Thermodynamics Lab:

Marcet Boiler
 Thermal Lab: Marcet Boiler
•The objective of the Lab High pressure vessel
Demonstration of the relationship between the saturation pressure and temperature of
water/steam in the range 0 – 14 bar (gauge) and relationship of the increase/decrease
of temperature on the systems pressure.
•The Set-up (outline)
Inside the pressure vessel is the water-steam mixture, which is heated by a boiler Water/Steam Heat Transfer
heater. The vessel is not perfectly insulated therefore heat is transferred into the P, T
ambient temperature. Details of the experimental setup and safety instructions can be to Ambient
found in the Lab handout. (/dt)
•The principles
Energy conservation (1st Law of Thermodynamics) and Newton’s Law of heat transfer. The
Saturated pressures and temperatures can be directly measured from the lab apparatus,
and parameters such as heat transfer will be calculated by measuring the T and dT/dt
from Lab.
•Lab Demonstration
The temperature of the fluid system will be recorded at 1 Bar intervals, from 1 to 14 Bar
while adding heat to the system. The second step is to record temperatures from 14 to Boiler heater
1 bar as the system cools down to ambient temperature and pressure.
 The principles of the Lab: The Clapeyron
relationship
At saturate state of fluid, the Clapeyron relationship
describes the relation between pressure and
temperature,
Heat
Water/Steam Transfer
P, T to
Since, and ≫, then the previous equation can be Ambient
simplified to: (/dt)

Note: The Ts and Ps can be measured directly by sensors of the

experimental facility.
Boiler heater
 The principles of the Lab: First Law of
Thermodynamics and heat transfer
• Is the Marcet Boiler an open or a closed system?
Closed as no mass flows in/out the system.

Heat
•The 1st law of Thermodynamics for closed system: Water/Steam Transfer
P, T to
Ambient
(/dt)
where,

Q: all the heat interactions (kJ)

W: the moving boundary work (kJ)

U: The internal energy of working fluids (kJ)

Boiler heater
t: time (s)
 Heat transfer of calculations of and
By 1st Law of TD Cooling:
(1) (5)
Heat Transfer to Ambient :

(2) Where
=Surface Area of the pressurised tank ()
Change in Internal Energy: = Heat Transfer Coefficient (kJ/m2 s k) OR (W/ m2 k)
T= Boiler Temperature (oC or K)
(3) = Ambient Temperature (oC or K)
= The total heat capacity of fluid and rig wall (kJ/K)
Energy conservative during heating:

(4) The unknows of and can be calculated by Eq (4) and (5) if

and T can be measured from Lab experiment
Saturated Water-Steam Table
 What are Steam Tables?
 Why are they used?
 Using linear interpolation to find X

P T (𝑇 2 − 𝑇 1 )( 𝑃 3 − 𝑃 1)
𝑋= + 𝑃1
2 120.2 (𝑇 3 −𝑇 1)

X 127
𝑋=2.511
3 133.5
Lab Demonstration & Data Recording
 Gauge vs Barometric & Absolute Pressure

 Increasing Temperature (When Heating)

 Decreasing Temperature (When Cooling)
 Mean Temperature from Thermostat
 Experimental data vs Available Data
vailable Data)
= specific volume of steam (m3/kg)
= latent heat of vaporisation (kJ/kg )
Short Lab
1. Why is this lab exercise useful; where can the results be used in engineering
design/industry? List a minimum of three engineering applications.
2. Show the calculation to obtain the values of the products αAs and MC.
3. Explain the necessity to expel the air from the apparatus at start the of experiment.
4. Applying 1st law of thermodynamics, explain the energy balance at T = Tmax in this
experiment.
5. How does the published data of P versus T compare to measured data of P versus T for both
heating and cooling? Explain your findings.
6. List a few examples of industrial application of the liquid and vapour behaviour observed
through the experiment.
Lab Demonstration & Data Recording
Introduction:
https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/c761bb1c-d26d-494e-8638-a28eb6a03026

Lab Demonstration:
https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/0ddfa2b6-6469-4218-bc68-fa0001f493df