4.

Results:
4.1 Results

Figure 1: A screen shot of the computer screen that showed the figures needed to calculate necessary values.

4.2 Calculations
As 1 Psi = 6.89475729KPa, all the results had to be converted and the following calculations were conducted. we had to convert all our results and the following calculations followed. The mass flow rate uses a conversion of 1L=1kg; the total amount of liquid out the condenser was 320ml over a period of 8 minutes. The mass flow rate was then determined to be 1.479x10 -3kg/s. The room temperature of water was taken to be 16.1C which is 289.25K. The pressure of the water was taken to be 2.339kPa. The working fluid used was demineralized water however the steam tables of water were used for data analysis. The steam tables were then used to determine the specific volume and the enthalpy for the water at room temperature; the specific volume v=0.001001m3/kg and the enthalpy h=191.8kJ/kg [2]. Figure3.1 on the next page illustrates the basic Rankine cycle used with the only difference being that the working fluid exits the condenser into a separate container. The water which is pumped into the boiler is obtained from a different source. The enthalpy at point 2 is then required which means the pump work needs to be calculated; the pump work is found using the pressure difference between point 1 and 2 as well as the specific volume at point 1. The pump work is then found using [1]: ( ) (3.1)

QH Turbine Boiler

WT

Condenser

Figure 3.2: The Rankine Cycler Process

The pump work was then found to be 0.667kJ/kg; this is then used to find the enthalpy at point 2 using the equation below [1]: (3.2) The enthalpy at point 2 was then found to be 192.467kJ/kg. The heat transfer into the boiler to heat up the water is found using [1]: (3.3) The enthalpy at point 3 was found using the steam Table B.1.2; the enthalpy after some interpolation was found to be 2761.454kJ/kg. The enthalpy at point 2 was found using Eq. 1.2; the heat transfer was

Pump 1

then found to be 2568.987kJ/kg. The turbine work produced was then found using the entropy; the entropy at point 3 is equal to the entropy at point 4. The turbine work is found using [1]: (3.4) The entropy at point 4 is used to find the quality of the working fluid at the point. The entropy at point 3 was found by interpolating in Table B.1.2 and it was found to be 6.724kJ/kgK. The quality is then found using the entropy equation [1]: (3.5) The saturated entropy ( ) and the evaporated entropy ( ) are found using Table B.1.2 of the steam

tables. The quality was found to be 0.85145 and was then used to find the enthalpy at point 4; the enthalpy was then found using [1]: (2.6) The enthalpy at point 4 was then found to be 2284.238kJ/kg; the enthalpy was then used to find the turbine work using Eq. 3.4. The turbine work was then found to be 477.215kJ/kg. The net work then needs to be found using [1]: (3.7) The net work was found to be 476.548kJ/kg. The net work and the heat added to the boiler were then used to find the thermal efficiency of the cycle. The thermal efficiency of 18.55% is found using [1]: (3.8)

5. Discussion:
After the experiment was conducted the data was collected and analyzed. The recorded values were assumed to be correct values and there were a few assumptions that were taken into consideration to simplify the calculations and results analysis. Most of the fluid properties were neglected, this includes the potential and kinetic energy that the fluid possess at different stages as there is fluid motion. The cycle was taken as reversible, operating at constant entropy. The pump was not working properly and after the technician repaired it, water was pumped into the boiler. Even though the process took longer than expected, sufficient water for the Rankine cycler experiment was pumped into the boiler. The scale that is used to measure the content of water inside the boiler was reasonably inaccurate. The volume of water was estimated. This should be taken into consideration when considering the results as well as the calculations that followed. It was difficult to maintain the constant pressure in the boiler since the deteriorated valve allowed steam to escape the boiler. The results were taken at an estimated pressure interval; this added another dimension of uncertainty in the results and calculations. The valve was opened twice before the data was captured; this was to flush out water that might have been residing in the pipes of the system. This increases the risks of observing problems with closing the valve tightly. The valve should have been inspected and replaced before the experiment to allow for reliable results. The generator was not working properly. It did not have impact on the data collected but all components needed for experiment should be functioning properly; it gives assurance to the operator that the data collected is correct. Calculations were done from data collected from the computer. The thermometer was not functioning properly as negative values were obtained from it. It is highly improbable to achieve a negative temperature measurement from boiling water. The value on the thermometer and pressure gage inside the boiler, pressure and temperature readings on the turbine inlet and outlet were transferred to the computer to enable the data capturing. This is one of the challenges that contributed to reporting inaccurate results.

The values of the parameters calculated from the data have uncertainties arising problems addressed above. The pressure was not given in SI units. Thus the conversion of units had an effect on the results of the parameters determined. Human error should also be considered as well as the rounding of intermediate values. The temperature and pressure values were obtained from the computer at different stages of Rankine cycle. Enthalpy and entropy values were taken from steam tables and interpolation was used to determine corresponding values. Calculations were done using the available information. The mass flow rate was then determined to be 1.479x10-3kg/s. The specific pump work was found to be 0,6667kJ/kg. The specific turbine work was found to be 477.215 kJ/kg. The heat transferred to the system was found to be 2568,987kJ/kg. The net work is the difference between specific turbine work and specific pump work which was found to be 476,548 kJ/kg. The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycler was found to be 18.55%.