UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

2015 Nov/Dec EXAMINATIONS

Faculty: ENGINEERING

Department: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Paper code and Title: ME 307 Process Engineering

Duration: 3 HOURS

Examiner: Eng. C. S. Shonhiwa

Authorized Materials: Calculator

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Answer any four (4) questions

2. Start each question on separate sheet
3. This question paper comprises 6 printed pages

NB: DO NOT TURN OVER THE QUESTION PAPER OR COMMENCE WRITING

UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.

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Question 1.

a) A certain mining company would like to crush the ore it produces before extraction of the
minerals. The engineers of this company where assigned to design the process of size
reduction of the ore from 150mm to 12.5mm before refining mineral.

i. Sketch an open circuit diagram for the process of milling the mineral indicating the
type of the mill you would use at each stage. [6]

ii. The energy required to effect size reduction of the mineral can be estimated from the
dE
  CL . Three empirical laws can be used to estimate
p
differential equation
dL
the energy. State these 3 laws and derive their energy equations from the above
differential energy equation. [6]

b) From the laboratory analysis of this company it was reported that 13000W/kg.s was
consumed to crush the mineral ore from an average particle size of 50mm to 10mm.

i. Calculate the energies that would be consumed to crush the same mineral to the final
size of the particle mentioned above using the three energy equations. [7]

ii. Compare the energy differences of the three laws give reasons in each case. [6]

Given that the work index is 10kW-H per tone.

Question 2.

a) State the different categories of the classification of pumps and give examples where
possible. [10]

b) A large reservoir open to the atmosphere has to supply water to a processing factory through
the a steel pipe whose inside diameter is 50.8mm. A screw gate valve was placed in the tube
near the outlet, and the tube is 15.24 m long. If the level of the water in the tank is15.4 m
above the outlet of the tube . Given that the value of f=0.021

i. Sketch the flow diagram of system [5]

ii. Calculate the rate at which the water flows when the valve is fully opened given that
the loss coefficient of the bends and the valve add up to 3. [7]

iii. Determine if the flow is turbulent or laminar ?. [3]

Question 3

a) A pump is required to pump water from a large reservoir to a point located 20m above the
reservoir. If the 0.05m3 /s of water having density of 1000kg/m3 is pumped through a 50mm
pipe. Calculate the power required to be delivered to the water by the pump. Neglect all flow
losses in the pipe and assume that P1=Pa =P2 [10]

b) A hydraulic turbine was connected as shown below. How much horsepower will it develop
assume the density of water to be 1000kg/m3 [10]

2
 P1=1000kPa

100mm diameter pipe

30m
Q=0.01m3

P2=500kPa

c) Explain the difference between a turbine and a pump [5]

Question 4

a) As a process engineer state and explain the design considerations for a given process of your
own choice. [7]

b) Explain in detail the features and mode of operation of a double tube heat exchanger, shell
& tube heat exchange and Finned Tube heat exchanger. Also explain their merits and
demerits of their applications. [8]

c) Process water flowing at rate of 68kg/min is heated from a 350C to 750C by an oil having

specific heat of 1.9kJ/kg0C. The fluids flow in a counter current through a double pipe heat

exchanger . The oil enters the heat exchanger at 1100C and leaves at 750C. The overall heat

transfer coefficient is 320 W/m2.0C . Calculate the heat transfer area of the heat exchanger. [5]

d) A shell and tube heat exchanger with a one shell pass and 2 tube pass is used instead of a

double pipe heat exchange . Calculate the heat transfer area assuming that the overall heat

transfer remains at 320 W/m2.0C. [5]

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Question 5
a) For a shell and tube heat exchanger explain the following flow designs of the fluid allocation

consideration of the fluid:

i. Corrosion

ii. Fouling

iii. Fluid temperature

iv. Viscosity

v. Stream flow rates

Give reasons in each case [2X5]

b) A cross flow finned heat exchange is used to heat 2.36m3/s of air at one atmosphere from

15.55 to 29.44 0C. Hot water enters tubes at 82.22 0C and air flows across the tubes

producing an overall heat transfer of 227 W/m2.0C.

i. explain the features on the finned heat exchanger that enhances its efficiency [6]

ii. State and explain the factors that must be considered when designing a heat

exchanger [9]

Question 6

a) Explain the difference between High Calorific Value (HCV) and Low Calorific Value (LCV) of

fuel [5]

b) A fuel oil consists of 85% carbon, 12.5 % hydrogen, 2 % oxygen and 0.5% residual matter by

mass.

i. Calculate the stoichiometric air required for complete combustion of 1kg

of this oil. [6]

ii. Estimate the HCV and LCV of this fuel taking the specific enthalpy of the

water vapor formed by combustion to be 2442Kj/kg at 250C and 1kg of

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carbon burning to CO2liberates 35000kJ, and one kg of Hydrogen liberates

143000 kJ, when the products of combustion are cooled down to 250C. Air

contains 23% Oxygen by mass. [14]