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2016

WORKBOOK
Detailed Explanations of

Try Yourself Questions


Mechanical Engineering
Power Plant

Boilers

T1 : Solution
(i)

LaMont Boiler: This boiler works on a forced circulation and the circulation is maintained by a
centrifugal pump, driven by a steam turbine using steam from the boiler. The following figure shows
a LaMont boiler. The feed water passes through the economiser to the drum from which it is drawn to
the circulation pump. The pump delivers the feed water to the tube evaporating section which in turn
sends a mixture of steam and water to the drawn. The steam in the drum is then drawn through the
superheater. These boilers have been built to generate 45 to 50 t of superheated steam at 130 bar
and 500C.
Steam
Drum
Water
+
Steam

Steam to
prime mover

Flue gas

Water

Economizer
feed
Water circulating
pump

Tube
evaporating
section

La Mont Boiler
(ii) Velox Boiler: Velox boiler makes use of pressurised combustion. The gas turbine drives the axial flow
compressor which raises the incoming air from atmospheric pressure to furnace pressure. The
combustion gases after heating the water and steam, flow, through the gas turbine to the atmosphere.
The feed water after passing through the economiser is pumped by a water circulating pump to the
tube evaporating section. Steam separated in steam separating section flows to the superheater,
from where it moves to the prime mover.

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Steam to
prime mover
Convective
Super heater

Flue gas

Steam
Evaporating
section

Tube
evaporating
section

Feed pump

Water
circulating
pump

Axial
Gas
compressor turbine
Water

Velox Boiler
The size of the velox boiler is limited to 100 t/h because 600 BHP is required to run the air compressor
at this output.
Advantage of velox boiler:
(i) The boiler is very compact and greater flexibility.
(ii) Very high combustion rates are possible.
(iii) It can be quickly started.
(iv) Low excess air is required as the pressurised air is used and the problem of draught is
simplified.
T2 : Solution
For small steam requirements, fire tube boilers are
suitable. Fire tube boilers have different characteristic
feature as follows:
Low first cost
Reliability in operation
Need for only unskilled labour
Less drought required
Quick response to load change

Fire Tube Boilers

W aterTube Boilers

1. Hot flue gases 1. Water flows through


the tubes and hot
flow through tubes
flue gases flow over
s urro un de d by
them.
water in a shell.
2. Very costly

2. Economical to use.

3. Subjected to large 3. Less scale deposits.


scale deposits.
4. Smaller steaming 4. H ighe r s team ing
capacity.
capacity.
5. Relatively larger 5. Smaller drum size.
drum size.

T3 : Solution
Benson Boiler: In the LaMont boiler, the main difficulty experienced is the formation and attachment of
bubbles on the inner surfaces of the heating tubes. The attached bubbles to the tube surfaces reduce the
heat flow and steam generation as it offers high thermal resistance than water film. Benson in 1922 argued
that if the boiler pressure was raised to critical pressure (225 atm.), the steam and water have the same
density and therefore, the danger of bubble formation can be easily eliminated. The first high pressure
Benson boiler was put into operation in 1927 in West Germany.
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This boiler too makes use of forced circulation and uses oil as fuel. Chief novel principle is that it eliminates
the latent heat of water by first compressing the feed to a pressure of 235 bar, it is then above the critical
pressure and its latent heat is zero.
Figure shows a schematic diagram of a Benson boiler. This boiler does not use any drum. The feed water
after circulation through the economic tubes flows through the radiant parallel tube section to evaporate
partly. The steam water mixture produced then moves to the transit section where this mixture is converted
into steam. The steam is now passed through the convection superheater and finally supplied to the prime
mover.
Boilers having as high as 650C temperature of steam had been put into service. The maximum working
pressure obtained so far from commercial Benson boiler is 500 atm. The Benson boilers of 150 tonnes/h
generating capacity are in use.
Economiser
Steam to
prime mover

Transit
section

Convection
superheater

Radiant
parallel
tube section

Steam

Feed
pump

Advantages of a Benson Boiler


The Benson boiler possesses the following advantages:
1. It can be erected in a comparatively smaller floor area.
2. The total weight of a Benson boiler is 20% less than other boilers, since there are no drums. This also
reduces the cost of the boiler.
3. It can be started very quickly because of welded joints.
4. Natural convection boilers require expansion joints but these are not required for Benson boiler as the
pipes are tubes.
5. The furnace walls of the boiler can be more efficiently protected by using smaller diameter and closed
pitched tubes.

