Question

Air modeled as an ideal gas enters a turbine operating at steady state at 1040 K, 278 kPa and exits at 120 kPa. The mass flow rate is 5.5 kg/s, and the power developed is 1120 kW. Stray heat transfer and kinetic and potential energy effects are negligible. Determine
(a) The temperature of the air at the turbine exit, in K.
(b) The isentropic turbine efficiency.

Answer 1

Answer:

a) $T_{2}=837.2K$

b) $e=91.3$ %

Explanation:

A) First, let's write the energy balance:

$W=m*(h_{2}-h_{1})\\W=m*Cp*(T_{2}-T_{1})$  (The enthalpy of an ideal gas is just function of the temperature, not the pressure).

The Cp of air is: 1.004 $\frac{kJ}{kgK}$ And its specific R constant is 0.287 $\frac{kJ}{kgK}$.

The only unknown from the energy balance is $T_{2}$, so it is possible to calculate it. The power must be negative because the work is done by the fluid, so the energy is going out from it.

$T_{2}=T_{1}+\frac{W}{mCp}=1040K-\frac{1120kW}{5.5\frac{kg}{s}*1.004\frac{kJ}{kgk}} \\T_{2}=837.2K$

B) The isentropic efficiency (e) is defined as:

$e=\frac{h_{2}-h_{1}}{h_{2s}-h_{1}}$

Where ${h_{2s}$ is the isentropic enthalpy at the exit of the turbine for the isentropic process. The only missing in the last equation is that variable, because $h_{2}-h_{1}$ can be obtained from the energy balance  $\frac{W}{m}=h_{2}-h_{1}$

$h_{2}-h_{1}=\frac{-1120kW}{5.5\frac{kg}{s}}=-203.64\frac{kJ}{kg}$

An entropy change for an ideal gas with  constant Cp is given by:

$s_{2}-s_{1}=Cpln(\frac{T_{2}}{T_{1}})-Rln(\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})$

You can review its deduction on van Wylen 6 Edition, section 8.10.

For the isentropic process the equation is:

$0=Cpln(\frac{T_{2}}{T_{1}})-Rln(\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})\\Rln(\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})=Cpln(\frac{T_{2}}{T_{1}})$

Applying logarithm properties:

$ln((\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})^{R} )=ln((\frac{T_{2}}{T_{1}})^{Cp} )\\(\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})^{R}=(\frac{T_{2}}{T_{1}})^{Cp}\\(\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})^{R/Cp}=(\frac{T_{2}}{T_{1}})\\T_{2}=T_{1}(\frac{P_{2}}{P_{1}})^{R/Cp}$

Then,

$T_{2}=1040K(\frac{120kPa}{278kPa})^{0.287/1.004}=817.96K$

So, now it is possible to calculate $h_{2s}-h_{1}$:

$h_{2s}-h_{1}}=Cp(T_{2s}-T_{1}})=1.004\frac{kJ}{kgK}*(817.96K-1040K)=-222.92\frac{kJ}{kg}$

Finally, the efficiency can be calculated:

$e=\frac{h_{2}-h_{1}}{h_{2s}-h_{1}}=\frac{-203.64\frac{kJ}{kg}}{-222.92\frac{kJ}{kg}}\\e=0.913=91.3$ %