Question

Air exits a compressor operating at steady-state, steady-flow conditions at 150 oC, 825 kPa, with a velocity of 10 m/s through a circular pipe of 5.0 cm diameter.

a. Determine the outlet volumetric flow rate and the mass flow rate of the air.
b. If the air enters the compressor through an inlet at 20.0 oC and 100 kPa and a velocity of 1.0 m/s, determine the volumetric flow rate of the air entering the compressor and the required cross-sectional area of the inlet.
c. Using your equations, plot the inlet volumetric flow rate and the inlet cross-sectional area as the inlet air velocity varies between 0.25 m/s and 10.0 m/s.

Answer 1

a) Qe = 0.01963 m^3 / s , mass flow rate m^ = 0.1334 kg/s

b) Inlet cross sectional area = Ai = 0.11217 m^2 , Qi = 0.11217 m^3 / s

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:-

- The compressor exit conditions are given as follows:

Pressure ( Pe ) = 825 KPa

Temperature ( Te ) = 150°C

Velocity ( Ve ) = 10 m/s

Diameter ( de ) = 5.0 cm

Solution:-

- Define inlet parameters:

Pressure = Pi = 100 KPa

Temperature = Ti = 20.0

Velocity = Vi = 1.0 m/s

Area = Ai

- From definition the volumetric flow rate at outlet ( Qe ) is determined by the following equation:

Qe = Ae*Ve

Where,

Ae: The exit cross sectional area

Ae = π*de^2 / 4

Therefore,

Qe = Ve*π*de^2 / 4

Qe = 10*π*0.05^2 / 4

Qe = 0.01963 m^3 / s

- To determine the mass flow rate ( m^ ) through the compressor we need to determine the density of air at exit using exit conditions.

- We will assume air to be an ideal gas. Thus using the ideal gas state equation we have:

Pe / ρe = R*Te

Where,

Te: The absolute temperature at exit

ρe: The density of air at exit

R: the specific gas constant for air = 0.287 KJ /kg.K

ρe = Pe / (R*Te)

ρe = 825 / (0.287*( 273 + 150 ) )

ρe = 6.79566 kg/m^3

- The mass flow rate ( m^ ) is given:

m^ = ρe*Qe

= ( 6.79566 )*( 0.01963 )

= 0.1334 kg/s

- We will use the "continuity equation " for steady state flow inside the compressor i.e mass flow rate remains constant:

m^ = ρe*Ae*Ve = ρi*Ai*Vi

- Density of air at inlet using inlet conditions. Again, using the ideal gas state equation:

Pi / ρi = R*Ti

Where,

Ti: The absolute temperature at inlet

ρi: The density of air at inlet

R: the specific gas constant for air = 0.287 KJ /kg.K

ρi = Pi / (R*Ti)

ρi = 100 / (0.287*( 273 + 20 ) )

ρi = 1.18918 kg/m^3

Using continuity expression:

Ai = m^ / ρi*Vi

Ai = 0.1334 / 1.18918*1

Ai = 0.11217 m^2

- From definition the volumetric flow rate at inlet ( Qi ) is determined by the following equation:

Qi = Ai*Vi

Where,

Ai: The inlet cross sectional area

Qi = 0.11217*1

Qi = 0.11217 m^3 / s

- The equations that will help us with required plots are:

Inlet cross section area ( Ai )

Ai = m^ / ρi*Vi

Ai = 0.1334 / 1.18918*Vi

Ai ( V ) = 0.11217 / Vi .... Eq 1

Inlet flow rate ( Qi ):

Qi = 0.11217 m^3 / s ... constant Eq 2