Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

7th Edition
Problem (5-13)
A spherical hot-air balloon is initially filled with air at 120 kPa and 20°C with an initial diameter of 5 m. Air
enters this balloon at 120 kPa and 20°C with a velocity of 3 m/s through a 1-m diameter opening. How
many minutes will it take to inflate this balloon to a 15-m diameter when the pressure and temperature of
the air in the balloon remain the same as the air entering the balloon? Answer: 12.0 min

Solution

Assuming that air is acting as an ideal gas with a constant of “287 Pa m 3/kg K”

RT (287)(293) 3
v= = =0.7 m /kg
P 120 ×10
3

π ( 1 )2
( )(3)
Aϑ 4
ṁ= = =3.362kg / s
v 0.7
As mass is volume / specific volume

3 π5
3
3 V i 65.45
V i=π D = =65.45m , mi= = =93.5 kg
6 v 0.7

3 π 153 3 V f 1,716
V f =π D = =1,716 m , mf = = =2,525 kg
6 v 0.7
m f −mi
∆ t= =732 s=12min
ṁ
Problem (5-24)
Air flows steadily in a pipe at 300 kPa, 77°C, and 25 m/s at a rate of 18 kg/min. Determine (a) the
diameter of the pipe, (b) the rate of flow energy, (c) the rate of energy transport by mass, and (d) the error
involved in part (c) if the kinetic energy is neglected.

Solution

a)

RT (287)(350)
v= = =0.3349
P 300 ×103
18
(
)( 0.3349)
ṁ v 60
A= = =4.02× 10−3
ϑ 25

D=
√ √
4A
π
=
4( 4.02× 10−3 )
π
=0.072m
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

b)

Ẇ flow=ṁ Pv= ( 1860 ) (300 ×10 ) ( 0.3349 )=30.14 kW

3

c)

18
Ėmass =ṁ ( h+ke )=
60
[ ( 1008 ) ( 350 ) + ( 0.5 ) ( 25 ) ] =105.94 × 103 W =105.94 kW

d) neglecting the kinetic energy

18
Ėmass =ṁ ( h )=
60
[ ( 1008 )( 350 ) ]=105.84 × 103 W =105.84 kW

105.94−105.84
Error  ×100=0.0944 %
105.94
Problem (5-30)
Air enters an adiabatic nozzle steadily at 300 kPa, 200°C, and 45 m/s and leaves at 100 kPa and 180
m/s. The inlet area of the nozzle is 110 cm 2. Determine (a) the mass flow rate through the nozzle, (b) the
exit temperature of the air, and (c) the exit area of the nozzle. Answers: (a) 1.09 kg/s, (b) 185°C, (c) 79.9
cm2

Solution

a) At the inlet

RT (287)(473)
3
m
v= = =0.4525
P 300 ×103
kg

Aϑ 0.011( 45)
ṁ= = =1.094 kg /s
v 0.4525
b) Using the concept of energy conservation for air flowing through the nozzle

ϑ 22−ϑ 21
C p ,avg ( T 2−T 1 ) + =0  T 2=185.2oC
2
c) At the exit

RT (287)(458.2) m3
v= = =1.315
P 100 ×103 kg

Aϑ A (180)
ṁ= = =1.094 kg/ s  A=0.00799 m2 =79.9 c m 2
v 1.315

Problem (5-50ESS)
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Reconsider Prob. 5-49. Using EES (or other) software, investigate the effect of the turbine exit pressure
on the power output of the turbine. Let the exit pressure vary from 10 to 200 kPa. Plot the power output
against the exit pressure and discuss the results.

Where problem 5-49 is:

Steam flows steadily through an adiabatic turbine. The inlet conditions of the steam are
6 MPa, 400°C, and 80 m/s, and the exit conditions are 40 kPa, 92 % quality,
and 50 m/s. The mass flow rate of the steam is 20 kg/s. Determine (a ) the change
in kinetic energy, (b) the power output, and (c) the turbine inlet area.
Answers: (a) -1.95 kJ/kg, (b) 14.6 MW, (c) 0 .0119 m2

Solution

Using EES, the following is used to solve for the pressure vs power relation.

Table 1 Pressure vs Power Output

Trial # Pressure (kPA) Power Output (MW)

1 10 10.95
2 31.11 10.39
3 52.22 10.1
4 73.33 9.909
5 94.44 9.76
6 115.6 9.638
7 136.7 9.535
8 157.8 9.446
9 178.9 9.367
10 200 9.297
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Figure 1 Turbine Power vs Turbine Exit Pressure

The graph shows that as the exit pressure increases, the turbine power output decreases.
Hence, it is always advised to design power generation turbine with the least possible exit
pressure expanding the working fluid as much as possible to harness the maximum amount of
energy for power generations.

