IIT Madras ME110 Thermodynamics I Sem

Mech. Engg. Dept

Tutorial 6
Aug-Nov 2016

1. An inventor claims to have developed a device that undergoes a cycle while communicating thermally with two
reservoirs. The system receives energy QC from the cold reservoir and rejects energy QH to the hot reservoir while
delivering a net amount of work. Evaluate the inventor’s claim using the second law of thermodynamics.

2. A hot thermal reservoir is separated from a cold thermal reservoir by a cylindrical rod insulated on its lateral surface.
Energy transfer between the two reservoirs by conduction takes place through the rod, which remains at steady state.
Using the K-P statement of the second law, show that such a process is irreversible.

3. A rigid insulated tank is divided into two halves by a partition. On one side of the partition is a gas. The other side is
initially evacuated. A valve on the partition is now opened and the gas expands to fill the entire volume. Using the K-P
statement of the second law, show that this process is irreversible.

4. Which of the following two choices is the best way to increase the thermal efficiency of a reversible power cycle
operating between TH and TC? (a) Increase TH while keeping TC constant, or (b) Decrease TC while keeping TH
constant? Are there any limits to on the increase in thermal efficiency that might be achieved by such means?

5. Two reversible power cycles are arranged in series. The first cycle receives energy from a reservoir at TH and rejects
energy to a reservoir at an intermediate temperature T. The second cycle receives the energy rejected by the first
cycle to the reservoir at T and rejects energy to a reservoir at a temperature TC lower than T. Derive an expression for
the intermediate temperature T in terms of TH and TC, when (a) the net work of the two cycles are equal; (b) the
thermal efficiencies of the two cycles are equal. [(TH+TC)/2, (THTC)1/2]

6. A refrigeration cycle having a COP of 3 maintains a computer laboratory at 18oC on a day when the outside
temperature is 30oC. The thermal load at steady state consists of energy entering through the walls and windows at a
rate of 30,000 kJ/hr and from the occupants, computers and lighting at a rate of 6000 kJ/hr. Determine the power
required by this cycle and compare with the minimum theoretical power required for any refrigeration cycle operating
under these conditions. [3.33 kW, 0.41 kW]

7. Two identical bodies of mass m and constant heat capacity C are initially at temperatures T1 and T2 (T1 > T2). A
reversible engine operates with these two bodies as reservoirs. Derive an expression for the final temperature of the
bodies as well as the work produced. [(T1T2)1/2, mC(T1+T2-2(T1T2)1/2)]

8. A constant volume tank contains 20 kg of air at 1000 K and a constant pressure device contains 10 kg of air at 300 K.
A heat engine placed between the tank and the device extracts heat from the high temperature tank, produces work
and rejects heat to the low temperature device. Determine the final temperatures of the air in the tank and the device
and the maximum work that can be produced by the heat engine.

Air
20 kg

E W

Air
10 kg
 Tutorial 7

1. The two power cycles shown to the T T

same scale in the figure are composed of 2 2 3
internally reversible processes. Compare
the net work developed by the cycles.
Which cycle has greater thermal
efficiency?

1 3 1

S S

2. Saturated liquid water at 100oC is contained in a frictionless piston cylinder assembly fitted with a paddle wheel. The
water undergoes a process by the action of the paddle wheel to the corresponding vapor state while the piston moves
freely inside the cylinder. There is no heat transfer with the surroundings. Determine the paddle work per unit mass
and the amount of entropy produced per unit mass. [2257 kJ/kg, 6.048 kJ/kg.K]

3. An insulated frictionless piston-cylinder arrangement encloses 0.1 m3 of steam at 0.2 MPa and 150oC. It is expanded
slowly until the pressure inside the cylinder reaches a value of 50 kPa. Calculate the following: (a) Work done by the
steam and (b) Change in volume of the steam. [21.1 kJ, 0.221 m3]

