ME 100 Thermodynamics SY 2019-2020

Chapter 4: Problem Set 1ST Semester

1. Air modeled as an ideal gas enters a combustion chamber at 20 lbf/in.2 and 70°F through
a rectangular duct, 5 ft by 4 ft. If the mass flow rate of the air is 830,000 lb/h, determine
the velocity, in ft/s. Ans. V= 113.1 ft/s

2. Air exits a turbine at 200 kPa and 1508C with a volumetric flow rate of 7000 liters/s.
Modeling air as an ideal gas, determine the mass flow rate, in kg/s. Ans. ̇ = 11.54 kg/s

3. A 380-L tank contains steam, initially at 400°C, 3 bar. A valve is opened, and steam
flows out of the tank at a constant mass flow rate of 0.005 kg/s. During steam removal, a
heater maintains the temperature within the tank constant. Determine the time, in s, at
which 75% of the initial mass remains in the tank; also determine the specific volume, in
m3/kg, and pressure, in bar, in the tank at that time. Ans. t = 18.4 s , v2 = 1.376 m3/kg, P2
= 2.5 bar

4. As shown in the figure below, steam at 80 bar, 440°C, enters a turbine operating at steady
state with a volumetric flow rate of 236 m3/min. Twenty percent of the entering mass
flow exits through a diameter of 0.25 m at 60 bar, 400°C. The rest exits through a
diameter of 1.5 m with a pressure of 0.7 bar and a quality of 90%. Determine the velocity
at each exit duct, in m/s. Ans. V2 = 20.3 m/s , V3 = 101.3 m/s
5. Steam enters a turbine operating at steady state at 2 MPa, 360°C with a velocity of 100
m/s. Saturated vapor exits at 0.1 MPa and a velocity of 50 m/s. The elevation of the inlet
is 3 m higher than at the exit. The mass flow rate of the steam is 15 kg/s, and the power
developed is 7 MW. Let g = 9.81 m/s2. Determine (a) the area at the inlet, in m2, and (b)
the rate of heat transfer between the turbine and its surroundings, in kW. Ans. A1 = 0.141
m2 , ̇ = - 754.7 kW

6. Air enters a compressor operating at steady state with a pressure of 14.7 lbf/in.2 and a
temperature of 70°F. The volumetric flow rate at the inlet is 16.6 ft3/s, and the flow area
is 0.26 ft2. At the exit, the pressure is 35 lbf/in.2, the temperature is 280°F, and the
velocity is 50 ft/s. Heat transfer from the compressor to its surroundings is 1.0 Btu per lb
of air flowing. Potential energy effects are negligible, and the ideal gas model can be
assumed for the air. Determine
(a) the velocity of the air at the inlet, in ft/s, Ans. 63.85 ft/s
(b) the mass flow rate, in lb/s, Ans. ̇
(c) the compressor power, in Btu/s and hp. Ans. ̇ = -63.9 Btu/s and -90.38 hp