LAB SESSION

To determine the efficiency (ηth) of superheater and evaluate its

performance
1.1 Apparatus
Steam Super Heater

1.2 Specifications:
Inlet Pressure and Temperature 5 Kg/cm2 Sat. steam at 150ᴼC
Outlet Temperature 250ᴼC
Fuel Kerosene
Power Source AC 220V 50/60 Hz 3-Phase
Pressure Gauge 15 kg/cm2

1.3 Procedure:
Close respective valves of the superheater and wait for steam generation from boiler.
Induce steam which goes up to the designated pressure by opening valve super heater
inlet. Open drain valve of super heater. After drained thoroughly, when steam comes
out, close the drain valve. Turn the switch ON. Burner starts function and steam is
superheated. Note the readings of pressure and temperature before and after the
superheater. Note the reading of the volume of the fuel consumed in superheater by
the integral flow meter on the panel.

1.4 Observations:
No.
p1 p2 T2 ms T3 mf h2 h3 η
of x
(bar) (bar) (ᴼC) (kg/hr.) (ᴼC) (kg/hr.) (kj/kg) (kj/kg) (%)
Obs.
1 5.82 5.62 159.9 43.8 184.5 0.44 0.964 2762.0 2817.3 12.9
2 5.82 5.62 159.9 56.3 187.6 0.50 0.964 2762.0 2824.3 16.4
3 5.77 5.42 159.6 80.3 190.8 0.63 0.969 2760.0 2831.4 21.3
4 5.82 5.52 159.7 67.6 189.4 0.61 0.968 2759.8 2828.3 17.7

1.5 Specimen Calculation

For 1st reading,
At p2 = 5.62 bar, T2 = 159.9 ᴼC, from steam table;

h2 = 2762.0 kj/kg

At p2 = 5.62 bar, T3 = 184.5 ᴼC, from steam table;

 h3 = 2817.3 kj/kg
𝑚𝑠 (ℎ3 − ℎ2 ) 43.8 × (2817.3 − 2762.0)
𝜂𝑡ℎ = = = 12.9%
𝑚𝑓 × 𝐶. 𝑉 0.44 × 42700

For 3rd reading,

At p2 = 5.42 bar, T2 = 159.6 ᴼC, from steam table;

h2 = 2760.0 kj/kg

At p2 = 5.42 bar, T3 = 190.8 ᴼC, from steam table;

h3 = 2831.4 kj/kg
𝑚𝑠 (ℎ3 − ℎ2 ) 80.3 × (2831.4 − 2760.0)
𝜂𝑡ℎ = = = 21.3%
𝑚𝑓 × 𝐶. 𝑉 0.63 × 42700

1.6 Comments:
1) To reduce the no. of interpolation, the p2 was assumed to be equal to atmospheric but for
1st reading the exact pressure was used to determine the enthalpy value and the error was
found to be less than 0.1%. which is negligible.
2) The initial temperature determined from the steam table, before throttling, is 168ᴼC which
indicates reduction in temperature, due to Joule-Thomson effect that is, Energy required
for superheating of gas (at high pressure) comes at the expense of reduction in temperature
of gas (at low pressure).
3) Thermal expansion co-efficient (β) for the throttling process is calculated that
approximately is -0.0147 K-1.
4) Throttling calorimeter is more accurate to determine the steam quality close to 1 than
separating calorimeter.