THERMODYNAMICS 1

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CONSERVATION OF MASS & GENERAL FLOW EQUATIONS

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ENGR. ALBERT JULIAN M. BARJOSE

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

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WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY
Copyright © by Western Mindanao State University
All rights reserved. Published (Year)
Printed in the Philippines
ISBN 978-971-0487-42-4
No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed
in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or
retrieval system, without prior written permission of
WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONSERVATION OF MASS AND GENERAL FLOW EQUATIONS ........................................ 3

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 4
OBJECTIVES: ............................................................................................................................ 4
TOPIC OUTLINE: ...................................................................................................................... 4
VOLUME FLOW RATE ................................................................................................................ 6
MASS FLOW RATE ...................................................................................................................... 6
STEADY FLOW PROCESS .......................................................................................................... 7
SAMPLE PROBLEMS ................................................................................................................... 7
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................11
ASSIGNED PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITY ......................................................................... 12

CONSERVATION OF MASS AND GENERAL FLOW EQUATIONS

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 INTRODUCTION

The law of conservation of mass states that mass is indestructible. This means that the total mass
entering a system is equal to the total mass leaving.

The general flow equations shall deal with the volume flow rate, mass flow rate, steady flow
process and all formulas related to these concepts.

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this MODULE, YOU can:

1. State the definition of the law of conservation of mass.

2. Be familiar with the calculations involved in the law of conservation of mass.
3. Solve problems related to the general flow equations.
4. Be prepared for more comprehensive problems related to thermodynamics.

TOPIC OUTLINE:

I. Conservation of Mass
II. Mass Flow Rate
III. Steady Flow Process
IV. Sample Problems

Try This!

Consider the figures below. Try to research and study in advance the concepts behind these
figures (general flow equations).
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 VOLUME FLOW RATE

𝒎𝟑 𝒇𝒕𝟑
Volume Flow Rate, Q (𝒔𝒆𝒄 , 𝒔𝒆𝒄)

𝒎
𝑸 = 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒙 𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 = 𝑨𝒗 =
𝝆

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒:

𝐴 = 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

𝜋 2
𝐴= 𝐷 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝐴 = 𝐿 𝑥 𝑊 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟
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𝑣 = 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝑘𝑔 𝑙𝑏
𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒, ,
𝑠 𝑠

𝑘𝑔 𝑙𝑏
𝜌 = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦, ,
𝑚3 𝑓𝑡 3

MASS FLOW RATE

𝒌𝒈 𝒍𝒃
Mass Flow Rate, m ( 𝒔 , 𝒔 )

𝒎 = 𝑸𝝆 = 𝑨𝒗𝝆

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒:

𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒

𝑚3 𝑓𝑡 3
𝑄 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒, ,
𝑠 𝑠

𝑘𝑔 𝑙𝑏
𝜌 = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦, ,
𝑚3 𝑓𝑡 3

𝐴 = 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎, 𝑚2 , 𝑓𝑡 2

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 𝑚 𝑓𝑡
𝑣 = 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦, ,
𝑠 𝑠

STEADY FLOW PROCESS

For steady flow process: 𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐

𝑨𝟏 𝒗𝟏 𝝆𝟏 = 𝑨𝟐 𝒗𝟐 𝝆𝟐

If Q is constant:

𝑸𝟏 = 𝑸𝟐
𝑨𝟏 𝒗𝟏 = 𝑨𝟐 𝒗𝟐

SAMPLE PROBLEMS

1. Two gaseous streams enter a combining tube and leave as a single mixture. These data apply
at the entrance section:

𝑓𝑡 1
For one gas, 𝐴1 = 75 𝑖𝑛2 , 𝑣1 = 500 𝑠
, 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒1 = 𝜌
= 10 𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑙𝑏

𝑙𝑏 𝑙𝑏
For the other gas, 𝐴2 = 50 𝑖𝑛2 𝑚2 = 16.67 , 𝜌2 = 0.12
𝑠 𝑓𝑡 3

𝑓𝑡 1 𝑓𝑡 3
At the exit, 𝑣3 = 350 𝑠
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒3 = 𝜌 = 7 𝑙𝑏

Find:
A. The speed 𝑣2 at section 2, and
B. The flow and area at the exit section

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Solution:

I. Speed 𝑣2

𝑚 = 𝐴2 𝑣2 𝜌2

𝑙𝑏 1𝑓𝑡 2 𝑙𝑏
16.67 = (50 𝑖𝑛2 𝑥 2
) (𝑣2 ) (0.12 3 )
𝑠 144 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑡

𝑣2 = 400.08 𝑓𝑡/𝑠

II. Flow and Area at the exit section

𝑚3 = 𝐴3 𝑣3 𝜌3

II. A. Find 𝑚3 (mass flow rate at the exit)

𝒎𝟑 = 𝒎 𝟏 + 𝒎𝟐

𝑏𝑢𝑡:

