Question

A hair dryer is basically a duct in which a few layers of electric resistors are placed. A small fan pulls the air in and forces it to flow over the resistors, where it is heated. Air enters a 1400-W hair dryer at 100 kPa and 22°C and leaves at 47°C. The cross-sectional area of the hair dryer at the exit is 60 cm2. Neglect the power consumed by the fan and the heat losses through the walls of the hair dryer. The gas constant of air is R = 0.287 kPa·m3/kg·K. Also, cp = 1.007 kJ/kg·K for air at room temperature.
determine

(a) the volume flow rate of air at the inlet and

(b) the velocity of the air at the exit.

Answer 1

Answer:

a) volume flow rate of air at the inlet is 0.0471 m³/s

b) the velocity of the air at the exit is  8.517 m/s

Explanation:

Given that;

The electrical power Input W_elec = -1400 W = -1.4 kW

Inlet temperature of air T_in = 22°C

Inlet pressure of air p_in = 100 kPa

Exit temperature T_out = 47°C

Exit area of the dyer is A_out = 60 cm²= 0.006 m²

cp = 1.007 kJ/kg·K

R = 0.287 kPa·m3/kg·K

Using mass balance

m_in = m_out = m_air

W _elec = m_air ( h_in - h_out)

we know that h = CpT

so

W _elec = m_air.Cp ( T_in - T_out)

we substitute

-1.4 = m_air.1.007 ( 22 - 47 )

-1.4 =  - m_air.25.175

m_air = -1.4 / - 25.175

m_ air = 0.0556 kg/s

a) volume flow rate of air at the inlet

we know that

m_air = P_in × V_in

now from the ideal gas equation

P_in = p_in / RT_in

we substitute our values

= (100×10³) / ((0.287×10³)(22+273))

= 100000 / 84665

P_in = 1.18 kg/m³

therefore inlet volume flowrate will be;

V_in = m_air / P_in

= 0.0556 / 1.18

= 0.0471 m³/s

the volume flow rate of air at the inlet is 0.0471 m³/s

b) velocity of the air at the exit

the mass flow rate remains unchanged across the duct

m_ air = P_in.A_in.V_in = P_out.A_out.V_out

still from the ideal gas equation

P_out = p_out/ RT_out   ( assume p_in = p_out)

P_out = (100×10³) / ((0.287×10³)(47+273))

P_out  = 1.088 kg/m³

so the exit velocity will be;

V_out = m_air / P_out.A_out

we substitute our values

V_out = 0.0556 / ( 1.088 × 0.006)

= 0.0556 / 0.006528

= 8.517 m/s

 Therefore the velocity of the air at the exit is  8.517 m/s