Module 1
Scenario based Assignment No. 1
Applied Thermodynamics (BMEC-0002)
Date of Submission (15/02/2025)
Q1. A gas with an initial pressure of 10 MPa and temperature of 300 K undergoes a throttling
process to 2 MPa.
1. Calculate the change in temperature if the Joule-Thomson coefficient is μJ=0.85K/MPa.
2. Evaluate whether the process is a cooling or heating process.
Q2. In NTPC Dadri, a high-pressure steam boiler delivers steam at 500°C and 5 MPa. The
steam flows into a turbine where it expands to 0.1 MPa. The surroundings are at 25°C.
Determine the availability of the steam at the boiler outlet. If the turbine produces 3 MW power
and irreversibility in the process is 0.5 MW, calculate the actual work output of the turbine.
Evaluate the second-law efficiency of the turbine.
Q3. An iron cube at a temperature of 400°C is dropped into an insulated bath containing 10 kg
water at 25°C. The water finally reaches a temperature of 50°C at steady state. Given that the
specific heat of water is equal to 4186 J/kg K. Find the entropy changes for the iron cube and
the water. Is the process reversible ? If so why ?
Q4. In an air turbine the air expands from 7 bar and 460°C to 1.012 bar and 160°C. The heat
loss from the turbine can be assumed to be negligible.
(i) Show that the process is irreversible;
(ii) Calculate the change of entropy per kg of air.
Q5. Two quantities of water, one weighing 3 kg at 80°C and the other 5 kg at 20°C, are mixed
in an insulated container. Assume no heat is lost to the surroundings and the specific heat Cp
=4186J/kgK.
Find:
1. The final equilibrium temperature.
2. The total entropy change of the system.
Q6. A refrigerant with an initial pressure of 4 MPa and a temperature of 280 K undergoes
throttling to a pressure of 1 MPa. The Joule-Thomson coefficient for the refrigerant is μJ
=1.2K/MPa.
Calculate:
1. The temperature change due to throttling.
2. Whether the refrigerant cools or heats during the process.
Q7. Compressed air in a tank has an initial pressure of 8 MPa and a temperature of 350 K. It
undergoes a throttling process where the pressure is reduced to 3 MPa. The Joule-Thomson
coefficient for air is μJ=0.5K/MPa.
Calculate:
1. The temperature change during the throttling process.
2. Is the process a cooling or heating process?
Q8. In a steam power plant, steam is generated at a pressure of 8 MPa and a temperature of
400°C. The steam then expands isentropically in a turbine to 0.1 MPa. The surroundings are at
25°C.
Given:
• The steam enters the turbine at 8 MPa and 400°C.
• The turbine expansion is isentropic.
• The surroundings are at 25°C.
1. Determine the availability (exergy) of the steam at the turbine inlet.
2. If the turbine produces 10 MW of power and the irreversibility in the process is 1.5
MW, calculate the actual work output of the turbine.
3. Evaluate the second-law efficiency of the turbine.
Q9. A steam generator at a power plant operates at a pressure of 6 MPa and 550°C. The steam
undergoes a process where it expands to 0.2 MPa. The surroundings are at 25°C.
1. Determine the availability of the steam at the boiler outlet.
2. If the turbine generates 5 MW of power and the irreversibility in the expansion process
is 0.7 MW, calculate the actual work output of the turbine.
3. Evaluate the second-law efficiency of the turbine.
Q10. A system at 500 K receives 7200 kJ/min from a source at 1000 K. The temperature of
atmosphere is 300 K. Assuming that the temperatures of system and source remain constant
during heat transfer find out : (i) The entropy produced during heat transfer ; (ii) The decrease
in available energy after heat transfer.
Q11. In a power station, the saturated steam is generated at 200ºC by transferring the heat from
hot gases in a steam boiler. Find the increase in total entropy of the combined system of gas
and water and increase in unavailable energy due to irreversible heat transfer. The gases are
cooled from 1000°C to 500°C and all the heat from gases goes to water. Assume water enters
the boiler at saturated condition and leaves as saturated steam. Take : cpg (for gas) = 1.0 kJ/kg
K, hfg (latent heat of steam at 200°C) = 1940.7 kJ/kg.
Atmospheric temperature = 20°C.
Obtain the results on the basis of 1 kg of water.
Q12. In a steam power plant, steam enters a boiler at 50°C and is heated to 300°C by
transferring heat from hot gases in the furnace. The mass of water entering the boiler is 1 kg.
Assume:
• Specific heat of water cp = 4.18 kJ/kg·K
• The temperature of the exhaust gases is reduced from 600°C to 300°C.
