ME2121 /ME2121E Tutorial #2 ( 2016.

Q1. The table gives the properties of water under five sets of conditions. Use the steam tables to
compute for the missing properties as per tabulation.
State
1
2
3
4

P (bar)
26
?
15
?

T (oC)
226
300
325
275

v (m3/kg)
0.05
?
?
0.2

Dryness fraction x
?
0.8
?
?

(Use your steam tables to find the answers and some states may require double interpolation)
[Ans: 1): x1=0.6447;

2):P2=85.9 bar, v2=0.0176 m3/kg;

3): v3=0.1787 m3/kg, x3 = 1;

4):P4=12.68 bar, x4=1;]

Q2. An industrial boiler is fitted with a sightglass device to indicate its level of liquid and the boiler
contains saturated steam at 200C. During the routine "blowdown" procedure, liquid water is purged
from the bottom (mud-drum) at a slow rate, and the temperature in the boiler remains constant
during this process. If the cross sectional area of the boiler is 2.5 m2 (assumed constant), and the
level of the liquid drops by 150 mm, determine the mass of liquid withdrawn.
[Ans: mnet= 321.15 kg.]

Q3. Water is contained in a cylinder fitted with a frictionless piston. The mass of water is 1.05 kg and
the area of piston is 0.5 m2. At the initial stage, the water is at 110C with a quality (dryness fraction)
of 0.90, and the spring just touches the piston (exerts no force). Now heat is transferred to the water
and the piston begins to rise. During this process, the resisting force on the spring is proportional to
the distance moved, with a force (stiffness) of k = 10 N/mm.
(a) Sketch this heating process on a Pv diagram for water,
(b) Obtain expressions for P and V of the contents in the cylinder when the piston moves by
z meters,
(c) Calculate the pressure in the cylinder when the temperature reaches 200C.
[Ans: P = 1.56 bar and v = 1.391 m3/kg.]

Q4. A rigid vessel (A) is connected to a spherical elastic balloon (B). Both the vessel and balloon
contain air at the ambient temperature of 25C. The volume of vessel A is 0.1 m 3 and the initial
pressure is 300 kPa. The initial diameter of the balloon B is 0.5 m and the pressure inside is 100 kPa.
The valve connecting A and B is now opened and remains open, and the final temperature of air is
uniform at 25C. Determine the final pressure in the system, the final volume and the mass of air in
the balloon. It may be assumed that the pressure inside the balloon is directly proportional to its
diameter.
[Ans: kB = 200 kN/m3 or Pa/m; PB = 200 DB,2 (kN/m2 or Pa); DB,2 = 0.683 m, VB,2 = 0.167 m3].

Q5. One kg of air is trapped in a cylinder behind a frictionless piston. The initial temperature of air is
50C and the density of air is 1.08 kg/m3. The air is compressed until the volume is 1/6 of the initial
volume and the absolute pressure at the end of compression is 700 kPa. Calculate the initial volume
and pressure of the air, and the final temperature of the air.
If the volume is held fixed and temperature of the air reduced to 50C by cooling, find the final
pressure of the air. Indicate these processes on a Pv diagram. Assume that the molecular mass of
air is 29 kg/kmol and R0 = 8.3143 kJ/kmol.K.
[Ans: P1 = 1 bar; T2 = 376.7 K, P3 = 6 bar]