INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Due: 1st September 2016

ME 271: THERMODYNAMICS
Assignment 1

Teaching Assistant: Santanu Pramanik (santanupramanik07@gmail.com)

Ref: Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics - Moran and Shapiro
Questions:
First Law for a Closed system
1. Steam is contained in a closed rigid container with a volume of 1 m3. Initially, the pressure and
temperature of the steam are 7 bar and 500C, respectively. The temperature drops as a
result of heat transfer to the surroundings. Determine the temperature at which condensation first
occurs, in C, and the fraction of the total mass that has condensed when the pressure reaches 0.5 bar.
What is the volume, in m3, occupied by saturated liquid at the final state?
2. Water vapor initially at 10 bar and 400 oC is contained within a pistoncylinder assembly. The
water is cooled at constant volume until its temperature is 150 oC. The water is then condensed
isothermally to saturated liquid. For the water as the system, evaluate the work, in kJ/kg.
3. A gas contained within a pistoncylinder assembly is shown in the figure. Initially, the piston face
is at x = 0, and the spring exerts no force on the piston. As a result of heat transfer, the gas expands,
raising the piston until it hits the stops. At this point the piston face is located at x = 0.06 m, and the
heat transfer ceases. The force exerted by the spring on the piston as the gas expands varies linearly
with x according to where k = 9,000 N/m. Friction between the piston and the cylinder wall can be
neglected. The acceleration of gravity is g = 9.81 m/s2.

(a) What is the initial pressure of the gas, in kPa?

(b) Determine the work done by the gas on the piston, in J.

(c) If the specific internal energies of the gas at the initial and final states are 210 and 335 kJ/kg,
respectively, calculate the heat transfer, in J.
4. A pistoncylinder assembly contains a two-phase liquidvapor mixture of Refrigerant 22 initially at
24 oC with a quality of 95%. Expansion occurs to a state where the pressure is 1 bar. During the
process the pressure and specific volume are related by pv = constant. For the refrigerant, determine
the work and heat transfer per unit mass, each in kJ/kg.
5. A two-phase liquidvapor mixture of H2O with an initial quality of 25% is contained in a piston
cylinder assembly as shown in the figure. The mass of the piston is 40 kg, and its diameter is 10 cm.
The atmospheric pressure of the surroundings is 1 bar. The initial and final positions of the piston are
shown on the diagram. As the water is heated, the pressure inside the cylinder remains constant until
the piston hits the stops. Heat transfer to the water continues until its pressure is 3 bar. Friction
between the piston and the cylinder wall is negligible. Determine the total amount of heat transfer, in
J. Let g = 9.81 m/s2.

6. A gas is confined to one side of a rigid, insulated container divided by a partition. The other side is
initially evacuated. The following data are known for the initial state of the gas: p1 = 5 bar, T1 = 500
K, and V1 = 0.2 m3. When the partition is removed, the gas expands to fill the entire container, which
has a total volume of 0.5 m3. Assuming ideal gas behavior, determine the final pressure, in bar.
First Law for an Open system
7. A well-insulated turbine operating at steady state is sketched in the figure below. Steam enters at 3
MPa, 400C, with a volumetric flow rate of 85 m3/min. Some steam is extracted from the turbine at a
pressure of 0.5 MPa and a temperature of 180C. The rest expands to a pressure of 6 kPa and a quality

of 90%. The total power developed by the turbine is 11,400 kW. Kinetic and potential energy effects
can be neglected. Determine
(a) the mass flow rate of the steam at each of the two exits, in kg/h.
(b) the diameter, in m, of the duct through which steam is extracted, if the velocity there is 20 m/s.

8. Air as an ideal gas flows through the turbine and heat exchanger arrangement shown in the figure.
Data for the two flow streams are also shown on the figure. Heat transfer to the surroundings can be
neglected, as can all kinetic and potential energy effects. Determine T3, in K, and the power output of
the second turbine, in kW, at steady state.

9. Refrigerant 134a enters the flash chamber operating at steady state shown in the figure at 10 bar, 36
o

C, with a mass flow rate of 482 kg/h. Saturated liquid and saturated vapor exit as separate streams,

each at pressure p. Heat transfer to the surroundings and kinetic and potential energy effects can be
ignored. Determine the mass flow rates of the exiting streams, each in kg/h, if p = 4 bar.

