ME5129 – Principles of Thermal Energy Conversion

Tutorial 1 - Thermodynamics

1. 1 kg of air undergoes a cyclic process 1-2-3-4. Process 1-2 and 3-4 are adiabatic
processes governed by pv = constant, where p is the pressure and v is the specific
volume and processes 2-3 and 4-1 are constant pressure processes. The
temperatures T1 and T3 are 300 K and 1200 K respectively and the pressure ratio
p2/p1= 10. Determine (i) T2 and T4 and (ii) the heat and the work interaction for each
process. [(i) 579.2 K, 621.54 K; (ii) W1-2 = -201499 J, Q1-2 = 0 J, W2-3 = 179212.5 J,
Q2-3 = 627243.9 J, W3-4 = 417474.5 J, Q3-4 = 0 J, W4-1 = -92822.2 J, Q4-1 = -324877.6
J].

2. 6 kg/s of air at 200°C flowing through a pipe at 100 m/s is mixed with 1 kg/s of air at
100°C which is flowing through another pipe at 50 m/s. The resulting mixture flows at
a pressure of 4 bar in a pipe of 100 mm diameter. Determine the final temperature
and velocity of the air. Assume steady state operation and neglect any heat loss and
PE changes. [426.17 K, 272.5 m/s]

3. Steam enters the condenser of a steam power plant at 20 kPa, 95% with a mass flow
rate of 20,000 kg/hour. It is to be cooled by water from a nearby river by circulating
the water through the tubes of 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 a saturated liquid at 20 kPa, determine the mass flow rate of
the cooling water required. Assume the specific heat of the river water to be 4.17
kJ/kg.K. [1074662 kg/h]

4. Saturated steam-water mixture of 0.6125 kg mass at 150 kPa, 0.6 m 3 is enclosed in

a piston cylinder arrangement. Calculate the work interaction, heat interaction and
the change in internal energy for this system for the following cases: (a) The mixture
is heated at constant pressure until its temperature becomes 200°C (b) The mixture
follows pV = constant until it becomes a saturated vapor (c) The pressure increases
linearly with volume until the final pressure is 200 kPa and temperature is 250°C. [(a)
59.388 kJ, 337.62 kJ; (b) 243.64 kJ, 388.33 kJ, (c) 23.52 kJ, 347.67 kJ]

5. Consider a 300 MW steam power plant, which operates on a simple Rankine cycle.
Steam enters the turbine at 10 MPa, 500°C and is cooled in the condenser at a
pressure of 10 kPa. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to saturation lines
and determine (a) the quality of the steam at the turbine exit, (b) the thermal efficiency
of the cycle and (c) the mass flow rate of the steam. Assume an isentropic efficiency
of 90% for the turbine. [(a) 0.8467; (b) 36.125%; (c) 261.79 kg/s]

6. 1 kg of ice at 0°C is dropped into an insulated vessel containing 10 kg of water at

30°C. Given that the specific heat of water is 4.186 kJ/kg.K and the latent heat of ice
is 330 kJ/kg, find the entropy change for the universe. [0.1156 kJ/k]

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7. A reversible heat engine received heat at the rate of 2000 kJ/cycle, 1500 kJ/cycle,
and 1200 kJ/cycle from three reservoirs at 1200 K, 1000 K and 800 K, respectively.
It rejects heat to two different sinks at 500 K and 300 K. All processes other than
these heat transfer processes are adiabatic. The overall thermal efficiency of the
engine is 60%. Find the individual heat transfers to the sinks at 500 K and 300 K.
[1200 kJ/cycle, 680 kJ/cycle]

8. A refrigeration cycle having a COP of 3 maintains a computer laboratory at 18°C on

a day when the outside temperature is 30°C. The thermal load at steady state
consists of energy entering through the walls and windows at a rate of 30,000 kJ/hour
and from the occupants, computers and lighting at a rate of 6000 kJ/hour. Determine
the power required by this cycle and compare with the minimum theoretical power
required for any refrigeration cycle operating under these conditions. [3.34 kW,
0.4124 kW]

9. Consider a feedwater heater that has two inlets and one exit. Feedwater at 800 kPa,
50°C and steam at 800 kPa, 200°C enter and saturated liquid at 800 kPa exits the
heater. Determine the ratio of the mass flow rates of the feed water and the steam for
steady state operation. Neglect KE and PE changes and any heat loss to the
surroundings. [4.145]

10. Steam enters an adiabatic turbine at a rate of 10 kg/s at 3.5 MPa, 350°C. At a point
where the steam is at 1 MPa, 250°C, 15% of the total mass is extracted and used to
preheat water entering a boiler. The remainder of the steam is expanded further and
exhausted from the turbine at 30 kPa with a quality of 90%. Determine the power
output of the turbine. [6258.43 kW]

11. Five kg of saturated R134a vapor at -15°C is contained in a rigid vessel. The R134a
is stirred by transferring an amount of work equal to 500 kJ. Simultaneously, heat
transfer to the ambient at 30°C also takes place until the content of the vessel reaches
the ambient temperature. Determine the entropy generated during the process. [1.7
kJ/K]

12. Water at 200 kPa and 30°C enters the mixing chamber of a waste heat recovery unit
at a rate of 5 kg/s where it is mixed with steam at 200 kPa and 200°C. Heat loss to
the surrounding air at 27°C occurs at a rate of 10 kW. If the mixture is required to
leave at 200 kPa and 80°C, determine the required mass flow rate of steam and the
rate of entropy generation. [0.412 kg/s, 547.6 W/K]

13. A rigid vessel of volume 600 L contains 8 kg of water at 20 bar. The liquid is now
allowed to escape slowly from the bottom of the vessel. Heat is transferred from a
reservoir at 250°C to the vessel so as to maintain the pressure constant. The process
is stopped when no more liquid remains in the vessel. Find the mass that escapes,
heat transferred and entropy generated. [2 kg, 45.44 kJ, 5.116 J/K]

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14. The cylinder shown in the figure initially contains air at 300 kPa,
290 K with a volume of 0.25 m3. When the piston is at the stops,
the enclosed volume is 1 m3. Air at 500 kPa, 600 K flowing in an
air-line is allowed to enter the cylinder till the pressure and
temperature become 400 kPa and 350 K. Determine the mass of
air that enters and the heat transfer. [3.0809 kg; -819.73 kJ]

15. A rigid vessel of volume 0.3 m3 contains air initially at a pressure

of 1 bar. In order to reduce the pressure in the vessel it is
connected to an extraction pump. The volume flow rate of air leaving the vessel is
0.014 m3/min. Assuming that the temperature of the air within the vessel remains
constant, determine (a) the time taken to reduce the pressure in the vessel to 0.35
bar and (b) the magnitude and direction of the heat interaction between the vessel
and the surroundings during this time. [(a) 22.5 minutes; (b) 19.5 kJ]

16. Steam at a pressure of 16 bars and a temperature

of 300oC flows in a line. Connected to the line
through valve is a turbine followed by a small initially
evacuated vessel with a volume of 0.6 m3. The valve
is opened and the vessel is allowed to fill until the
pressure is 16 bars and the temperature is 400°C.
The valve is then closed. The filling process takes
place adiabatically and KE and PE changes are
negligible. Also, the amount of steam remaining in
the turbine at the end of the process may be
assumed to be negligibly small. Determine the
amount of work developed by the turbine. [268.42
kJ]