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Air Compressors (Reciprocating


and Rotary Compressor)

T1 : Solution
Compressor stall: When the compressor blades cannot process the amount of air coming from the engine
inlet (and the stator vanes as well) the compressor of turbine engines stall this translates generally by
a very noisy explosion outside of the airplane and a flame that scares everyone around the aircraft.
The blades of compressors are airfoils and every airfoil can be stalled that is when the angle of attack of the
incoming air is too steep to be handled by the compressor. To prevent compressor stalls, engines, have
variable inlet guide vanes to direct the incoming air at a better angle.
Aspect of Comparison

Axial Flow Compressors

Centrifugal Compressors

Type of flow

Parallel to the axis

Radial

Pressure ratio/stage

About 1.25

Isentropic efficiency

Higher (86 to 88%)

Lower (80 to 82%)

Frontal area

Smaller

Larger

Flexibility of operation

Limited

Higher

Part load performance

Poor

Better

Effect of deposits

Adverse effect

No adverse effect

Starting torque

High

Low

Suitability for multi staging

More Suitable

Difficult

Delivery Pressure

Lower (20 bar)

Higher (about 40 bar)

Efficiency with respect to speed

Less flat

More flat

T2 : Solution
Volumetric Efficiency of a compressor is defined as the ratio of Free Air Delivered (FAD) to the swept
volume. FAD is the volume of air delivered by the compressor measured at some reference condition
(which may be the ambient condition or the standard sea level condition). FAD is less than the swept
volume due to the following reasons:
(i) Throttling and pressure drop at inlet valve and passages;

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(ii) Heating of inlet air by coming in contact with hot cylinder walls; and
(iii) Re-expansion of compressed air retained in the clearance volume.
Effect of parameters on volumetric efficiency:
(i) Speed of compressor: As the speed is increased the pressure drop in the inlet passage and the inlet
valve increases. Further the air temperature during intake also increases due to less available for
cooling. Both of these factors reduce volumetric efficiency of compressor with increase of its speed.
(ii) Delivery pressure: Refer figure with increase of delivery pressure
the pressure ratio increases and hence during inward stroke a-b,
the effective swept volume is reduced. The volume of air delivered
(FAD) is reduced from pd to pd. Thus the volumetric efficiency is
decreased when pressure is increased.

P
p d
pd

(iii) Throttling across the valves: Throttling across the inlet valve
reduces the pressure in the cylinder at the end of the inlet stroke.
Further, throttling at the inlet and delivery valves increases the
pressure ratio. Both of these effects would reduce the FAD, and
hence the volumetric efficiency of the compressor.

V d
Vd
a

T3 : Solution
3

T2

Co
mp
s io
re s

P1 = 1

ion

P2 = 6

ns
pa

m =

P(Bar)

Ex

FAD = 16 m3/min
(measured at 1 bar and 15C)
P1 = 0.96 bar
T1 = 30 + 273 = 303 K
n = 1.3
V3 = Vc = 0.04 Vs
P2 = 6 bar
mech = 90%
comp = 85%
Piston speed = 300 m/min
N = 500 rpm
(i) Power input to compressor: Mass flow rate of compressor

4 T =303 K
1

1
3

V(m )
Vc=0.03 Vs

Vs

1 105 16
pV
=
= 19.36 kg/min
RT
287 288
[where FAD per minute is V at p (= 1 bar) and T(15 + 273 = 288 K)]

To find T2, using the equation


T2
p2
T1 = p
1

n 1
n

p
T2 = T1 2
p

n 1
n

6
= 303
0.96

1.3 1
1.3

= 462.4K

Power input to compressor


n

mR ( T2 T1)
=

n
1

mech. comp.

