138
9.811.0 cos 0

log e

2
0.2138 0.02
0.112110 0.16 0.2138

PG

262 Pa
Pressure drop due to friction:

G 2 L

x x
v f o i v fg
2 Dh
2
0.03 589.52 1.0
0.18 0.16

0.2138
0.1121 10
2 36 103
2

5424 Pa

PF

Pressure drop due to momentum rate change:

PM G 2 v fg ( xo xi )
(589.5)2 0.2138 0.02
1486 Pa
Ptotal 7172 Pa