Tutorial 1

ME 3100: BASIC THERMAL ENGINEERING
Tutorial 1
1. A gas is contained in a piston cylinder mechanism at an initial pressure of 1 bar.
The piston diameter is 15 cm and it rests on stops initially
as shown in the figure. The piston weight is such that it
requires a pressure of 1.2 bar to be lifted from the stops.
The gas is now heated which causes the piston to rise
slowly. After a rise of 10 cm, the piston touches a linear
spring with a stiffness value of 10 N/mm. The heating of
the gas is finally stopped when the spring is compressed
by 1 cm. Determine the work interaction for the gas, 25 cm
Gas
piston, spring and the atmosphere. Also sketch the
process undergone by the gas on a pV diagram and
show the four work interactions mentioned above by hatching the appropriate areas.
[233.67 J, -38.86 J, -0.509 J, -194.3 J]
2. Tank A shown in the figure has a volume of 0.4 m 3 and contains argon gas at 250
kPa. Cylinder B contains a frictionless piston of mass such
that a pressure of 150 kPa is required to lift it. The A B
connecting valve is opened allowing the argon gas to flow
into the cylinder. Eventually the argon gas reaches a
uniform state. Determine (a) the final pressure (b) the work
interaction for the argon gas, piston and the atmosphere.
Take the atmospheric pressure to be 100 kPa. Any change
in the state of the argon gas is related through PV = constant.
[(a) 150 kPa; (b) 40000 J, -13333.5 J, 26667 J]
3. Air is contained in a piston-cylinder assembly initially at a pressure of 5 bar and

300 K. A paddle wheel (fan) within the cylinder (air) is rotated using an electrical
motor till a work of 75 kJ/kg of work is done on the air. The walls of the piston-
cylinder assembly are cooled using cold water such that the temperature of the air
does not rise due to the paddle work. However, the piston is allowed to expand so
that the volume occupied by air initial is doubled. Determine the amount of heat
rejected to cold water. (R for air = 287 J/kg.K). [-15320 J]
4. Consider the insulated vessel, with compartment A

(initially evacuated) of volume 0.5 m3 and separated by
a thin membrane from compartment B of volume 0.25
m3 which contains 2 kg of a substance (Cv = 720 J/kg/K
and Pv = 286 T) at a pressure of 700 kPa. The
substance in compartment B is stirred by a fan until the
membrane ruptures. The membrane is designed to rupture at a pressure of 2 MPa.
Determine (a) the temperature in B when the membrane ruptures (b) the work done
by the fan and (c) the final equilibrium temperature and pressure when the pure
substance fills the entire vessel.
[(a) 874 K; (b) 818 kJ; (c) 874 K, 666570.66 Pa]
5. 2 kg of CO at 370 K, 70 kPa and 8 kg of CO at 300 K, 120 kPa are contained in two
tanks connected by a valve. Initially the valve is closed. The valve is now opened and
the contents of the two tanks are allowed to mix. The final temperature is 319 K.
Determine the final pressure and the heat transfer for the process. Assume CO to be
a pure substance governed by Pv = 297 T with Cv = 745 J/kg.K, where P is the
pressure in Pa, v is the specific volume in m3/kg and T is the temperature in Kelvin.
[104345.96 Pa, 37250 J]
6. Air and N2 are contained in an insulated piston cylinder apparatus as

shown in the figure. The thin rigid wall that separates the two chambers
is perfectly thermally conducting. Initially the air is at 500 kPa and 473
K and N2 is at 1500 kPa and they each occupy 0.01 m 3. The air is now
compressed slowly till the pressure of N2 reaches 1580 kPa. Determine
the work and heat interaction for the air and its final temperature. For air
and N2, Pv = 288 T, Cv = 742 J/kg K, where P is the pressure in N/m2, v
is the specific volume in m3/kg, and T is the temperature in Kelvin.
Neglect any internal energy changes in the partition wall. [-2062.15 J, -2749.47 J,
498.24 K]
7. One kilogram of Argon (M = 40, Cv = 392 J/kg K) at 300 K, 100 kPa is contained in
a rigid tank connected by a valve to another rigid tank containing 0.8 kg of O2 at 400
K, 500 kPa. The valve is opened and the gases are allowed to mix until they reach an
equilibrium temperature of 360 K. Determine (a) the volume of each tank (b) final
pressure and (c) the heat interaction.
[(a) VAr,1 = 0.62355 m3, VO2,1 = 0.16628 m3; (b) 189470 Pa; (c) 30407.28 J]
8. Ten kg of a mixture having an analysis on a mass basis of 50% N 2, 30% CO2, and
20% O2 is compressed adiabatically from 100 kPa, 280 K to 500 kPa, 387 K.
Determine the work interaction. The specific heats at constant volume of the three
components are respectively 747, 750, and 696 J/kg K. [-789339 J]

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ME 3100: BASIC THERMAL ENGINEERING

3. Air is contained in a piston-cylinder assembly initially at a pressure of 5 bar and

4. Consider the insulated vessel, with compartment A

6. Air and N2 are contained in an insulated piston cylinder apparatus as

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