Associate Professorship of Thermo-Fluid Dynamics

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Technical University of Munich

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Engineering Thermodynamics

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Exam: MW1408 / Modulprüfung Date: Thursday 30th July, 2020
Examiner: Time:

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Prof. Wolfgang Polifke, Ph. D. 14:30 – 16:00

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Working instructions
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• This exam consists of 12 pages with a total of 3 problems.

Please make sure now that you have received a complete copy of the exam.
• The total amount of achievable credits in this exam is 60 credits.
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• Detaching pages from the exam booklet is prohibited.

• Allowed resources:
– a non-programmable calculator
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– the ETD-Handout by the Fachschaft MSE including your handwritten notes

– one extra printout of the formula collection from the Handout
– one analog dictionary English ↔ native language

• Do not write with red or green colors nor use pencils.

• Physically turn off all electronic devices, put them into your bag and close the bag.

Left room from to / Early submission at

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 Problem 1 Short Questions (11 credits)
This problem is a collection of non-interrelated short questions.

0 a) Why do you balance enthalpy instead of internal energy in the convection term of the total energy balance?

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It is an abbreviation. When it comes to convection, there is always both transport of internal energy
2 and flow work. Flow work and internal energy can therefore be treated together as enthalpy: h = u + pv

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0 b) Use the definitions of the heat capacities, and an internal energy balance on an isobaric, reversible, closed
system to derive that the sum of the isochoric heat capacity and the specific gas constant is the isobaric
1 heat capacity of an ideal gas: cv + RA = cp .

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2
cv is the amount of heat required per change in temperature in an isochoric system:
3
δ qv
4 cv =
dT

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5 du = cv dT = δ qv
cp is the amount of heat required per change in temperature in an isobaric system:

δ qp
So
cp =
dT
du = cv dT = δ qp − pdv
RA dT
Replace dv with the ideal gas law (constant pressure): dv = p
:

cv dT = δ qp − RA dT

Rewrite:
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δ qp
cv + RA = = cp
dT
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0 c) Generally, efficiencies are defined as ”benefit over effort”. What is the benefit in case of a heat pump?

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The heat rejected.
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0 d) In which type of system does entropy always increase (or stay constant)? Use qualifiers like ”open”/”closed”,
etc. Give an example of such a system.
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2 The system must be isolated, i.e. closedand adiabatic, like e.g. the universe.

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Problem 2 Oil-Cooled Air Compression (17 credits)

a) Show that given a polytropic state change pv n = const. for ideal gases the volume ratio can be computed 0
from the temperature ratio by:
  n−1 1 1
v1 T2
=
v2 T1 2

pv n = const.
This valid for both states 1 and 2:
p1 v1n = p2 v2n
Insert ideal gas law pv = RA T

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RA T1 v1n−1 = RA T2 v2n−1
Solve:
  n−1 1

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T2 v1
=
T1 v2

b) Use Gibbs’ equation to show that for isentropic state changes in ideal gases
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  γ−1 1 1
v1 T2
=
v2 T1 2

where γ is the ratio of specific heats. 3

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Gibbs’ equation:
T ds = du + p dv
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RA T
Isentropic: ds = 0; ideal gas du = cv dT and p = v
: 6
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RA T
0 = cv dT + dv
v
Separate independent variables and integrate:
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cv dT dv
=−
RA T v
   
cv T2 v2
ln = − ln
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RA T1 v1
cv 1
Use relation between cv and RA : RA
= γ−1 and eliminate logarithms:
  γ−1 1
T2 v1
=
T1 v2

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 Many air compressors (e.g. in truck brakes) are oil-cooled. A fine mist of oil droplets is dispersed within the
air, such that heat transfer between air and oil is perfect. Initially oil and air have the same temperature.
When the mixture is compressed isentropically, the ideal gas air has the tendency to heat up, whereas the
temperature of the incompressible oil is not directly affected by the pressure change. Due to the perfect
heat transfer between the two, temperature differences between the two vanish rapidly, thus there will be a
mixture temperature after compression, which depends on the pressure ratio, and the mixture ratio.
Known variables of the oil-cooled air compression are: isentropic exponent of air γ, specific heat capacity of
oil cO , specific gas constant of air R , and mixture ratio µ = m
mA
O
(mass of oil divided by mass of air).

