Chapter 4

Energy Balance
Theory
The overall energy balance equation for a system with one inlet (point 1) and
one outlet (point 2) is:
H1 þ
vml
2
2_
þ z1g
__
m_ 1 _ H2 þ
vm2
2
2_
þ z2g
__
m_ 2 þ q _Ws ¼
dðmEÞ
dt
The overall energy balance equation for a system at steady state with more than
two streams can be written as:
X
Hþ
v2
m
2_
þ zg
__
m_
__
¼ q _Ws
where H = enthalpy, J/kg
vm = average velocity, m/s
_ = correction coefficient (for a circular pipe _ = 1/2 for
laminar flow, _ _ 1 for turbulent flow)
z = relative height from a reference plane, m
m = mass of the system, kg
m_ = mass flow rate, kg/s
q = heat transferred across the boundary to or from the system
(positive if heat flows to the system), W
Ws= shaft work done by or to the system (positive if work is done
by the system), W
E = total energy per unit mass of fluid in the system, J/kg
t = time, s
In most of the cases, the overall energy balance ends up as an enthalpy
balance because the terms of kinetic and potential energy are negligible compared
to the enthalpy term, the system is assumed adiabatic (Q ¼ 0), and there
is no shaft work (Ws ¼ 0). Then:
X
m_ H ¼ 0
S. Yanniotis, Solving Problems in Food Engineering. Chapter 4
Energy Balance
Theory
The overall energy balance equation for a system with one inlet (point 1) and
one outlet (point 2) is:
H1 þ
vml
2
2_
þ z1g
__
m_ 1 _ H2 þ
vm2
2
2_
þ z2g
__
m_ 2 þ q _Ws ¼
dðmEÞ
dt
The overall energy balance equation for a system at steady state with more than
two streams can be written as:
X
Hþ
v2
m
2_
þ zg
__
m_
__
¼ q _Ws
where H = enthalpy, J/kg
vm = average velocity, m/s
_ = correction coefficient (for a circular pipe _ = 1/2 for
laminar flow, _ _ 1 for turbulent flow)
z = relative height from a reference plane, m
m = mass of the system, kg
m_ = mass flow rate, kg/s
q = heat transferred across the boundary to or from the system
(positive if heat flows to the system), W
Ws= shaft work done by or to the system (positive if work is done
by the system), W
E = total energy per unit mass of fluid in the system, J/kg
t = time, s
In most of the cases, the overall energy balance ends up as an enthalpy
balance because the terms of kinetic and potential energy are negligible compared
to the enthalpy term, the system is assumed adiabatic (Q ¼ 0), and there
is no shaft work (Ws ¼ 0). Then:
X
m_ H ¼ 0
S. Yanniotis, Solving Problems in Food Engineering.