4. Steam at 4 Mpa, 600oC enters an insulated turbine operating at steady state and exits as saturated vapor at 50 kPa.
Determine, (a) the work developed and (b) the isentropic turbine efficiency. [1028 kW, 87.8%]

5. Air enters an insulated compressor operating at steady state at 100 kPa, 23oC with a mass flow rate of 1.8 kg/s and
exits at 290 kPa. (a) Determine the minimum theoretical power input required and corresponding exit temperature
and (b) If the exit temperature is 147oC, determine the power input and the isentropic compressor efficiency. [192.5
kW, 406 K, 201.2 kW, 95%]

6. Air enters an adiabatic nozzle at 400 kPa and 547oC with low velocity and exits with a velocity of 290 m/s. If the
isentropic efficiency of the nozzle is 90%, determine the exit temperature and pressure of the air. [778 K, 324 kPa]

7. Air enters an adiabatic nozzle at 1.6 bars and 67oC and leaves at a pressure of 1 bar. The inlet velocity is negligible
and the mass flow rate is 2 kg/s. If the exit velocity is 283 m/s, determine (a) the actual exit temperature (b) the
nozzle adiabatic efficiency and (c) the exit area. [300 K, 93%, 6.12x10-3 m2]

8. Figure shows steady state operating data for a well-

insulated device with air entering at one location and
exiting at another with a mass flow rate of 10 kg/s. A B
Neglecting PE changes, determine (a) the direction of
flow and (b) the power. [B to A, -1961 kW]
p = 1 bar p = 5 bar
9. A system consists of 2 m3 of H2 initially at 35oC, 215 kPa T = 600 K T = 900 K
contained in a closed, rigid tank. Energy is transferred V = 1000 m/s V = 5 m/s
to the system from a reservoir at 300oC until the
temperature of the H2 is 160oC. The temperature of the
system boundary where the heat transfer occurs is 300oC. Determine the change in entropy of the system and the
reservoir. What is the change in entropy of the universe? [1.19 kJ/K, -0.7613 kJ/K, 0.4287 kJ/K]

10. A 5 kg bar of lead initially at 20°C is heated to 550C by means of heat transfer from a large constant temperature
heat source at 550°C. Calculate the net entropy change of the universe for this process. The melting point of lead is
 327°C and latent heat of melting is 24.6 kJ/kg. The specific heat of the solid is 0.138 kJ/kg.K and that of the liquid is
0.155 kJ/kg.K. [0.3278 kJ/K]

Tutorial 8

1. Consider a 300 MW steam power plant, which operates on a simple Rankine cycle. Steam enters the turbine at 10
MPa, 500oC and is cooled in the condenser at a pressure of 10 kPa. Show the cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to
saturation lines and determine (a) the quality of the steam at the turbine exit, (b) the thermal efficiency of the cycle
and (c) the mass flow rate of the steam. Assume an isentropic efficiency of 85% for the turbine. [0.88, 34.5%, 281
kg/s]

2. Air (M=28.8 kg/kmol, =1.4) is used as the working fluid in a simple Brayton cycle with a pressure ratio of 30, and
temperature limits of 1200 K and 300 K. Determine the thermal efficiency and the required mass flow rate of air for a
net power output of 30 MW, assuming compressor and turbine isentropic efficiencies to be 90% and 95%
respectively. [45.74%, 184 kg/s]

3. Consider a vapor compression refrigeration cycle operating at steady state with R134a as the working fluid.
Saturated vapor enters the compressor at 1.6 bar and saturated liquid leaves the condenser at 9 bar. The mass flow
rate of the refrigerant is 5 kg/min. Assuming no pressure losses in the condenser or the evaporator, determine (a)
the compressor power in kW for an isentropic efficiency of 67% (b) the refrigeration capacity in tons and (c) the
coefficient of performance. Also, sketch the cycle on a T-s diagram with respect to the saturation lines marking the
states clearly using values for T and s. [4.43 kW, 3.28 tons, 2.6]