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Workbook

1.3

1
1.3 1 19.36 0.287 ( 462.4 303)
0.9 0.85

= 5016.9 kJ/min. = 83.6 kJ/s (kW)


(ii) Stroke (L) and bore (D): Piston speed = 2LN

300 = 2 L 500
or
L = 0.3 m or 300 mm

FAD =

2
D L 2N vol.
4

...for double-acting air compressor ...(i)


The find vol. proceed as follows:
p3
V4
=
p4
V3

V4 =
=
V1 V4 =
=

1/n

p
= 2
p1

1/1.3

m =

pV p1 ( V1 V4 )
=
RT
RT1

i.e., FAD/cycle,

V =

( V1 V4 )

V = 0.8763Vs
vol. =

1/1.3

= 4.094

4.094 V3
4.094 0.04 Vs = 0.1637 Vs
V1 0.1637 Vs
1.04 Vs 0.1637 Vs = 0.8763 Vs

Now

6
=
0.96

T p1

T1 p

[V1 = Vc + Vs = (0.04 + 1) Vs]

(where p1 and T1 are suction conditions)

288 0.96

= 0.799 Vs
303
1

V 0.799 Vs
=
= 0.799
Vs
Vs

Substituting the values in eq. (i) we get


16 =

2
D 0.3 2 500 0.799
4

16 4

D =
0.3 2 500 0.799

1/2

= 0.29 m or 291.53 mm

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Nozzles

T1 : Solution
Given,

P1 = 4 bar
T1 = 470C
T1 = 743 K
The critical pressure is given by

P1

P*
2
=
P1
+ 1

/ 1

2
P* = 4
2.3

P*
P2

1.3 / 0.3

= 2.18 bar

since P2 < P*, the nozzle is convergent divergent type and


is equal to critical pressure.
T*
=
T1

2s
S

2
+1

T* = 646.08 K
Now

CP =

R
1

1.15(0.3)
103
1.3
R = 265.38 J/kg K

R =

Now velocity at throat

V
h1 = h2 + 2

V2 =

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2cp (T1 = T2 ) = 2 10001.15 (T1 T *)


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Workbook

C* = 44.72 1.15(T1 T*)


= 44.72 1.15(743 646) = 472.32 m/s
Velocity at throat can also be calculated as
C* =

RT * =

1.3 265.38 646.08

C* = 472.12 m/s
Now specific volume at throat
V* =

265.38 646.08
RT *
=
= 0.786 m3/Kg
P*
2.18 105

The coefficient of discharge, Cd is given


Cd =
0.95 =

Actual mass flow rate

=
Isentropic mass flow rate
s
15
s

s =

15
= 15.789 Kg/sec.
0.95

s =

A*C*
V*

A* =

15.789 0.786
= 0.0263 m2
472.12

Now mass flow rate

Area of throat

Now from figure

T2s
P
= 2s
T1
P1

1/

1
T2s = 743
4
Now given nozzle efficiency,

0.3 /1.3

= 539.57 K

T1 T2
743 T2
=
= 0.9
T1 T2s
743 539.57
T2 = 559.91 K

n =

V2 =

RT2
265.38 559.91
=
= 1.485 m3/kg
P2
1 105

C2 = 44.72 1.15(743 559.91)


C2 = 648.9 m/s

Exit area = 0.0361 m2

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A2 =

V2
C2

A2 =

15.789 1.485
= 0.0361 m2
648.9

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10

T2 : Solution

1
P1 = 5 bar
T1 = 348 K

2
P2 = 3 bar

Critical condition

1.667

P*
2 1 2 0.667
=
= 0.487

P1
+ 1
2.667
P* = 0.487 5 = 2.435 bar
But back pressure is 3 bar. So the nozzle will not be chocked condition and gas is still expanding.
Since Pb > P*, exit pressure is equal to lack pressure
T2
P
= 2
T1
P1

r 1
r

0.667

T2
P2 1.667
=
P
T1
1
0.667

T2
3 1.667
=
5
348
T2 = 283.67 K
Density at exit

2 =

P2
3 100
=
= 0.509 kg/m3
RT 2.077 283.67

Cp =

rR
r 1

R =

5.19 0.667
= 2.077 kJ/kgK
1.667

Mass flow velocity


2

V
h1 + 0 = h2 + 2
2

V2 =

2 (h1 h2 )