𝑚1 = 𝐴1 𝑣1 𝜌1

1𝑓𝑡 2 𝑓𝑡 1 𝑙𝑏
𝑚1 = (75 𝑖𝑛2 𝑥 2
) (500 ) ( )
144 𝑖𝑛 𝑠 10 𝑓𝑡 3

𝑚1 = 26.04 𝑙𝑏/𝑠

So:

𝑚3 = 𝑚1 + 𝑚2

𝑙𝑏 𝑙𝑏
= 26.04 + 16.67
𝑠 𝑠

𝒍𝒃
𝒎𝟑 = 𝟒𝟐. 𝟕𝟏
𝒔

II. Area
𝑚3 = 𝐴3 𝑣3 𝜌3
𝑙𝑏 𝑓𝑡 1 𝑙𝑏
42.71 = 𝐴3 (350 ) ( )
𝑠 𝑠 7 𝑓𝑡 3
𝑨𝟑 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟓𝟒𝟐 𝒇𝒕𝟐

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 𝑘𝑔 𝑚
2. Air enters a nozzle steadily at 2.21 𝑚3 and 30 𝑠 . What is the mass flow rate through the
nozzle, if the inlet area of the nozzle is 80 𝑐𝑚2 ?

Solution:

Given:

𝜌 = 2.21 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3
𝑣 = 30 𝑚/𝑠
𝐴 = 80 𝑐𝑚2
Find:

𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒

𝑚 = 𝐴𝑣𝜌

1𝑚 2 𝑚 𝑘𝑔
𝑚 = (80 𝑐𝑚2 𝑥 ( ) ) (30 ) (2.21 3 )
100 𝑐𝑚 𝑠 𝑚

𝒌𝒈
𝒎 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟑𝟒
𝒔

3. A pipe has a diameter of 4 inches at section A and a diameter of 2 inches at section B. For an
ideal flow, the velocity is given as 1 ft/sec at section A. What is the flow velocity at section B?

Solution:

Given:

𝐴𝑎 = 4′′
𝐴𝑏 = 2′′
𝑣𝑎 = 1 𝑓𝑡/𝑠𝑒𝑐

Find:

𝑣𝑏 = 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑡 𝐵

𝑄𝑎 = 𝑄𝑏

𝐴𝑎 𝑣𝑎 = 𝐴𝑏 𝑣𝑏
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𝜋 𝑓𝑡 𝜋
(4 𝑖𝑛)2 (1 ) = (2 𝑖𝑛)2 𝑣𝑏
4 𝑠 4

𝒇𝒕
𝒗𝒃 = 𝟒
𝒔

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 REFERENCES

1. Thermodynamics by Faires & Simmang

2. Thermodynamics by Sta. Maria
3. FE Review Manual
4. 1001 Solved Engineering Problems

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 ASSIGNED PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITY

Instructions: This assignment is to be passed on or before 8:00 AM of

WEDNESDAY, October 21, 2020. Show your solution for each problem. Each
problem shall be worth 20 points, for a total of 100 points.

1. Water flows in the channel 200 mm x 300 mm at the rate of 2 m/s. What is the
volume flow in 𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑠𝑒𝑐?

A. 1.23 𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑠𝑒𝑐 B. 2.23 𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑠𝑒𝑐 C. 3.23 𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑠𝑒𝑐 D. 4.23 𝑓𝑡 3 /𝑠𝑒𝑐

2. Two gaseous streams are mixed together with one stream containing a diameter
of 120 mm and specific gravity of 0.86 and speed of 5 m/s. On the other stream,
the diameter is 150 mm and density is 890 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 at 2 m/s. Find the mass flow
rate at the exit if diameter of exit is 200mm.

A. 65 kg/s B. 70 kg/s C. 75 kg/s D. 80 kg/s

3. Water flows in a pipe at the rate of 10 kg/s. If the speed of flow is 10 m/s, find
the pipe diameter.

A. 30.23 mm B. 35.68 mm C. 38.39 mm D. 42.39 mm

4. A fluid flows through a tube with a velocity of 5 m/s. The tube’s inside diameter
is 40 mm and a fluid density of 0.80 gram/ml. What is the volume flow rate in
gallons per minute?

A. 99.6 B. 105 C. 94 D. 89

5. Oil flows through 16 tubes on a single cooler with a velocity of 2 m/s. The
internal diameter of the tube is 30mm and oil density is 0.85 g/ml. Find the flow in
liters per sec.

A. 22.62 B. 32.22 C. 62.22 D. 42.52

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Bonus Problem (15 points). A double purpose tank 18 ft wide, 24 ft long, and 4 ft
deep is filled with water. What is the weight of the water in long tons?

A. 48.13 tons B. 96.17 tons C. 25.13 tons D. 50.5 tons

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