Calculate steam raised per hour

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the amount of steam raised per hour from flue gases produced by the combustion of a fuel gas mixture. The problem involves thermodynamic principles, including heat transfer, specific heat capacities, and mass flow rates, with a focus on the energy balance between the flue gases and the water being converted to steam.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Andy presents a problem involving a fuel gas mixture and seeks to calculate the steam produced using given parameters, including flow rates and temperatures.
  • Some participants question the necessity of calculating the heat capacity of the fuel gas mix, suggesting the focus should be on the products of combustion, specifically CO2 and water.
  • Others provide resources and guidance on how to approach the problem, emphasizing the need to break it down into smaller steps and to ensure all terms in equations are correctly defined.
  • Participants discuss the specific heat capacities of the flue gases at high temperatures and how to calculate the total heat transfer from the flue gases to the water.
  • There are suggestions to check calculations step by step and to consider the heat of vaporization when converting water to steam, indicating potential gaps in Andy's approach.
  • Some participants express uncertainty about the values used for specific heat capacities and the implications of phase changes in the calculations.
  • There is a proposal to calculate mole fractions of gases in the flue gas mixture to aid in determining heat capacities and energy transfers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the correct approach to the calculations, with multiple competing views on how to handle specific heat capacities, phase changes, and the overall methodology for solving the problem. The discussion remains unresolved with various interpretations and suggestions being offered.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include potential inaccuracies in the heat capacity values used, assumptions about the behavior of gases at high temperatures, and the need for clarity on the phase change of water during the heating process. The discussion also highlights the importance of defining terms and ensuring all calculations are transparent.

  • #31
Chestermiller said:
Check the units

Sorry Chester, I know you're trying to help, but you'll have to give me a bit more than that.
I've already adjusted the units once (another previous post) - I'm missing/not grasping something.
 
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  • #32
kmoles x (kg/kmole) = kg
 
  • #33
Did you really think that the flow rate in a piece of industrial equipment was only 40 kg/hr?
 
  • #34
I noticed it was small, especially with my steam produced being so small.
But as I haven't done any mass and energy balance modules etc or much in the way conversion kmol to kg/h, I'm just trying best I can.
 
  • #35
Well, one thing you must make sure about is that the units correctly cancel. This will prevent you from mutiplying when you should be dividing, or dividing when you should be multiplying.
 
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  • #36
Thanks for that, and for pointing out that it should be a multiplication.
Think the stoichiometry has jumbled my head somewhat.
 
  • #37
Something still isn't quite right somewhere.

Missing a step methinks.
 
  • #38
Right, I think I should be adding enthalpy into the system into my qmc equation.

But I'm not sure I understand why.

Why would you divide the heat load by the heat capacity of water x dT + system enthalpy?
 
  • #39
Rogue said:
Right, I think I should be adding enthalpy into the system into my qmc equation.

But I'm not sure I understand why.

Why would you divide the heat load by the heat capacity of water x dT + system enthalpy?

Sorry, enthalpy of steam at 5bar.

I guess this tells you the energy required to produce the steam at 5bar?
Don't think I've factored this in before on other heat transfer equations though.
 
  • #40
Rogue said:
I noticed it was small, especially with my steam produced being so small.
But as I haven't done any mass and energy balance modules etc or much in the way conversion kmol to kg/h, I'm just trying best I can.
Rogue said:
Flue gas:
CO2 = 3.9. (11%)
H2O = 4.75. (13.5%)
O2 = 0.6. (0.6%)
N2 = 25.96. (25.96%)

Total 35.21
I don't confirm these mole percents or your molecular weight. I get
11.06%
13.48%
1.78%
73.68%
And a molecular weight of 28.5 kg/kmole
 
  • #41
Rogue said:
Sorry, enthalpy of steam at 5bar.

I guess this tells you the energy required to produce the steam at 5bar?
Don't think I've factored this in before on other heat transfer equations though.

Now, I think I understand.
It appears that most of my other work has involved heating a substance without change of state.
During the heating, when the water (liquid) turns to steam (water -gas), additional enthalpy is required for the change of state.

This being an additional draw on the heating system needs to be factored in.
 
  • #42
Check out my post #12 from a year ago. This has the correct results.
 
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  • #43
Chestermiller said:
I don't confirm these mole percents or your molecular weight. I get
11.06%
13.48%
1.78%
73.68%
And a molecular weight of 28.5 kg/kmole

Sorry Chester, my mistake. I did have these correct but it would appear I have transferred across onto here incorrectly.
 
  • #44
Rogue said:
Sorry Chester, my mistake. I did have these correct but it would appear I have transferred across onto here incorrectly.
What about the molecular weight?

What do you get for the heat load now?
 
  • #45
Chestermiller said:
Check out my post #12 from a year ago. This has the correct results.

Thanks Chester.
I don't doubt your answer or replies, but I'm not willing to just copy across from something.
I need to work through it and gain the understanding where I'm lacking (I have no one to teach me or advise).
I'd rather get it wrong on my own merits then blindly repeat something.

Whilst I appreciate it might be frustrating for yourself, my posts and your replies have helped me rethink my original attempt.
 
  • #46
Chestermiller said:
What about the molecular weight?

What do you get for the heat load now?

Yeh, got that. Too many pages with scribbles.

My heat load is 101276973 after 5% heat loss.
The difference coming from my flame temp difference.

Thanks Chester
 
  • #47
Rogue said:
Yeh, got that. Too many pages with scribbles.

My heat load is 101276973 after 5% heat loss.
The difference coming from my flame temp difference.

Thanks Chester
I got less than that. With the 5% heat loss, I get 90 MJ./hr
 
  • #48
Chestermiller said:
I got less than that. With the 5% heat loss, I get 90 MJ./hr

My delta T was 1750 (2050-300), which is different to your original answer.
 
  • #49
Rogue said:
My delta T was 1750 (2050-300), which is different to your original answer.
Where did the 2050 come from?
 
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  • #50
Chestermiller said:
Where did the 2050 come from?
This is determined by a previous question where flame temperature needs to be calculated.
There will always be some differences in answer to this question as it has to be interpolated from a graph drawn by the student.
Accuracy will obviously depend on each student to an extent.
Any rounding errors calculating enthalpy in the fuel gas will also affect this.
 
  • #51
Rogue said:
This is determined by a previous question where flame temperature needs to be calculated.
There will always be some differences in answer to this question as it has to be interpolated from a graph drawn by the student.
Accuracy will obviously depend on each student to an extent.
Any rounding errors calculating enthalpy in the fuel gas will also affect this.
If this is the case, the heat load could have been determined much more accurately by neglecting the heating to the adiabatic flame temperature all together and, instead, simply using Hess' Law to determine the enthalpy change between reactants at 25 C and products at 300 C. In this way, one would only need to know the average heat capacities of the products over the range from 25 C to 300 C.
 
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  • #52
Chestermiller said:
If this is the case, the heat load could have been determined much more accurately by neglecting the heating to the adiabatic flame temperature all together and, instead, simply using Hess' Law to determine the enthalpy change between reactants at 25 C and products at 300 C. In this way, one would only need to know the average heat capacities of the products over the range from 25 C to 300 C.

Definitely a good point.
I think the question was worded in such a way to point us down the interpolation route.

I had not even considered what you said, suppose that comes with experience/confidence.
 

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