GAS  DYNAMICS                                    Selected  Problems  &  Questions  on  Isentropic  Flow  

 
(A)  Problems  

1-­‐  A  gas  with  a  molar  mass  of  4  and  a  specific  heat  ratio  of  1.67  flows  through  a  
variable   area   duct.   At   some   point   in   the   flow   the   velocity   is   200   m/s   and   the  
temperature   is   100°C.   Find   the   Mach   number   at   this   point   in   the   flow.   At   some  
other   point   in   the   flow   the   temperature   is   10°C.   Find   the   velocity   and   Mach  
number  at  this  point  in  the  flow  assuming  that  the  flow  is  isentropic.  

2-­‐  The  exhaust  gases  from  a  rocket  engine  can  be  assumed  to  behave  as  a  perfect  
gas   with   a   specific   heat   ratio   of   1.3   and   a   molecular   weight   of   32.   The   gas   is  
expanded   from   the   combustion   chamber   through   the   nozzle.   At   a   point   in   the  
nozzle   where   the   cross-­‐sectional   area   is   0.2   m2   the   pressure,   temperature   and  
Mach  number  are  1500  KPa,  800   OC,  and  0.2  respectively.  At  some  other  point  in  
the   nozzle,   the   pressure   is   found   to   be   80   KPa.   Find   the   Mach   number,  
temperature,   and   cross-­‐sectional   area   at   this   point.   Assume   on-­‐dimensional,  
isentropic  flow.  
 

3-­‐   A   gas   has   a   molar   mass   of   44   and   a   specific   heat   ratio   of   1.3.   At   a   certain   point  
in  the  flow,  the  static  pressure  and  temperature  are  80  kPa  and  15  oC  respectively  
and   the   velocity   is   100   m/s.   The   gas   is   then   isentropically   expanded   until   its  
velocity  is  300  m/s.  Find  the  pressure,  temperature,  and  Mach  number  that  exist  
in  the  resulting  flow          

   
 

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GAS  DYNAMICS                                    Selected  Problems  &  Questions  on  Isentropic  Flow  

 
4-­‐   A ir  f lows  a diabatically  t hrough  a  d uct.  A t  o ne  s ection  V 1   =   1 2 2   m / s ,   T 1   =  
9 3 ° C ,   a n d   P 1   =   241.25   kN/m2   absolute,   while   farther   downstream   V2   =  
335.3m/s,   and   P 2 =   124.07   kPa,   absolute.   Compute:   (a)   M2,   (b)   Um,   and   (c)  
PO2/PO1  
 

5-­‐   At   a   point   upstream   of   the   throat   of   a   converging-­‐diverging   nozzle   the  

properties  are  V1  =  200  m/s,  and  T1=  300  K ,  and  P1=  125  kPa.  If  the  exit  flow  is  
supersonic,  compute  from  isentropic  theory,  (a)  m  and  (b)  A1.  The  throat  area  is  
25  cm2  
 

6-­‐   Air   in   a   tank   at   700   kPa   abs.   and   25°C   discharges   into   a   standard  
atmosphere  through  a  converging  nozzle.  For  isentropic  flow  
1-­‐ what  is  the  exit  pressure,  
2-­‐ what  is  the  air  temperature  at  the  nozzle  exit,  and  
3-­‐ What  nozzle  exit  diameter  will  discharge  0.80  kg  I  s?  
 

7-­‐An   airstream   flows   in   a   converging   nozzle   from   cross   sectional   area   A1   of   50  

cm2   to   a   cross-­‐sectional   area   A2   of   40   cm2.   If   T1   =   300,   p1   =   100   kPa,   and   V1=   100  
m/s,  find  M2,  p2,  and T2 . Assume  steady  state,  one-­‐dimensional  isentropic  flow.