Problem (5-81)
Steam enters the condenser of a steam power plant at 20 kPa and a quality of 95 % with a mass flow rate
of 20,000 kg/h. It is to be cooled by water from a nearby river by circulating the water through the tubes
within the condenser. To prevent thermal pollution, the river water is not allowed to experience a
temperature rise above 10°C. If the steam is to leave the condenser as saturated liquid at 20 kPa,
determine the mass flow rate of the cooling water required. Answer: 297.7 kg/s

Solution

ṁsteam (h in – h out) = ṁwater (h out - h in)

ṁsteam ( h¿ – h out ) 20,000 (h at x=0.95−hat x=1 )

ṁwater = =297.7 kg /s
(h out −h¿ ) 3600 C P (T 2−T 1)
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

7th Edition
Problem (9-43)
A four-cylinder, four-stroke, 1.6-L gasoline engine operates on the Otto cycle with a
compression ratio of 11. The air is at 100 kPa and 37°C at the beginning of the compression
process, and the maximum pressure in the cycle is 8 MPa. The compression and expansion
processes may be modeled as polytropic with a polytropic constant of 1.3. Using constant
specific heats at 850 K, determine (a) the temperature at the end of the expansion process, (b)
the net work output and the thermal efficiency, (c) the mean effective pressure, (d) the engine
speed for a net power output of 50 kW, and (e) the specific fuel consumption, in g/kWh, defined
as the ratio of the mass of the fuel consumed to the net work produced. The air-fuel ratio,
defined as the amount of air divided by the amount of fuel intake, is 16.
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Problem (9-65)
A six-cylinder, four-stroke, 3.2-L compression-ignition engine operates on the ideal diesel cycle
with a compression ratio of 19. The air is at 95 kPa and 67°C at the beginning of the
compression process and the engine speed is 1,750 rpm. The engine uses light diesel fuel with
a heating value of 42,500 kJ/kg, an air-fuel ratio of 28, and a combustion efficiency of 98 %.
Using constant specific heats at 850 K, determine (a) the maximum temperature in the cycle
and the cut-off ratio (b) the net work output per cycle and the thermal efficiency, (c) the mean
effective pressure, (d) the net power output, and (e) the specific fuel consumption, in g/kWh,
defined as the ratio of the mass of the fuel consumed to the net work produced. Answers: (a)
2,244 K, 2.36, (b) 2.71 kJ, 57.4%, (c) 847 kPa, (d) 39.5 kW, (e) 151 g/kWh
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Problem (9-76)
Determine the external rate of heat input and power produced by the Stirling cycle of Prob. 9-75
when it is repeated 1300 times per minute. Answers: 10,020 kW, 6264 kW

Where problem 9-75 is:

An ideal Stirling cycle operates with 1 kg of air between thermal energy reservoirs at 27°C and
527°C. The maximum cycle pressure is 2,000 kPa and the minimum cycle pressure is 100 kPa.
Determine the net work produced each time this cycle is executed, and the cycle’s thermal
efficiency.
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Problem (9-100)
A gas-turbine power plant operates on the simple Brayton cycle between the pressure limits of
100 and 2,000 kPa. The working fluid is air, which enters the compressor at 40°C at a rate of
700 m3/min and leaves the turbine at 650°C. Using variable specific heats for air and assuming
a compressor isentropic efficiency of 85 % and a turbine isentropic efficiency of 88 %, determine
(a) the net power output, (b) the back work ratio, and (c) the thermal efficiency. Answers: (a)
5,404 kW, (b) 0.545, (c) 39.2 %
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Problem (9-135)
How much would the thermal efficiency of the cycle in Prob. 9-134 change if the temperature of
the cold-air stream leaving the regenerator is 65°C lower than the temperature of the hot-air
stream entering the regenerator?

Where problem 9-134 is:

Repeat Prob. 9-133 for the case of three stages of compression with intercooling and three
stages with expansion with reheating. Answer: 40.1%

Where problem 9-133 is:

Air enters a gas turbine with two stages of compression and two stages of expansion at 100 kPa
and 17°C. This system uses a regenerator as well as reheating and intercooling. The pressure
ratio across each compressor is 4,300 kj/kg of heat are added to the air in each combustion
chamber; and the regenerator operates perfectly while increasing the temperature of the cold air
by 20°C. Determine this system’s thermal efficiency. Assume isentropic operations for all
compressor and the turbine stages and use constant specific heats at room temperature
Power Plant Thermodynamics Assignment 6 & 9

Problem (9-144)
Repeat Prob. 9-143 using a compressor efficiency of 80 % and a turbine efficiency of 85 %.

Where problem 9-143 is:

A turbojet aircraft is flying with a velocity of 320 m/s at an altitude of 9,150 m, where the ambient
conditions are 32 kPa and — 32°C. The pressure ratio across the compressor is 12, and the
temperature at the turbine inlet is 1,400 K. Air enters the compressor at a rate of 60 kg/s, and
the jet fuel has a heating value of 42,700 kJ/kg. Assuming ideal operation for all components
and constant specific heats for air at room temperature, determine (a) the velocity of the
exhaust gases, (b) the propulsive power developed, and (c) the rate of fuel consumption.