0 c) Give an analytic expression for the isentropic exponent γmix of the oil-air mixture.
Hint: There is thermal equilibrium. Set up Gibbs’ equation (differential, extensive) for the mixture, integrate
1 and solve for the form:  C
T2 V1,A
2 =
T1 V2,A

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3 1
In analogy to subproblem b), the exponent must be C = γmix −1 .
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5 Gibbs’ equation:
T dS = dU + p dV = mO cO dT + mA cv dT + p dVA + p dVO
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Oil is incompressible dVO = 0, divide by T , isentropic state change dS = 0, apply ideal gas law:
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dT dVA
0 = dS = (mO cO + mA cv ) + mA R

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8 T VA
R
Move all factors to the temperature term, apply cv = γ−1 :
 
cO 1 dT dVA
So
0= µ + +
R γ−1 T VA

Integrate and apply exponential function:

     
cO 1 T2 V1,A
µ + ln = ln
R γ−1 T1 V2,A


  µ cRO + γ−1 1
e

 
T2 V1,A
=
T1 V2,A
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Therefore:
1 cO 1
=µ +
γmix − 1 R γ−1
Solve:
1
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γmix = 1 +
µ cRO + 1
γ−1
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Problem 3 Nuclear Power Plant (32 credits)
You may neglect all kinetic and potential energies. Assume steady state. Do not interpolate in
steam tables. Otherwise, please evaluate and write down your results with three significant digits!
Fallback values are within a range of ±10% of the true values.
The vast majority of the world’s nuclear power plants operate so-called pressurized-water reactors. The
nuclear fission takes place in a container filled with pressurized water, such that it stays in liquid phase
despite high temperatures. The water serves as both coolant and moderator. As a moderator, it reduces the
speed of fast neutrons so they can trigger the next particle decay, and the chain reaction is sustained. As a
coolant, the water transports the heat from the reactor core to a Rankine cycle. The advantage of this type
of reactor is its inherent relative safety. In case of a leak, the water pressure drops, the water evaporates and
cannot serve as a moderator anymore: The chain reaction is interrupted.
The nuclear power plant has a setup as shown in the figure below. The nuclear fission takes place in the
reactor vessel. Cool water is entering at the bottom and leaves through the outlet on top after receiving the

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fission heat. The water is routed through an ideal heat exchanger, where it transfers heat to the Rankine
cycle. A circulation pump maintains a certain mass flow rate. We model the entire reactor cycle as isobaric
pR = 10 MPa.

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The Rankine cycle adheres to regular design. Saturated water coming from the condenser (state 1) is
pressurized by the isentropic feed pump (state 2), preheated to saturation temperature (state 2a ), evaporated
(state 2b ) and superheated (state 3) in the isobaric counterflow heat exchanger by the reactor coolant.
Subsequently the superheated steam is expanded in an isentropic turbine until it reaches state 4, and then
isobarically cooled in the condenser back to state 1. The heat from condensation is rejected into a nearby
river at T∞ = 288 K.

reactor
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power cycle
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cycle
3
exchanger

feed .
reactor

pump
turbine

WS
heat
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pR
2 1
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4
circ.
pump condenser
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river

Maximum reactor pressure pR 10 MPa

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River temperature T∞ 288 K

Reactor temperature safety margin ∆TS 10 K
Minimum allowable turbine quality x4 0.8

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 T p v0 v 00 h0 h 00 s0 s 00
3 3
◦ m m kJ kJ kJ kJ
C kPa kg kg kg kg kg K kg K
5 0.8726 0.001 147 21.02 2510 0.07625 9.025
10 1.228 0.001 106.3 42.02 2519 0.1511 8.9
15 1.706 0.001001 77.88 62.98 2528 0.2245 8.78
20 2.339 0.001002 57.76 83.91 2537 0.2965 8.666
185 1123 0.001134 0.1739 785.2 2781 2.188 6.545
190 1255 0.001141 0.1564 807.4 2785 2.235 6.506
195 1399 0.001149 0.1409 829.8 2789 2.283 6.468
290 7442 0.001366 0.02555 1290 2767 3.161 5.783
300 8588 0.001404 0.02166 1345 2750 3.255 5.706
310 9865 0.001448 0.01833 1402 2728 3.351 5.624
320 1.128e + 04 0.001499 0.01547 1462 2701 3.449 5.537
330 1.286e + 04 0.001561 0.01298 1526 2666 3.552 5.442

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Table 3.1: Liquid-vapor saturation of water, temperature table

p v h s p v h s

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m3 kJ kJ m3 kJ kJ
kPa kg kg kg K
kPa kg kg kg K
1000 0.253 3030 7.087 1000 0.258 3052 7.125
1100 0.2294 3027 7.039 1100 0.2339 3049 7.077
1200 0.2096 3025 6.995 1200 0.2139 3046 7.033
1300 0.193 3022 6.954 1300 0.1969 3044 6.993
1400 0.1787 3019 6.916 1400 0.1823 3041 6.955

p v h s
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Table 3.2: Superheated steam at T = 290 ◦C (left) and T = 300 ◦C (right)

p v h s
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m3 kJ kJ m3 kJ kJ
kPa kg kg kg K
kPa kg kg kg K
1000 0.2629 3073 7.162 1000 0.2679 3094 7.198
1100 0.2385 3071 7.114 1100 0.243 3092 7.151
1200 0.218 3068 7.071 1200 0.2222 3090 7.108
1300 0.2008 3065 7.031 1300 0.2046 3087 7.068
1400 0.186 3063 6.993 1400 0.1896 3085 7.031

