PROGRAM : BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY (BENGTECH)

ENGINEERING : MECHANICAL

SUBJECT : STEAM PLANT

CODE : SPLM1B2

DATE : MAIN EXAM

12 NOV 2019

DURATION : (SESSION 1) 12:30 - 15:30 (3 hours)

WEIGHT : 60

TOTAL MARKS : 120 = 100%

ASSESSOR : Mr. E. BAKAYA-KYAHURWA

MODERATOR : Mr. S. GQIBANI

NUMBER OF PAGES : PAGES: 2 excluding the cover page.

INSTRUCTIONS : ONLY ONE POCKET CALCULATOR PER CANDIDATE

MAY BE USED.
1. This paper contains 5 questions
2. PLEASE ANSWER ALL the QUESTIONS
3. Make sure that you understand what the question requires before attempting it.
4. Any additional examination material is to be placed in the answer book and must indicate
clearly the question number, and Student number.
5. Draw proper sketches where required with all relevant information
6. Answers without calculations will not be considered
7. Number all answer according to the numbering in question paper.

REQUIREMENTS: Calculator, steam tables, Mollier diagram.

Graduate Attribute:
This assessment is a build up to Graduate Attribute 9; Independent Learning. Engage in
independent and life-long learning through well-developed learning skills.

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STEAM PLANT – SPLM1B2 MAIN EXAM 2019 -2-

If required take specific heat of steam at 0 – 1.0 bar (Cps) as 2.1 kJ/kgK

QUESTION 1

Eskom’s Arnot power station in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is a coal fired

power plant. The boiler plant is supplied with coal of calorific value
33000 kJ/kg which it burns at a rate of 500 kg/hr. The boiler generates steam
at 40 bar and 300C. Combustion air is supplied to the furnace at an air to
fuel ratio of 17:1. The temperature of the feed water is raised from 40C to
125 C in the economizer, and the flue gases are cooled at the same time
from 429C to 225 C. The flue gases then enter the air pre-heater in which
the temperature of the combustion air is raised by 75K. A forced draft fan
delivers the air to the preheater at a pressure of 1.02 bar and 16C.
Neglecting heat losses and taking Cp as 1.02 kJ/kg for flue gases, determine
the boiler efficiency and the heat lost in flue gases per kilogram of fuel burnt.
[16]

[16]

QUESTION 2

The condensing unit at the power station in question 1 is fitted with an air
cooling section before the entrance to the air extraction pump. Discuss in
detail the benefits of fitting the air cooling section on steam condensers. [6]

In a surface condenser, a section of the tubes nearby the pump is screened

off from steam so that air is cooled to a temperature below that of the
condensate, separate extraction pumps being provided to deal with air and
condensate respectively. The steam condensed per hour is 4,500 kg and the
air leakage is 4 kg per hour. The temperature of the steam entering the
condenser is 32.9°C, temperature of condensate at entrance to the air cooler
is 31°C, and the temperature at the air pump suction is 26.7°C.
Assuming a constant vacuum throughout the condenser, estimate the
volume of air to be dealt with by the air pump per hour, and the percentage
reduction in the air pump capacity following the introduction of the cooling of
the air. Take R = 0.287 kJ/kg K for air. [28]
[28]
QUESTION 3

3.1 A vessel having a capacity of 1.0 m3 contains steam at a pressure 10 bar

and 0.92 dry. The steam is blown off from the vessel by opening a valve
until the pressure in the vessel drops to 5.0 bar. The valve is then closed
and the vessel cooled until the pressure is 4.0 bar. If the specific enthalpy,
of steam in the vessel remains constant during the blowing off process.
Evaluate the mass of steam blown off and the dryness fraction of the steam
remaining in the vessel after cooling. [12]

3.2 Make a neat sketch of a throttling calorimeter and describe carefully how
you would use it to determine the quality of steam in a steam main. [6]

3/…
STEAM PLANT – SPLM1B2 MAIN EXAM 2019 -3-

3.3 A boiler supplies superheated steam at a pressure of 7 bar and the degree
of superheat is 30C. the steam on its way to the steam engine loses some
heat in the main pipe leading to the engine as a result of which the condition
of the steam changes. The condition of steam at the engine stop valve is
determined by means of a throttling calorimeter. The pressure of the steam
after throttling in the calorimeter becomes 1.1 bar and its temperature
becomes 112C. Estimate the dryness fraction of steam at the engine stop
valve. [12]

[30]
QUESTION 4

The ambient air wet bulb temperature is one of most important primary
variables. Obviously, it is a key number in the original design. A problem
frequently encountered is the prediction of the effects of changes in wet bulb
temperature on the temperatures of the water entering and leaving an
existing cooling tower. An existing mechanical draft cooling tower is
operating with summer conditions listed below. Estimate the cold and hot
water temperature when the cooling tower operates with the same heat load
in winter when the wet bulb temperature drops to 16C while there is no
change in the entering air mass and water flow rates, and heat load.
Given,
Water Flow Rate: 60,500 kg/min
Entering Air Flow Rate: 46,538 kg/min
Ambient Wet Bulb Temperature: 27C,
Hot Water Temperature: 40C
Cold Water Temperature: 32 [16]
[16]
QUESTION 5

A turbine of a steam plant receives steam at 40 bar and 370C and exhausts
at 0.1 bar. At the actual state of 10 bar and 200C, the steam is withdrawn
and part is used for feed water heating in a closed feed water heater, while
the remainder passes through a re-heater. The steam re-enters the turbine
at 10 bar and 370C. A second extraction of steam is done at 1.5 bar and
200C and routed to an open feed water heater. A third extraction occurs at
0.5 bar and 100C and the steam is supplied to another closed feed water
heater. The actual exhaust from the turbine is dry saturated steam. Evaluate
the actual mass of steam extracted at each point per kg of steam entering
the turbine and the thermal efficiency of the plant. Estimate the isentropic
efficiency in each section of the turbine.
[30]
[30]
TOTAL [78]