V2 =

2 5190 (348 283.67)

V2 = 817.16 m/sec
m = 2A2V2
m
A2

= 2V2 = 415.93 kg/s-m2

m
A2

= 415.93 kg/s-m2

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Steam Power Cycle &


Steam Turbine

T1 : Solution
Given,

P6 = 10 kPa
x6 = 1 0.104 = 0.896

Now,

s6 = sf6 + x6 sfg6

3 5

= 0.6492 + 0.896 7.4996


= 7.3688 kJ/kg-K
Now,
s 5 = s6
At
s6 = 7.3688 kJ/kg-K
At
T = 600C
Max. reheat pressure possible is 4 MPa (from table)

2
1

4
6
s

T2 : Solution
h1 = 3625.3 kJ/kg
s 1 = s2
6.9029 = sf2 + x2sfg2

6.9029 = 0.5725 + x2(7.6845)


x2 = 0.82378

( )

h2 = hf 2 + x2 hfg2

= 167.57 + 0.82378 (2406.7) = 2150.16 kJ/kg


Now,

& s) =
steam rate (m

(h1 h2 ) (h4 h3 )

1
1
=
3625.3 2150.16 10.06
1465.08
= 6.825 104 kg/s/kW

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12

T3 : Solution

m1
1 kg
6

(1m 1)

FWH1
5

Enthalpy of feedwater,

Boiler

Condenser

(1m 1)

4
P

(1m 1)

h5 = 252 kJ/kg

Enthalpy of extracted steam,h2 = 2810 kJ/kg


h6 = (hf)2MPa = 908.47 kJ/kg
m1h2 + (1 m1) h5 = 1.h6
m1 2810 + (1 m1) 252 = 1 908.47

2558 m1 = 656.47
m1 = 25.66% 26%

T4 : Solution
1

Given,

h3
h5
h7
h7
1 640.23

=
=
=
=
=

2622.22
188.39
640.23
mh3 + (1 m)h5
m 2622.22 + (1 m) 188.39

h7 h5
640.23 188.44
m = h h =
2622.22 188.44
3
5

2
(1-m)kg
B

1 kg

Feed
Heater

4
(1-m)kg

m kg

1 kg
8

Condenser
5

= 0.18856 kg/s
T5 : Solution

u = 190 m/s
1 = 20
V1 = 600 m/s
VW2 = 0

P= ?
Vw = VW1 + VW2
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13

Workbook
= VW1
=
=
=
Power output =
=
=

Vw = Vw1

( VW2 = 0)

V1 cos 1
600 cos 20
563.82 m/s
muVw
1 190 563.8
107.123 kW/kg of steam flow

B
1

Vr 1

Vf 1

V2 = Vf 2
Vr 2

V1

T6 : Solution

WP = Vf (P1 P2)
= 0.001 (11 0.07) 100
= 1.093 kJ/kg

Pump work

Heat supplied, qs = (h1 hf3 ) Wp


=
=
Turbine work, WT =
=
=
Thermal efficiency
th =

(2781 163) 1.093


2616.907 kJ/kg
(h1 h2)
(2781 2035)
746 kJ/kg

P1

T1

P1

P2

P2
3

T2

WT WP
746 1.093
=
= 28.46 %
qs
2616.907

T7 : Solution
water (mw)

msh1 + mwh2 = (ms + mw)h3


mw =

ms (h1 h3 )
(h3 h2 )

60C

300(3386.1 3256.6)
=
(3256.6 251.11)
= 12.92 t/h
12.98 1000
kg/s
=
3600
= 3.6 kg/s

1
steam (ms),
90 bar &
500C 300 t/ h

steam at 90 bar
and 450 bar
(ms + mw)

