Question

In this task, you are suggesting a suitable design for a compressor to be used for a gas power plant. Your client has asked you to suggest a design for a compressor, where air is compressed from 100 kPa and 30„ƒ to 10 bars. Prepare a technical design report using the following criteria in your design.

a. Using a clear diagram describe the operation of the compressor considering it as a thermodynamic system. Your answer should be supported with types of systems and their properties with a clear flow of energy and mass.

b. Apply the first law to the compressor and explain the energy transfer for each stage of the compressor.

c. The gas constant value is most important for the compression process, Explain the relationships between universal gas constant and characteristic gas constant for a perfect gas used for compression.

d. To optimise the final temperature of the gas, you are asked to use various polytrophic compression process. Calculate the final temperature when the process is:

i. Isothermal,
ii. Polytropic (n=1.2),
iii. Adiabatic
iv. Polytropic (n=1.6).
v. Comment on your findings and recommend the appropriate process for compression by calculating work input.

Answer 1

A technical design for a gas power plant compressor involves illustrating the thermodynamic system with a diagram showing energy and mass flow,

Step-by-step explanation:

To design a compressor for a gas power plant, understanding thermodynamic systems, energy transfer, and gas properties is crucial. A clear diagram to represent the compressor will highlight the flow of energy and mass in the system. Types of thermodynamic systems can be open, closed, or isolated, each with distinct mass and energy transfer characteristics.

Applying the first law of thermodynamics to the compressor involves quantifying the work input and heat transfer, ensuring energy conservation within the system.

The universal gas constant and the characteristic gas constant relate through the formula R = R₀/M, where R₀ is the universal gas constant and M is the molar mass. These constants are pivotal for calculations during the compression process.

To optimize the final temperature of the gas, different polytrophic processes, including isothermal, adiabatic, and polytropic with n=1.2 and n=1.6, must be compared based on work input and thermodynamic efficiency. Calculations will be carried out based on the initial conditions (100 kPa, 30℃) to determine the final temperature under each process, with the aim to recommend the most appropriate method for compression.