02 23-24 TLS Energy Balances Questions

Transport Phenomena Problems
in Life Sciences
Course LB2532 for Life Science and Technology
Page 1 of 4
2. Energy balances
2.1 Units
Explain the following physical quantities and give their SI units:
a) Mass flow rate
b) Energy flux
c) Momentum flow rate
d) Momentum concentration (per unit of mass)
e) Shear stress
2.2 Continuous heating

Steam is used to heat nutrient medium in a continuous-flow process. Saturated steam at 150
°C enters a coil on the outside of the heating vessel and is completely condensed. Medium
enters the vessel at 15 °C and leaves at 44 °C Heat losses from the jacket to the surroundings
are estimated as 0.22 kW. If the flow rate of medium is 3250 kg/h and the heat capacity is
3.77 kJ/kg K, how much steam is required?
2.3 Heat production

Azotobacter vinelandii is investigated for production of alginate from sucrose. In a continuous
fermenter at 28 °C with ammonia as nitrogen source, the yield of alginate was found to be 4
g/g oxygen consumed. It is planned to produce alginate at a rate of 5 kg/h. Since the viscosity
of alginate in aqueous solution is considerable, energy input due to mixing the broth cannot
be neglected. The fermenter is equipped with a flat-bladed disc turbine; at a satisfactory
mixing speed and air flow-rate, power requirements are estimated at 1.5 kW. Note: the heat
of reaction for aerobic metabolism is approximately -460 kJ/mol of O2. Estimate the cooling
requirements.
2.4 Water heater

Water at 25 °C enters an open heating tank at a rate of 10 kg/h. Liquid water leaves the tank at 88 °C
at a rate of 9 kg/h; 1 kg/h water vapour is lost from the system through evaporation. At steady state,
what is the rate of heat input to the system?
2.5 Heating a solvent

An electric heating-coil is immersed in a stirred tank. Solvent at 15 °C with heat capacity 2.1
kJ/kgK is fed into the tank at a rate of 15 kg/h. Heated solvent is discharged at the same flow
rate. The tank is filled initially with 125 kg cold solvent at 10 °C The rate of heating by the
electric coil is 800 W. The work of the stirrer can be neglected. Calculate the time required
for the temperature of the solvent to reach 60°C.
Page 2 of 4
2.6 Energy intake
A human needs about 2200 kcal per day (Φ𝑞,1 ). The heat produced is transferred to the
surroundings via the skin with a heat flow rate Φ𝑞,2 . Consider the body as a bag of water and
neglect evaporation and heat and mass effects by drinking and draining of liquids and solids
and by breathing and radiation.
a) Make a sketch and set up the balances for energy.
Heat transfer can be described with Φ𝑞,2 = ℎ𝐴∆𝑇, where h is the heat transfer coefficient, A
the area used for transfer (about 2 m2 when naked) and DT is the so-called ‘driving force’, the
difference between body skin temperature and the surroundings (bulk) e.g. 30°C – 20°C = 10
K.
b) How large should the heat transfer coefficient be to keep the temperature
constant at a surrounding temperature of 20 °C?
The surrounding temperature rises to 30 °C. To prevent overheating the body will perspire
Φ𝑚 [kg/s]. All sweat evaporates. Temperature of the body remains constant.
c) Make a sketch and set up the balances for energy taking the evaporation into
account.
d) How large should the perspiration rate (Φ𝑚 [kg/s]) be?
e) How many glasses of water per hour would you advice this person to drink?
2.7 Holding tank pump

In a bioprocess facility the content of a bioreactor is usually transferred to one or more holding
tanks before it is processed in the downstream processing section. For this specific facility the
holding tanks are in the first floor of the building, while the downstream processing
department is on the second floor. For draining a pump is used (500 W, efficiency 80%), which
is at both sides connected to a tube (in total 10 m length and 2 cm diameter) with one end on
the first floor and the other end on the second floor in the treatment room. For simplicity we
will assume the height difference is 2.5 m. The flow rate is 2 kg/s. As process engineering you
are asked to analyse the liquid transfer (assume water).
a) What is the pressure delivered by the pump?

b) How large is ediss?
c) How large would the temperature rise of the liquid be as a result of dissipation only?
d) For product safety and stability a constant temperature in the process is vital. Would
you be concerned the temperature rise is a problem for this?
Page 3 of 4
2.8 Bernoulli
Write down the mechanical energy balance. How do you derive the Bernoulli equation and
what are your assumptions?
2.9 River flow velocity

To determine the flow velocity of a small river the following experiment is carried out. A
twisted straw is being put into the water with one end sticking out (see Figure). Once the end
only sticks 5.0 cm above the water surface, water starts to flow out.
5 cm
straw
10 cm
a) What are the thrust (T = ½ρv2) and the flow velocity in the river at the point of the
opening of the straw?
b) If the straw is put 4.0 cm deeper into the water, water flows through the straw with an
average velocity of 0.33 m/s. Calculate the amount of energy per kg of water dissipated
in the straw.
Page 4 of 4

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Transport Phenomena Problems

Course LB2532 for Life Science and Technology

2.2 Continuous heating

2.3 Heat production

2.4 Water heater

2.5 Heating a solvent

2.7 Holding tank pump

a) What is the pressure delivered by the pump?

2.9 River flow velocity

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