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GAS  DYNAMICS                                    Selected  Problems  &  Questions  on  Isentropic  Flow  

 
8-­‐A  nozzle  for  an  ideal  rocket  is  to  operate  at  a  15250  m  attitude  in  a  standard  
atmosphere  were  the  pressure  is  11.60  kPa  and  is  to  give  a  6.67  kN  thrust  when  
the  chamber  pressure  is  1345  kPa  and  the  chamber  temperature  is  2760°C.  What  
are   the   throat   and   exit   areas   and   the   exit   velocity   and   temperature?   Take   k   =   1.4  
and  R  =  355  N.m/kg.K  for  this  calculation.  Take  the  exit  pressure  to  be  at  ambient  
pressure.    

9-­‐  A  rocket  nozzle  has  a  converging  exhaust  nozzle  

of   exit   area   120   cm2   as   shown   in   figure.   If   po   =   1  
MPa   and   To   =   1500   K,   find   the   rocket   thrust   for:        
a)   po   =   100   KPa   and         b)   po   =   0   KPa.   Assume   the  
rocket  exhaust  gases  to  have  k  =  1.3  with  a  mean  molecular  mass  of  M  =  20  .  Take  
the  flow  in  the  nozzle  to  be  isentropic.    Note:  R  =  𝑅 /M,  𝑅 /  =  3.814  kj/kmol.K  
 
10   -­‐   A   rocket   has   a   converging   diverging  
exhaust  nozzle  of  exit  area  300  cm3,  and  throat  
120  cm3.  With  Po  =  1  MPa  and  To  =  1500  K.  find  
the   rocket   thrust   for   Pb   =   100   KPa   and   Pb   =   0  
KPa.  Assume  the  rocket  exhaust  gas  to  have  k  =  
1.3  with  a  mean  molecular  mass  of  20  
 

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GAS  DYNAMICS                                    Selected  Problems  &  Questions  on  Isentropic  Flow  

 
11-­‐  A  converging  diverging  nozzle  is  bolted  into  a  
reservoir   as   shown   in   figure.   Air   flows   through   the  
5  cm  diameter  throat  and  out  the  10  cm  diameter  
exit.   For   a   reservoir   temperature   of   37oC,  
determine   the   force   necessary   to   hold   the   nozzle  
in  a  place  if  the  flow  is  isentropic  throughout  but  
supersonic  in  the  diverging  section  
 

12-­‐   What   is   the   percentage   area   increase   in  

net   thrust   of   the   rocket   motor,   if   a   divergent  
portion  area  A2/A*  =  1.5  is  added  to  the  sonic  
nozzle?   Assume   isentropic   flow   with   cp   =   1.2  
kJ/kg.K  and  k  =  1.3  

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GAS  DYNAMICS                                    Selected  Problems  &  Questions  on  Isentropic  Flow  

 
(B)  Questions  

1-­‐   Explain   briefly:   isentropic   flow,   stagnation   properties,   critical   properties,   De  

Laval  nozzle,  chocked  flow,  impulse  function,  real  nozzle,  and  real  diffuser.  

2-­‐   For   adiabatic   flow,   what   is   the   effect   of   friction   on   stagnation   temperature   and  
stagnation  pressure?  

3-­‐  What  is  the  importance  of  Mach  number?  And  what  is  the  difference  between  
M  and  M*?  

4-­‐   Explain   briefly   in   physical   sense,   why   the   pressure   must   always   decrease   for   an  
increase   in   velocity   in   an   isentropic   nozzle   regardless   of   subsonic   or   supersonic  
condition  

5-­‐   For   isentropic   flow,   derive   the   relations   that   describe   the   effect   of   area   change  
on  pressure  and  velocity  changes  in  terms  of  Mach  number?  

6-­‐  Explain  briefly  how  chocking  condition  in  convergent  nozzle  occurs.  

7-­‐   Explain   briefly   and   sketch   the   variation   of   exit   plane   pressure   with   back  
pressure  including  chocked  case.  

8-­‐   Explain   briefly   the   performance   of   converging-­‐diverging   nozzle,   namely   the  

relation  between  pr-­‐x  and  pe-­‐pb  

 
 

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