DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ME 3020: Applied Thermofluids Engineering

Tutorial: 04

Assume all machines to be 100% efficient

1. Performance tests were conducted on a 1/3 size geometrically similar radial pump model at 1000
rpm using water. The performance of the model as measured was Q=0.05 m3/s, W=170 m2/s2
and coupling power Pc = 10.6 kW. Find the volume flow rate and specific work of a full size
pump running at 1450 rpm handling water. Assume that the difference between Reynolds
Number at the two operating conditions does not affect the performance.
2. A water pump is designed for a flow rate of 0.30 m3/s and a head of 38 m at a speed of 1500 rpm.
A model of this pump is to be tested. The drive motor available has a speed of 1450 rpm and
power of 4 kW. Find the maximum size of the model (relative to that of prototype) that can be
tested.
3. A water turbine is designed to produce 30 MW running at a speed of 150 rpm under a head of
18m. To evaluate its performance, a model is made to operate under a head of 4m running at a
speed of 600 rpm. Find the flow rate through the model and the prototype turbine. Find the ratio
of their sizes.
4. A particular type of fan has capacity coefficient of 0.5 and pressure coefficient of 0.05 at its best
efficiency. What size and speed would be required for a fan of this type to deliver 10 m 3/s at 2.5
cm water gauge total pressure?
5. A radial flow hydraulic turbine is required to be designed to produce 30 MW under a head of 14
m at a speed of 95 rpm. A geometrically similar model with an output of 40 kW and a head of 5
m is to be tested under dynamically similar conditions. At what speed must the model be run?
What is the required impeller diameter ratio between the model and prototype and what is the
volume flow rate through the model.
6. A fan operating at 1750 rev/min at a volume flow rate of 4.25 m 3/s develops a head of 153 mm
measured on a water-filled U-tube manometer. It is required to build a larger, geometrically
similar fan which will deliver the same head at the same efficiency as the existing fan, but at a
speed of 1440 rev/min. Calculate the volume flow rate of the larger fan.
7. An axial flow fan is designed to run at a speed of 1400 rev/min with an average axial air velocity
of 12.2 m/s. A quarter scale model has been built to obtain a check on the design and the
rotational speed of the model fan is 4200 rev/min. Determine the axial air velocity of the model
so that dynamical similarity with the full-scale fan is preserved. The effects of Reynolds number
change may be neglected.
8. A water pump with an available driven speed of 800 rpm is required to overcome at 1.83 m head
while pumping 0.2 m3/s. What type of pump is required and what is the power requirement?

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