Transient Flow Analysis
Transient Flow Analysis
In the discussion on the first law for the open system applied to flow processes such as nozzles,
pumps, turbines, heat exchangers, etc., emphasis has been placed on steady state steady flow
(sssf) through these devices. With sssf the change of energy with respect to time, dE/dt, of the
system does not change, mass flow is constant, and the properties of the fluid at a given
location are invariant with respect to time. While these assumptions cover many applications
of interest to the engineer, there are several applications involving unsteady flow which cannot
be analyzed with sssf assumptions. For instance in the filling or emptying of a gas cylinder the
properties of the fluid within the system vary with time and there is an accumulation of mass
within the cylinder.
Supply line
p, v, T
System boundary
valve
First, as always, the First Law, assuming no boundary work, no outflow, and negligible velocities
of both the system and inlet flow:
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And integrating the mass flow, heat transfer, and system internal energy over the time required
to fill the tank, t:
If the tank is initially evacuated and the process occurs rapidly (without time for heat transfer),
the solution is simplified,
Which indicates the temperature of the air within the tank will not be same as the temperature
of the supply line, instead it will be higher since the ratio of heat capacities, c p/cv , is always
greater than one.
Example 1. Air at 5000 kPa and 300 K is flowing through a pipeline. An evacuated and
insulated cylinder of volume 0.1 m3 is connected to the pipeline through a valve. The valve is
opened and the cylinder is filled with air till the pressure in the cylinder reaches the line
pressure. The valve is then closed. Assuming that the air behaves like an ideal gas with k = 1.4,
determine the temperature of the air in the cylinder at the end of the filling operation and the
mass of air that is filled in the cylinder.
Solution:
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(mf-m0) hi = mf uf mo uo
Or rearranging
mf (hf uf) = mo (hi uo)
At x=1 and 1 MPa uo = 2582 kJ/kg and v0 = 0.1943 m3/kg
The initial mass of steam in the tank is
mo = V/vo = 2 m3 /1943 m3/kg = 10.293 kg
The enthalpy of the steam in the line at 4MPa and 400 C from the tables is h i = 3216 kJ/kg.
This is a trial and error solution since we do not know the mass or the final temperature.
Assume the final temperature to be 425 C. Then from the steam tables
hf = 3273 kJ/kg, uf = 2967 kJ/kg, and vf = 0.0766 m3/kg
Then mf = 2 m3/0.0766 m3/kg = 26.11 kg
And
Mf(3216 uf) = 10.293(3216 2582)
Which yields uf = 2966 kJ/kg the correct value of uf at 425 C. The assumption of 425 C was
correct.
The mass of steam that enters the tank is then:
mf mi = 26.11 10.293 = 15.817 kg.
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reduces to:
Assume the temperature of the gas which escapes is the same as the temperature of the gas in
the tank at any instant in time. Also note that cv is not a function of time and the product of m
X T can be expanded in the differential,
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Or, assuming Tf = To
Or,
units check
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http://books.google.com/books?id=iYWiCXziWsEC&pg=PA164&lpg=PA164&dq=thermodyna
mics+filling&source=bl&ots=77KCzMVTyp&sig=DjGsApeTUEb4RRQxApAryOfmPFs&hl=e
n&sa=X&ei=la9nT8ppxemxAt_AoK4J&sqi=2&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=thermody
namics%20filling&f=false
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