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Gas Turbines

T1 : Solution

th = ericsson = carnot
(for many stages of compression and expansion)

carnot

THavg

TLavg
1

=
THavg

= 1

290
1200

TLavg
s

= 75.83%
T2 : Solution
Wnet = WT WC = 150
WC
WT

and
Now,

WC
0.6 WT
WT
WC

= 0.4
=
=
=
=

0.4 WT
150
250 kJ/kg
250 150 = 100 kJ/kg

4
2

1
s

WC
Wnet actual= T WT
C
100
0.85
= 94.853 kJ/kg

= 0.85 250

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15

Workbook

T3 : Solution

T 2( 1)
rp = T C 3
T1

T = 0.8
T3 = 1073 K

C = 0.8
T1 = 300 K
1.4

1073 2(0.4)
rp = 0.8 0.8
= 4.26

300

T4 : Solution
P1 = 100 kPa
P2 = 400 kPa
P
T2
= 2
T1
P1

P
= 3
P

1473
=
T4

(4)

6
2

0.667
1.667

T4 = 845.875 K
=

0.667
T2
= ( 4 )1.667
298
T2 = 518.93 K

T3
T4

T1 = 298 K
T3 = 1473 K

T6 T2
;
T4 T2

=1

T6 = T4 = 845.875 K = 572.875C

T5 : Solution
(Wnet)max = ?
Tmax = 800C = 1073 K
Tmin = 30C = 303 K
Now,

(Wnet)max = cp

Tmax Tmin

= 1.005

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1073 303

= 236.794 kJ/kg

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16

T6 : Solution

T1 = 300 K
P2 = 60 bar
T3
=
T1

P2 = P3
= 60 bar

0.667

(3)1.667

T2 = 465.6 K
T3
T4

P1 = 20 bar
T3 = 1273 K

(3)

P1 = P4
= 20 bar

0.667
1.667

4
v

T4 = 820.2 K
QS = Cp(T3 T2)
= 5.1926(1273 465.6) = 4192.5 kJ/kg
QR = Cp(T4 T1)
= 5.1926((820.2 300) = 2701.2 kJ/kg
Wnet = QS QR
= 4192.5 2701.2
= 1491.3 kJ/kg
HR =

QS 3600
4192.5 3600
=
= 10120.7 kJ/kWh
1491.3
Wnet

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Nuclear Science

T1 : Solution
Sodium
(Radioactive)

Sodium
(Non radioactive)

Steam Circuit

Generator
Reactor

Turbine
Primary
circuit

Secondary
circuit
Condenser
Cooling
water

Low pressure

High pressure

Pump

Pump

Pump

Breeder Reactor
In its simplest form a fast breeder reactor is a small vessel in which necessary amount of enriched plutonium
is kept without using moderator. A fissible material, which absorbs neutrons, surrounds the vessel. The
reactor core is cooled by liquid metal. Necessary neutrons shielding is provided by the use of light water,
oil or graphite. Additional shielding is also provided for gamma rays.
Advantages of a breeder reactor:
1. The moderator is not required.
2. High breeding is possible.
3. Small core is sufficient (since it gives high power density than any other reactor)
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Mechanical Engineering Power Plant


4. The parasite absorption of fuel is achievable.
5. High burn-up fuel is achievable.
6. Absorption of neutrons is low.
Disadvantages:
1. Requires highly enriched (15%) fuel.
2. It is necessary to provide safety against melt-down.
3. Neutron flux is high at the centre of the core.

T2 : Solution
Fast breeder reactors are designed to create or breed new fissile material while producing useful electric
power. A fast neutron reaction with U-238 producing Pu-239 is shown below:
238
92U
239
92U

239
93Np

+ 0n1 92U239 +
24 min

24 days

93Np

239

94Pu

+ 1e0

239

+ 1e0

When a neutron is absorbed in the fuel, it produces neutrons, the number depending on the kind of fuel.
One of the these neutrons must be reserved for further absorption to keep the reaction going (steady
state). Let L be the numbers of neutron lost by parasitic capture in reactor coolant etc. and by leakage.
Ans.(i)
Breading ratio,
C = 1L
Ans.(ii)
If
C << 1, reactor is called burner.
Reactor with high C but less than 1 - advanced converter
Ans.(iii)
Reactor with low C - converter
Ans.(iv)
Reactor with C > 1 - breeder
The time required to produce fissionable nuclei twice the number of fissionable nuclei consumed is called
Ans.(v)
doubling time.
Ans.(v).

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