10. Air enters a water-jacketed air compressor operating at steady state with a volumetric flow rate of
37 m3/min at 136 kPa, 305 K and exits with a pressure of 680 kPa and a temperature of 400 K. The
power input to the compressor is 155 kW. Energy transfer by heat from the compressed air to the
cooling water circulating in the water jacket results in an increase in the temperature of the cooling
water from inlet to exit with no change in pressure. Heat transfer from the outside of the jacket as well
as all kinetic and potential energy effects can be neglected. Determine the temperature increase of the
cooling water, in K, if the cooling water mass flow rate is 82 kg/min.
11. A residential heat pump system operating at steady state is shown schematically in the figure
below. Refrigerant 134a circulates through the components of the system, and property data at the
numbered locations are given on the figure. The mass flow rate of the refrigerant is 4.6 kg/min.
Kinetic and potential energy effects are negligible.

Determine
(a) rate of heat transfer between the compressor and the surroundings, in kJ/min.

(b) the coefficient of performance.

6. The figure shows a simple vapor power plant operating at steady state with water circulating
through the components. Relevant data at key locations are given on the figure. The mass flow rate of
the water is 109 kg/s. Kinetic and potential energy effects are negligible as are all stray heat transfers.
Determine
(a) the thermal efficiency.
(b) the mass flow rate of the cooling water passing through the condenser, in kg/s.

Unsteady analysis
12. An insulated vertical pistoncylinder device initially contains 0.8 m3 of refrigerant-134a at 1.2
MPa and 120C. A linear spring at this point applies full force to the piston. A valve connected to the
cylinder is now opened, and refrigerant is allowed to escape. The spring unwinds as the piston moves
down, and the pressure and volume drop to 0.6 MPa and 0.5 m3 at the end of the process. Determine
(a) the amount of refrigerant that has escaped and (b) the final temperature of the refrigerant.

13. The rigid tank illustrated in the figure has a volume of 0.06 m3 and initially contains a two-phase
liquidvapor mixture of H 2O at a pressure of 15 bar and a quality of 20%. As the tank contents are
heated, a pressure-regulating valve keeps the pressure constant in the tank by allowing saturated
vapour to escape. Neglecting kinetic and potential energy effects determine the total mass in the tank,
in kg, and the amount of heat transfer, in kJ, if heating continues until the final quality is x = 0.5.

14. A well-insulated rigid tank of volume 10 m3 is connected to a large steam line through which
steam flows at 15 bar and 280 oC. The tank is initially evacuated. Steam is allowed to flow into the
tank until the pressure inside is p. Determine the amount of mass in the tank, in kg, and the
temperature in the tank, in C, when p = 15 bar.
15. A tank of volume 1 m3 initially contains steam at 6 MPa and 320C. Steam is withdrawn slowly
from the tank until the pressure drops to p. Heat transfer to the tank contents maintains the
temperature constant at 320 oC. Neglecting all kinetic and potential energy effects, determine the heat
transfer, in kJ, if p = 1.5 MPa. Hint: How does the enthalpy of the exiting steam vary with mass of
steam in the tank?
16. A well-insulated tank contains 25 kg of Refrigerant 134a, initially at 300 kPa with a quality of 0.8
(80%). The pressure is maintained by nitrogen gas acting against a flexible bladder, as shown in the
figure. The valve is opened between the tank and a supply line carrying Refrigerant 134a at 1.0 MPa,
120 oC. The pressure regulator allows the pressure in the tank to remain at 300 kPa as the bladder

expands. The valve between the line and the tank is closed at the instant when all the liquid has
vaporized. Determine the amount of refrigerant admitted to the tank, in kg.

17. A balloon initially contains 65 m3 of helium gas at atmospheric conditions of 100 kPa and 22C.
The balloon is connected by a valve to a large reservoir that supplies helium gas at 150 kPa and 25C.
Now the valve is opened, and helium is allowed to enter the balloon until pressure equilibrium with
the helium at the supply line is reached. The material of the balloon is such that its volume increases
linearly with pressure. If no heat transfer takes place during this process, determine the final
temperature in the balloon.

18. Steam at a pressure of 15 bar and a temperature of 320 oC is contained in a large vessel.
Connected to the vessel through a valve is a turbine followed by a small initially evacuated tank with
a volume of 0.6 m3. When emergency power is required, the valve is opened and the tank fills with
steam until the pressure is 15 bar. The temperature in the tank is then 400 oC. The filling process takes

place adiabatically and kinetic and potential energy effects are negligible. Determine the amount of
work developed by the turbine, in kJ.

19. A tank having a volume of 0.85 m3 initially contains water as a two-phase liquidvapor mixture
at 260 oC and a quality of 0.7. Saturated water vapor at 260 oC is slowly withdrawn through a
pressure-regulating valve at the top of the tank as energy is transferred by heat to maintain the
pressure constant in the tank. This continues until the tank is filled with saturated vapour at 260 oC.
Determine the amount of heat transfer, in kJ. Neglect all kinetic and potential energy effects.