1.

A method to generate electric power from solar irradiation involves concentrating sunlight onto
absorber tubes that are placed at the focal points of parabolic reflectors. The absorber tubes carry a
liquid concentrator fluid that is heated as it flows through the tubes.
After it leaves the concentrating field, the fluid enters a heat exchanger, where it transfers thermal
energy to the working fluid of a Rankine cycle.
The cooled concentrator fluid is returned to the concentrator field after it exits the heat exchanger.
A power plant consists of many concentrators.

The net effect of a single concentrator-tube arrangement may be approximated as one of creating a
constant heating condition at the surface of the tube. Consider conditions for which a conc heat flux
of qs'' = 20 kW/m2, assumed to be uniform over the tube surface, heats a concentrator fluid of density,
thermal conductivity, sp heat, & viscosity of = 700 kg/m3, k = 0.078 W/mK, cp = 2.59 kJ/kgK, and  =
0.15 x 103 Ns/m2. The tube diameter is D = 70 mm, and the mass flow rate of the fluid in a single
concentrator tube is m = 2.5 kg/s.
a) If the concentrator fluid enters each tube at Tm,i = 400oC and exits at Tm,o = 450oC, what is the
required concentrator length, L?
How much heat q is transferred to the concentrator fluid in a single concentrator-tube arrangement?
b) What is the surface temp of the tube at the exit of a concentrator, Ts(L)?
c) The max and min temps of the entire power plant are the exit temp of the concentrator fluid Tm,o
and the ambient temperature T∞, respectively. If
a temperature difference of T = Tm,o  TR,max = 20oC occurs across the heat exchanger and a second
temp difference of T = TR,min  T∞ = 20oC exists across the condenser, where T∞ = 20oC, determine the
minimum number of concentrators N, each of length L, needed to generate P = 20 MW of electric
power.

2. The surface of a 50-mm-dia, thin-walled tube is maintained at 100oC. In one case, air is in cross
flow over the tube with a temp of 25oC and a velocity of 30 m/s. In another case, air is in fully
developed flow through the tube with a temp of 25oC and a mean velocity of 30 m/s. Compare the
heat flux from the tube to the air for the two cases.
3. Pipe Insulation for Thermal Burn Prevention
A 10-m-long metal pipe (kpipe = 15 W/mK) has an inner diameter of 5 cm and
an outer diameter of 6 cm is used for transporting hot saturated water vapor at
a flow rate of 0.05 kg/s. The water vapor enters and exits the pipe
at 350oC and 290oC, respectively. In order to prevent thermal burn on individuals working in the
vicinity of the pipe, the pipe is covered with a 2.25-cm thick layer of insulation (kins = 0.95 W/mK) to
ensure that the outer surface
temperature Ts,o is below 45oC. Determine whether or not the thickness of the
insulation is sufficient to alleviate the risk of thermal burn hazards.