2 Questions - Heating room air, and fuel combustion efficiency

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around two questions related to heating air in a room and the efficiency of fuel combustion in an internal combustion engine. The first question involves calculating the time required for a heater to raise the temperature of air in a specified room volume, while the second question focuses on determining the fuel consumption of an engine based on its power output and efficiency.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the volume of the room and the energy required for heating, but expresses uncertainty about the next steps and the appropriate formulas to use. Some participants suggest breaking down the problem into smaller parts, such as calculating the mass of air and the temperature change. For the second question, there is a discussion about the efficiency of the engine and how to relate power output to power input.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problems, with some offering guidance on how to approach the calculations. There is a clear division of focus between the two questions, and while the original poster is seeking help, no consensus has been reached on the solutions yet.

Contextual Notes

The original poster notes potential mistakes in their calculations and expresses doubt about the feasibility of their results, indicating a need for clarification on the concepts involved.

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2 Questions -- Heating room air, and fuel combustion efficiency

Homework Statement


2 questions. In advance, i needed to translate it so i am sorry if it is states incorrect. I really did my best to do it right.

1.
The density of air at 1 atm and 10.0 ° C is equal to 1.24 kg / m3. (cubic meter)
A room has the following sizes: 8,0 m x 4,5 m x 2,7 m
Calculate how long it takes for a heater of 1.5 kW to heat the air from the room to 21.0 ° C.
Use c = 1005 J / kg / K

2.
An internal combustion engine uses a fuel with calorific value/heating value of 38 MJ / kg.
The density of the fuel is 900 kg / m3. (cubic meter)
Of each MJ heat only 0.25 MJ is converted to mechanical energy.
The efficiency is 25%.
The engine can deliver 30 kW.
Calculate how many liters of fuel per hour the engine used.

Homework Equations


http://imgur.com/WQx3BqI

these are the once i used. I probly made some/a lot mistakes so i don't know if i need more.

The Attempt at a Solution


1.
8,0m x 4,5m x 2,7m = 97,2m3 (cubic meters)
1 atm and 10.0 ° C = 1,24 kg/m3
Heater 1,5 kW = 1500 W = 1500 J/s
C = 1005 J/kg/K

This is where I am atm. I figured I needed to change the heater to J/s hence you need to know how long it takes. But after I gathered all the data I could find I don’t know where to start with the calculation or what formula to use first.

2.
Usage = 38 MJ/kg = 0,38 x 10^8 J/kg
P = 900 kg/m3 (cubic meters)
Energy usage = x 0.25
30 kw = 30000 J/s
30000 J/s x 3600 = 1,08 x 10^8 J/hour (first I figured I needed to set it in hours)
0,38x10^8 / 1,08x10^8 = 0,3519 J/kg/hour
900x0,3519 = 316,71 m3 (cubic meters)
316,71 m3 = 316710 dm3 = 316710 Liters of fuel.

I doubt there is an engine that uses that much so I think I made some mistakes.


I hope i can get some help here on 1 or maybe even both questions. Thanks in advance. I tried my best on both and these are the answers and solutions i could produce
 
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One problem at a time...

Look up "Specific Heat Capacity" in your textbook.

Write down the equation that relates energy to mass and the temperature rise.

Then calculate the following in this order..

a) how many Kg of air you are heating.
b) What the temperature rise is in Kelvin (ΔT)
c) The number of joules needed to raise that much mass of air by that ΔT.
d) Then it might help to know that 1W = 1J/S. If you know how many joules are required and the rate at which the heater produces them you can calculate how many seconds it will take.
 
thanks, going to try that now
 
I'm off to bed as late here.

For Q2

Eff(%) = 100 * Power_out/power_in

rearrange to give

Power_in = 100 * Power_out/Eff

I make the power going into the engine 120kW.

More tomorrow.
 

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