MCL140 - Thermodynamics

Tutorial Sheet 5 (Second Law of thermodynamics)

(04-09 September 2023)
Last date of submission: next tutorial class

1. A refrigeration cycle operating between two reservoirs receives energy QC from a cold reservoir at TC = 290
K and rejects energy QH to a hot reservoir at TH = 350 K. For each of the following cases determine whether
the cycle operates reversibly, irreversibly, or is impossible: (a) QC = 1500 kJ, Wcycle = 150 kJ. (b) QC = 1400
kJ, QH = 1600 kJ. (c) QH = 1600 kJ, Wcycle = 400 kJ. (d) COP =29/6
2. A coal-burning steam power plant produces a net power of 400 MW with an overall thermal efficiency of 36
percent. The actual gravimetric air–fuel ratio in the furnace is calculated to be 12 kg air/kg fuel. The heating
value of the coal is 26,500 kJ/kg. Determine (a) the amount of coal consumed during a 24-hour period and
(b) the rate of air flowing through the furnace.
3. Figure shows a system consisting of a power cycle driving a heat pump. At steady
state, the power cycle receives 𝑄̇𝑠 by heat transfer at Ts from the high-temperature
source and delivers 𝑄̇1 to a dwelling at Td. The heat pump receives 𝑄̇0 from the
outdoors at T0, and delivers 𝑄̇2 to the dwelling. Obtain an expression for the
maximum theoretical value of the performance parameter (𝑄̇1 + 𝑄̇2 )/𝑄̇𝑠 in terms
of the temperature ratios Ts/Td and T0/Td.
4. Refrigerant-134a enters the condenser of a residential heat pump at 800 kPa and 35°C
at a rate of 0.016 kg/s and leaves at 800 kPa as a saturated liquid. If the compressor
consumes 1.5 kW of power, determine (a) the COP of the heat pump and (b) the rate
of heat absorption from the outside air.

5. A combination of a heat engine driving a heat pump as shown in figure takes waste energy at
50oC as a source Qw1 , to the heat engine rejecting heat at 30 oC. The remainder, Qw2 , goes
into the heat pump that delivers a QH at 150 oC. If the total waste energy is 5 MW, find the
rate of energy delivered at the high temperature.

6. A heat pump heats a house in the winter and then reverses to cool it in the summer. The interior temperature
should be 290K in the winter and 300K in the summer. Heat transfer through the walls and ceilings is
estimated to be 2300 kJ per hour per degree temperature difference between the inside and outside. (a) If the
outside winter temperature is 275K, what is the minimum power required to drive the heat pump? (b) For the
same power as in part (a), what is the maximum outside summer temperature for which the house can be
maintained at 300K?
7. One kilogram of air as an ideal gas executes a Carnot power cycle having a thermal efficiency of 65%. The
heat transfer to the air during the isothermal expansion is 45 kJ. At the end of the isothermal expansion, the
pressure is 5.8 bar and the volume is 0.3 m3. Determine (a) the maximum and minimum temperatures (K) for
the cycle. (b) the pressure and volume at the beginning of the isothermal expansion in bar and m3, respectively.
(c) the work and heat transfer for each of the four processes, in kJ. (d) Sketch the cycle on p–v coordinates.
8. A Carnot heat engine receives heat from a reservoir at 1180K at a rate of 850 kJ/min and rejects the waste
heat to the ambient air at 310K. The entire work output of the heat engine is used to drive a refrigerator that
removes heat from the refrigerated space at 270K and transfers it to the same ambient air at 310K. Determine
(a) the maximum rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space, (b) the total rate of heat rejection to the
ambient.
9. A commercial refrigerator with refrigerant-134a as the working fluid is used to keep the refrigerated space at
245K by rejecting waste heat to cooling water that enters the condenser at 290K at a rate of 0.3 kg/s and leaves
at 300K. The refrigerant enters the condenser at 1.4 MPa and 333K and leaves at the same pressure subcooled
by 5K. If the compressor consumes 3.5 kW of power, determine (a) the mass flow rate of the refrigerant, (b)
the refrigeration load, (c) the COP, and (d) the minimum power input to the compressor for the same
refrigeration load.( specific heat capacity of R134a= 0.7967kJ/kg.K)

Answer :
1. a. Impossible
b. Impossible
c. Possible but not reversible
d. Reversible
2. a. mcoal = 41.92872 kg/s
b. Rate of air flowing = 503.144 kg/s
3.
4. a. COP = 2.64
b. QL= 1.96 kW
5. QH = 1.09 MW
6. a. Win= 0.4957 kW
b. Th=315.254 K
7. a. Th=T1=T2= 606.3K, TL= 212.2K
b. V1=0.231635 m3, P1= 7.5118 bar

8. a. QR=4230.196 kJ/min
b. Qamb= 5080 kJ/min.
9. a. mref = 0.0773 kg/s
b. Qload = 9.05164kW
c. COP = 2.58618
d. Win, min = 1.6625 kW