Cyprus International University Date: 11.08.

2021
Faculty of Engineering
MCLE 446 – Thermal Power Engines
2020-2021 Summer Semester – Project
Deadline: 22/08/2021 (23:59)
Note: There are 9 questions. Submit your answers through Moodle before the deadline.
Good Luck!
Dogus Hurdoganoglu

Question 1: A mass of 15 kg of air at 300 kPa in a piston cylinder device is heated from 25°C to 77°C by passing a
current through a resistance heater inside the cylinder. During this process a heat loss of 60 kJ occurs. Determine the
electrical work supplied. Also give a schematic drawing of the process. (Might be useful: C v ꞊ 0.717 kJ/(kg.K);
U(T꞊298K) ꞊ 250.02kJ/kg)

Question 2: A gas contained within a piston-cylinder assembly undergoes two processes, A and B, between the same
end states, 1 and 2, where p1 = 10 bar, V1 = 0.1 m3, U1 = 400 kJ and p2 = 1 bar, V2 = 1.0 m3, U2 = 200 kJ.

a) Process A: Process from 1 to 2 during which the pressure-volume relation is pV = constant.

b) Process B: Constant-volume process from state 1 to a pressure of 2 bar, followed by a linear pressure-volume
process to state 2.

Kinetic and potential energy effects can be ignored. For each processes A and B:

i. Sketch the process on p-V coordinates

ii. Evaluate the work, in kJ
iii. Evaluate the heat transfer, in kJ.

Question 3: A gas within a piston-cylinder assembly undergoes a thermodynamic cycle consisting of three processes
in series:

a) Process 1-2: Compression

b) Process 2-3: Constant volume cooling to p3 = 140 kPa, V3 = 0.028 m3.
c) Process 3-1: Constant pressure expansion with W3-1 = 10.5 kJ.

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For the cycle, Wcycle = -8.3 kJ. There are no changes in kinetic energy or potential energy. Determine:

i. The volume at state 1, in m³

ii. The work and heat transfer for process 1-2, each in kJ
iii. Can this be a power cycle? A refrigeration cycle? Please explain.

Question 4: A simple vapour power plant operating at a steady state is shown in the figure below. In each of the
following three cases determine whether the cycle is possible, internally reversible or impossible. To find an answer
calculate the generated Entropy by using the Enthalpy values given in Table 1 attached (for your information: x=”vapour
qualities”).

a. Process 4-1: constant-pressure at 1MPa from saturated liquid to saturated vapour.

Process 2-3: constant-pressure at 20kPa from x3=88% to x4=18%.
b. Process 4-1: constant-pressure at 8MPa from saturated liquid to saturated vapour.
Process 2-3: constant-pressure at 8kPa from x2=67.5% to x3=34.2%.
c. Process 4-1: constant-pressure at 0.15MPa from saturated liquid to saturated vapour.
Process 2-3: constant-pressure at 20kPa from x2=90% to x3=10%.

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Question 5: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as an ideal gas executes a Carnot cycle while operating between thermal reservoirs
at 232°C and 38°C. The pressures at the initial and final states of the isothermal expansion are 2.8MPa and 1.4MPa,
respectively. The specific heat ratio γ=1.24.

a. Draw the PV-Diagram of this Carnot cycle and annotate the cycle.
b. Determine the work and heat transfer for each of the four processes in kJ/kg.
c. Calculate the thermal efficiency of the cycle.
d. Calculate the pressures at the initial and final states of the isothermal compression in kPa.

Question 6:

Air as an ideal gas, flows through the compressor and heat exchanger shown in the following figure. A separate liquid
water stream also flows through the heat exchanger. The data given on the figure are for operation at steady state. Stray
heat transfer to the surroundings can be neglected through the entire system. Determine:

a. the compressor power, in kW;

b. the mass flow rate of cooling water, in kg/s;
c. the rates of entropy production, each in kW/K, for the compressor and heat exchanger.

Question 7: Water is the working fluid in a Rankine cycle. Superheated vapour enters the turbine at 10MPa, 480°C,
and the condenser pressure is 6kPa. The turbine and pump have isentropic efficiencies of 80% and 70%, respectively.
Determine for the cycle:

a. The rate of heat transfer to the working fluid passing through the steam generator, in kJ per kg of
steam flowing;
b. The thermal efficiency;
c. The rate of heat transfer from the working fluid passing through the condenser of the cooling water, in
kJ per kg of steam flowing.

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Question 8:

The schematic above illustrates a gas turbine power plant that uses solar energy as the source of heat addition. All
operating data are given on the schematic. Modelling the cycle as a Bryton cycle, and assuming no pressure drops in the
heat exchanger or interconnecting piping, determine:

a. the thermal efficiency;

b. the mass flow rate, in kg/s for a net power output of 50KW.

Values from table:

H1(T1=310K) = 310.24kJ/kg

H2(T2=520K) = 523.63kJ/kg

H3(T3=760K) = 778.18kJ/kg

H4(T4=1140K) = 1207.57kJ/kg

Question 9: Air enters the compressor of a cold air-standard Brayton cycle with regeneration and reheat at 100kPa,
300K, with a mass flow rate of 6kg/s. The compressor pressure ratio is 10, and the inlet temperature for each turbine
stage is 1400K. The turbine stages and compressor each have isentropic efficiencies of 80% and the regenerator
effectiveness is 80%. For k=1.4, calculate:

a. the thermal efficiency for the cycle;

b. the back work ratio;
c. the net power developed, in kW.

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Appendix: Table 1: Properties of Saturated Water (Liquid-Vapour): Pressure Table

Appendix: Properties of Superheated Water Vapour

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Appendix: Properties of Saturated Water (Liquid-Vapour): Pressure Table

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Appendix: Properties of Saturated Water (Liquid-Vapour): Temperature Table

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Appendix: Ideal-Gas Properties of Air

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