4.

29 Refrigerant 134a flows at steady state through a horizontal tube having an inside diameter
of 0.05 m. The refrigerant enters the tube with a quality of 0.1, temperature of 36oC, and
velocity of 10 m/s. The refrigerant exits the tube at 9 bar as a saturated liquid. Determine
(a) the mass flow rate of the refrigerant, in kg/s.
(b) the velocity of the refrigerant at the exit, in m/s.
(b) the rate of heat transfer, in kW, and its associated direction with respect to the refrigerant.

KNOWN: Refrigerant 134a flows through a tube.

FIND: (a) the mass flow rate of the refrigerant, in kg/s, (b) the velocity of the refrigerant at the
exit, in m/s, and (c) the rate of heat transfer, in kW, and its associated direction with respect to
the refrigerant.

SCHEMATIC AND GIVEN DATA:

Refrigerant 134a
x1 = 0.1
1 2 Saturated liquid
T1 = 36oC D = 0.05 m
p2 = 9 bar
V1 = 10 m/s

ENGINEERING MODEL:
1. The control volume shown with the schematic is at steady state.
2. For the control volume, Wcv  0 , and pe = 0.

ANALYSIS:
 2
 D V1
A1V1  4  .
(a) Mass flow rate at the inlet is m1  
v1 v1

Specific volume of the refrigerant at the inlet is determined using quality

v1 = vf1 + x1(vg1 – vf1)

From Table A-10 at T1 = 36oC, vf1 = 0.0008590 m3/kg and vg1 = 0.0223 m3/kg. Solving

v1 = 0.0008590 m3/kg + (0.1)(0.0223 m3/kg – 0.0008590 m3/kg) = 0.003003 m3/kg

Substituting values and solving for mass flow rate give

  2 m 
 0.05 m  10 
m 1     s
4
m3
0.003003
kg
m 1 = 6.54 kg/s

1
(b) From the mass rate balance

A 2V2 A1V1
2  m
m 1  
v2 v1

Since the tube diameter is constant, the areas cancel. Solving for exit velocity yields

v 
V2  V1 2 
 v1 

Specific volume for the saturated liquid refrigerant at the exit is obtained from Table A-11:

v2 = vf2 = 0.0008576 m3/kg

Substituting and solving for the exit velocity give

 3 
 0.0008576 m 
 m  kg 
V2  10  
 s  m3 
 0.003003 
 kg 

V2 = 2.86 m/s

(c) The energy rate balance

0 = Q cv  Wcv  m
 [(h1 – h2) + ½ (V12 – V22) + g(z1 – z2)]

simplifies to
Q cv  m
 [(h2 – h1) + ½ (V22 – V12)]

Specific enthalpy of the refrigerant at the inlet is determined using quality

h1 = hf1 + x1hfg1

From Table A-10 at T1 = 36oC, hf1 = 100.25 kJ/kg and hfg1 = 166.15 kJ /kg. Solving

h1 = 100.25 kJ /kg + (0.1)(166.15 kJ /kg) = 116.87 kJ /kg

Specific enthalpy for the saturated liquid refrigerant at the exit is obtained from Table A-11:

h2 = hf2 = 99.56 kJ/kg

2
Substituting values and solving for rate of heat transfer give

 
2
m  m
2 
  2.86   10  
 kg  kJ  s  s
Q cv   6.54  99.56 - 116.87   kW
1 kJ 1N

 s  kg 2 1000 N  m 1 kg  m   kJ 
  
 s2   s 

Q cv = −113.5 kW

Since the heat transfer rate is negative, heat transfer is from the refrigerant.