Calculate:
1. The total heat transferred to the water.
2. The change in entropy of the water and the exhaust gases.
3. The increase in unavailable energy due to irreversible heat transfer.
Q13. In an heat exchanger (parallel flow type) waters enter at 50°C and leaves at 70°C while
oil (specific gravity = 0.82, specific heat = 2.6 kJ/kg K) enters at 240°C and leaves at 90°C. If
the surrounding temperature is 27°C determine the loss in availability on the basis of one kg of
oil per second.
Q14. A vapour, in a certain process, while condensing at 400°C, transfers heat to water at
200°C. The resulting steam is used in a power cycle which rejects heat at 30°C. What is the
fraction of the available energy in the heat transferred from the process vapour at 400°C that is
lost due to the irreversible heat transfer at 200°C ?
Q15. In a steam power plant, water boils at 100°C at atmospheric pressure (1 atm). The plant
is designed to operate at different altitudes, and at a higher altitude, the boiling point of water
decreases due to lower atmospheric pressure. At a particular altitude, the atmospheric pressure
is measured to be 0.8 atm, and the boiling point of water is observed to be 90°C. Given the
latent heat of vaporization of water at 100°C as 2260 kJ/kg, calculate:
1. The vapor pressure of water at 90°C.
2. The latent heat of vaporization at 90°C.
Q16. An ice skate is able to glide over the ice because the skate blade exerts sufficient pressure
on the ice that a thin layer of ice is melted. The skate blade then glides over this thin melted
water layer. Determine the pressure an ice skate blade must exert to allow smooth ice skate at
– 10°C. The following data is given for the range of temperatures and pressures involved:
hfg(ice) = 334 kJ/kg ; vliq. = 1 × 10 m3/kg ; vice = 1.01 × 103 m3/kg.
Q17. Drive the thermodynamics relation use to define the properties of a thermodynamic
system. Discuss their importance in the field of phase change process.
Q18. Apply Maxwell’s relation to determine the following thermodynamic equations:
p
=
(a) k T V
U V
C p − CV = p +
V T T p
(b)
2TV
C p − CV =
(c) k
T T 2 V
J = =
p h C p T T P
(d)
Q19. A chimney of a power plant has a height of 50 m. The flue gas temperature is 350 K, and
the atmospheric temperature is 300 K. Determine the theoretical draught produced in terms of
mm of water column. If the efficiency of the chimney is 80%, calculate the actual draught.
Discuss the impact of increasing the chimney height on draught production.
Q20. Vacuum is the important parameter that is to be controlled in steam condensing plant.
Discuss the need of maintaining vacuum in the condenser and what is the role of it in improving
the efficiency of the condenser.
Q21. A 200-kW steam engine has a steam consumption of 10 kg/kW-hr. The condenser
pressure is 0.15 bar. The temperature of condensate is 40ºC. The cooling water temperature at
inlet and outlet are 18ºC and 38ºC respectively. Estimate the quantity of cooling water required
per hour if the steam exhausted to the condenser is dry.
Q22. Q24. With a chimney of height 40m, the temperature of flue gases with natural draught
was 643K. The same draught was developed by induced draught fan and the temperature of the
flue gases was 420K. Mass of flue gases is 20 kg per kg of coal fired. The boiler house
temperature is 308K. Determine efficiency of the chimney.
Q23. Calculate equivalent evaporation and efficiency of boiler for given data:
Steam Generation rate = 6.5 tonne/hr
Steam pressure = 10 bar
Quality of steam = 0.9
Feed water temperature = 30 ºC
Coal consumption = 0.7 tonne/hr
Calorific value of coal = 32MJ/kg
Find saving in coal consumption per hour if the temperature of feed water is raised to 100 ºC
and efficiency of boiler is increased by 6%. Other data remain same.
Q24. A cooling tower is used to cool water from 40°C to 30°C. The air enters the tower at 25°C
and leaves at 35°C. The airflow rate is 15,000 m³/hr, and the water flow rate is 2000 kg/hr:
Calculate the heat rejected by the cooling tower. Determine the efficiency of the cooling tower.
If the temperature of the air is increased to 30°C, how would the cooling tower efficiency
change?
Q25. A thermal power plant uses coal as fuel. The plant operates at a steam pressure of 15 MPa
and a temperature of 500°C. The condenser pressure is 0.1 MPa. The efficiency of the plant is
38%. The calorific value of the coal is 32 MJ/kg, and the mass flow rate of the steam is 1500
kg/s. Calculate the power output of the plant. Determine the coal consumption per hour. If the
efficiency of the plant increases to 40%, how much coal will be saved per hour?
