2a – Thermo Laboratory

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Contents

• Introduction 3

• Equipment 4

• Method 8

• Calculation 10

• Results 11

• Discussion 13

• Conclusion 14

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 Introduction

Problem
A customer complain regarding the efficiency of a steam engine purchased from Pistons-R-Us.

Objectives
•Calculate the power output and the efficiency of the steam engine.​
•Make comparisons between the calculated efficiency and that of the efficiency stated by Mr. R U Jones.​
•Derive conclusions based on the comparison about the efficiency of the steam engine.​
•Suggest improvements or modifications to improve the efficiency.

Approach
• Use the Rankine Cycle, along with SFEE to calculate the enthalpies h1, h2, and h4.
• Use the concept of Absolute Temperature Scale, along with the Second Law of Thermodynamics to derive
the value of h3.
• Evaluate Indicated Power(W Engine) and Brake Power and hence the Mechanical Efficiency.
• Calculate the Net Work Output and Heat Input(Q boiler).
• Calculate Total Power Output.
• Calculate Efficiency.
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Ravija Gunawardana
 Equipment
• Alternator:
• Connected to engine shaft.

• Power is generated in the cylinder of the

steam engine.

• This power is then output by the shaft of

the engine after overcoming mechanical
inefficiencies (ηm).

• The shaft power is then transmitted to the

alternator after it overcomes the
inefficiencies of the alternator (ηalt).

Figure 1: Schematic of alternator set up used to find shaft power. • The alternator converts this mechanical
power into electrical power and outputs a
voltage and current.
Preliminary research gave: ηalt ≈ 55% • The voltage and current are measured by a
Voltmeter and Ammeter respectively and
Real ηalt likely to be higher!
are then used to calculate the measured
power. 4
Oliver Fazzio
 Equipment
• 55 kW electric steam boiler:
• Intermittent heating to produce steam
• Supplied power NOT measurable
• Used in place of biofuel boiler
• Throttling calorimeter:
• Installed at engine inlet.
• Internal temperature and pressure are
measured to find engine inlet enthalpy (h2).

• Thermocouple:
• One installed upstream of engine inlet.
• One installed downstream of engine
outlet.
• Used to calculate engine outlet enthalpy
(h3).

• Pressure Gauges:
• One installed in boiler.
• One installed upstream of engine inlet.
• Used to find the work done by the pump.

Figure 2: Schematic of throttling calorimeter to find inlet enthalpy.

Oliver Fazzio 5
 Method:
Starting the engine
• Lubrication valves are turned, and steam is let into the
engine by operating the control system
• The engine is initiated by hand cranking with
a torque wrench
• Engine speed is checked and if it needs to be
increased the inlet pressure valve is adjusted
Mass Flow rate
• Mass flow rate is measured by placing a calibrated
beaker at the exit of the condenser and using a timer
to record the time taken for it to fill to 400ml
Measurements repeated for 5 different alternator loads, which
are selected via a dial on the engine control system
Manab Shrestha
Measurements and how they are measured
• The boiler is checked to ensure it’s at the required 9
bar
• Engine inlet and outlet pressures are read from gauges
• Temperature of steam entering and leaving then
engine is measured by a thermocouple
• The voltage and current being generated by the
alternator (the load) are displayed on the engine
control system
The throttling calorimeter
• Pressure of steam before and after throttling and
the temperature after throttling are taken.
• 6 repeats are taken to determine an average
• A manometer is used to measure the gauge pressure
after throttling
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 K.E., P.E. and Work Done Negligible

Qboiler = h2 – h1
h1 is h4 + Wpump so can be found: Throttling calorimeter reduces pressure
h1=h4+ ( 𝑝 1− 𝑝 4 ) 𝑣 𝑓 @ 20℃ isenthalpically so that h2 can be found as the
resulting hg from steam table

h1 h2
Boiler
K.E., P.E. and Heat Loss Negligible K.E., P.E. and Heat Loss Negligible

-Wpump = h1 – h4 Pump Engine Wengine = h3 – h2

Condenser

h4 h3
h4 can be approximated from steam Thermal efficiency:
table as T4 and P4 can be assumed K.E., P.E. and Work Done Negligible
𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑊 𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒 −𝑊 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝
room temperature and pressure -Qcondenser = h4 – h3 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑛
=
𝑄 𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟
Ethan 7
Finding h3: Finding brake power:
From combining pump and condenser equations: Gives power out of engine after mechanical losses.
Can be found using power generated by an
h 3=𝑤 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝 + 𝑄𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟 +h 1 alternator attached to the shaft output:

Then using the result: ˙ 𝐼 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 × 𝑉 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟

𝑊 𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒=
𝑇 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟
𝜂
𝑄 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟 = × 𝑄𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 Where is the efficiency of the alternator. This gives
𝑇 𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟
the mechanical efficiency of the engine itself as:
h3 can be determined thus: 𝑊˙ 𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒
𝑀𝑒𝑐h . 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 =
˙ 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑊
𝑇 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟
h 3=𝑤 𝑝𝑢𝑚𝑝 + ×𝑄 𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 + h1
𝑇 𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟
h1 h2
𝑇 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟 Boiler
¿ ( h 1 −h 4 )+ ×(h ¿¿ 2 −h 1)+h1 ¿
𝑇 𝑏𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 Pump Engine

Condenser
h3 is found using load 1 data to give worst case
scenario for efficiency h4 h3
Ethan 8
 Results:
Q12 = 263.1590 kJ/kg
Enthalpy Values:
(boiler) H3 (kJ/kg)
H1 (kJ/kg) 84.91
H2 (kJ/kg) 27.165 Load 1 2502.72
Load 2 2496.59
Error (%)
H1 No error h1 h2 Load 3 2492.00
Load 4 2483.83
H2 1.35 Boiler
Load 5 2479.00
Error (%)
Pump Engine
Mass flow rate = 0.0064257 Load 1 1.38
Error = 13.3% Condenser Load 2 1.38
Load 3 1.38
h4 h3 Load 4 1.38
H4 (kJ/kg) 84.01 Load 5 1.38

No error as values of data

assumed 9
Khloe
 Mechanical Efficiency:
Brake Power: W23 : h2 - h3
Measured Error(%)
Break W23 (W) Error (%)
Power (W): 1373 16.03%
Load 1 231.82 18.43
Load 2 276.36 16.78
Load 3 316.82 15.64 Mechanical Efficiency (%) Error (%)
Load 4 343.64 15.08
Load 5 397.27 13.96

Efficiency of the Rankine Cycle: 16.88 34.46

8.11%

Khloe 10
Discussion:
Where has all the energy gone? Recommendations:
Equipment affecting efficiency:
For system's thermal inefficiency:
• Pump • Pipes
• Increase Thot
• Boiler • Valves
• Engine • Alternator • Decrease Tcold

• Condenser • Lower condenser pressure

• Increase boiler pressure
Losses affecting engine efficiency: • Insulate
• Leakages from the engine
• Frictional losses For system's mechanical inefficiency:
• Heat losses (through radiation) to the environment • Lubricate

Primary plan of action: Verify correct installation and insulation of pipes (leak-free)

Evangelia Krommyda
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Conclusion:

The efficiency of our steam engine is not satisfactory and therefore

modifications are suggested for improved efficiency.

Evangelia Krommyda
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