Table 3.3: Superheated steam at T = 310 ◦C (left) and T = 320 ◦C (right)

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0 a) Draw the power cycle in a T -s diagram. Include a saturation line and mark the states (1 - 4) and state
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changes.
1 Hint: Pay attention to the position of state 3 relative to the saturation curve!
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4
T
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3opt 3
p
p
p s
p
s
1,2
p 4opt 4

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b) In normal operation, the water of the reactor cycle may not evaporate. Compute the peak temperature of 0
the reactor cycle, which is equal to the peak temperature of the power cycle T3 . Keep a safety margin of
∆TS = 10 K. 1
(Fallback value: T3 = 571 K)
2

Saturation temperature at reactor vessel pressure:

Tsat,R = 584 K

Safety margin:
T3 = Tsat,R − ∆TS = 574 K

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c) Compute the condenser pressure p4 . Assume ideal heat transfer between river water and condensing 0
steam.

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(Fallback value: p4 = 1.69 kPa) 1

Saturation pressure at river temperature:

p4 = psat,∞ = 1.71 kPa

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d) When expanding from state 3 to state 4, the two-phase region is eventually reached, and the quality drops. 0
In this steam turbine the final quality is x4 = 0.8. Compute the peak pressure p3 of the Rankine cycle.
(Fallback value: p3 = 1.12 MPa) 1

2
Compute s3 from isentropic state change 3 − 4 with saturated entropy values:
3
kJ
s3 = s4 = x4 s 00C + (1 − x4 ) sC0 = 7.07 4
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kg K
5
Look for s3 in temperature table T3 :
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p3 = 1.13 MPa
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e) Compute the mass specific shaft work wFP of the feed pump. Assume incompressible liquid. 0
kJ
(Fallback value: wFP = 1.09 kg )
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Total energy balance: 2

wFP = ∆h12
3
Gibbs’ equation:
T ds = dh − v dp 4
3
Insert incompressible liquid v = vC0 = 0.001 mkg and isentropic state change ds = 0:

kJ
wFP = ∆h12 = vC0 (p3 − p4 ) = 1.13
kg

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0 f) What is the thermodynamic efficiency of the power plant? Neglect the circulation pump in the reactor cycle,
but take into account the feed pump of the Rankine cycle.
1

2 Efficiency definition:
|w◦ |
3 η=
q+
4 Total energy balance:
w◦ = wFP + ∆h34
5
q+ = ∆h23
6
Look up h3 from p3 and T3 :
7 MJ
h3 = 3.05
kg

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Compute h4 from x4 , h 00C and hC0 :
9
MJ
h4 = x4 h 00C + (1 − x4 ) hC0 = 2.04

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kg

Compute h2 from h1 = hC0 and feed pump work:

kJ
h2 = h1 + wFP = 64.1
kg

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Insert all:
η = 0.34
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The efficiency of steam turbines deteriorates, if the quality of the steam is too low. Now you will explore how
much efficiency could be gained with an expansion device that is not affected by the quality of the steam.
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By increasing the reactor mass flow rate we can approach the ideal case that the reactor cycle acts as a
temperature reservoir at T3 , from which the power cycle draws its heat input.
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0 g) Add an alternative power cycle (i.e. a simple Rankine s − p − s − p ) with optimized parameters into the
T -s diagram of subproblem a). For the optimized cycle, drop the constraint on the quality in the turbine.
1 Explain your design. Compute the efficiency ηopt of the optimized cycle.
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3 Optimal efficiency is reached, when heat is added at the highest possible temperature, and rejected
at the lowest possible temperature. The latter condition is already optimal, but we can raise a
4 good part of the heat addition to T3 by choosing p3 such that
the evaporation takes place at T3 .
Compute popt = psat (T3 ) = 8.71 MPa, h2,opt = hC0 + vC0 popt − p4 = 71.7 kg kJ
, h3,opt = h 00 (p3 ) = 2.75 MJ ,
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kg
5
s 00 (popt )−sC0 00

0 MJ
x4,opt = s 0 0 −s 0 = 0.64 and h4 = x4,opt h C + 1 − x4,opt hC = 1.64 kg . Insert for efficiency:
C C
6
|h2,opt − h1 + h4,opt − h3,opt |
7 ηopt = = 0.411
h3,opt − h2,opt

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Additional space for solutions–clearly mark the (sub)problem your answers are related to and strike
out invalid solutions.

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