Vaal University of Technology

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING

Steam Plant III (EMSTA3A/EMSPLA3A)

PLANT TOUR SUBSTITUTE TEST
AUGUST 22, 2020
TIME ALLOWED: - TWO HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS: - ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

NAME STUDENT NUMBER

ALL MARKS EARNED WILL COUNT.

1
PROBLEM 1. GENERAL

A. Locate with a cross MAJUBA on the map above. 3 marks

B. Give the straight line distance that coal travels from where it is mined to Majuba?
3 marks

2
 C. Give the most distinguishing feature of MAJUBA. 3 marks

PROBLEM 2. COAL PROCESSING AND ASH HANDLING

A. Draw the flow diagram for coal from the point it is delivered to the station till
when the physical products of combustion are removed from the plant
Show all the steps including storage and processing units and give the flow rates
at MCR. 16 marks
B. What is the number of bunkers per boiler? 2 marks
C. What is the thermal efficiency of a boiler at MCR given that the amount of heat
energy needed to produce 1.0kg of superheated steam in the boiler is about
2200kJ/kg? 7 marks

PROBLEM 3. COOLING SYSTEM

A. Compare and contrast the two modes of low pressure steam cooling used at
MAJUBA. 15 marks
B. Draw and dimension the cross-sectional outline of the cooling tower and its pond
as described in the brochure. Explain how the draught is obtained. 10 marks

Additional Problem:
Give the pressure and temperature at the following points in the plant: -

Pressure Temperature

Boiler entrance
Superheater exit

Economiser entrance

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and
walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into
flying.Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)