Calculating Heat Load: Understanding Formulas and Physical Properties

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating heat load, specifically focusing on the formulas and physical properties required for cooling gases, including the specific heat of styrene. Participants explore various approaches to the problem, including the need for specific heat values and the heat of condensation.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in calculating heat load and requests guidance on the appropriate formula.
  • Another participant suggests that the original post should be moved to a homework section and requests the poster to provide their attempted solutions.
  • Several participants note the importance of having formulas for cooling the gas stream and condensing styrene, indicating that these are essential for the calculations.
  • Specific heat is identified as a necessary value for the calculations, with a suggestion to look it up based on the type of gas involved.
  • One participant proposes a formula for calculating heat load, emphasizing the relationship between specific heat, flow rate, and temperature drop.
  • There is a discussion about finding the specific heat of styrene, with suggestions to search online resources and databases.
  • Another participant mentions the need to consider the composition of the gas mixture, specifically noting that styrene constitutes only a small percentage of the total gas being cooled.
  • Participants reference external sources and literature for thermodynamic properties, indicating that some information may be behind paywalls.
  • One participant proposes a formula for calculating heat load based on a mixture of gases, incorporating the specific heat of both components.
  • Another participant mentions a specific resource (Purcell and Shareef) that provides relevant formulas and properties, suggesting it may be useful for the calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need for specific heat values and formulas for calculating heat load, but there is no consensus on the exact methods or sources to obtain these values. Multiple approaches and resources are suggested, indicating a lack of agreement on a single solution.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the specific heat of styrene and the overall composition of the gas mixture, highlighting the complexity of the calculations involved. There are references to external literature and resources, but access to some may be limited.

Povilas
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Moved from a technical forum, so homework template missing
Hello everyone, I'm having problems understanding how to calculate heat load. Does anyone know what formula should i use?
I tried to calculate energy needed to cool the gases to 20 F but i need specific heat witch i don't know how to calculate.
Info in the picture.
Thank you for your time :)
 

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please post in homework. And use the template: what formulas do you have at your disposal ? What is your own attempt at solution ?
 
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I'm sorry, this is not really a homework, this is for my bachelor. I'm in a situation where I took more then I can handle. I will edit my first post to include what I tried.
 
It's hard work, I realize: coolant must
  1. cool the whole gas stream to 20 F (the bulk of the work)
  2. condense 90% of the styrene (a small extra term)
for a bachelor you should have formulas at hand for both of these tasks.
 
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BvU said:
It's hard work, I realize: coolant must
  1. cool the whole gas stream to 20 F (the bulk of the work)
  2. condense 90% of the styrene (a small extra term)
for a bachelor you should have formulas at hand for both of these tasks.
I don't have any formulas, because I'm going somewhat out of my filed (i study environmental engineering). Thank you for replying.
 
Plenty formulas here, but I would advise to read some introductory thermodynamics first.
 
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BvU said:
Plenty formulas here, but I would advise to read some introductory thermodynamics first.
I will thank you.
 
Read your edited first post: for the gas you indeed need the specific heat, which generally you look up (but that requires that you know what gas it is ... :wink: )

You can imagine heat needed is proportional to this ##c_p##, proportional to the flowrate and proportional to the temperature drop:$$ Q = c_p \, \dot m\, \Delta T$$
 
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BvU said:
Read your edited first post: for the gas you indeed need the specific heat, which generally you look up (but that requires that you know what gas it is ... :wink: )

You can imagine heat needed is proportional to this ##c_p##, proportional to the flowrate and proportional to the temperature drop:$$ Q = c_p \, \dot m\, \Delta T$$
Is there any way to calculate specific heat of styrene? I've been looking for it few hours now... Thank you.
 
  • #11
Povilas said:
Is there any way to calculate specific heat of styrene? I've been looking for it few hours now... Thank you.
You just look it up : google 'styrene gas heat capacity' and there you are. Point is that the styrene is only 1.3% of the stuff you are trying to cool down, so you still need to know what the remainder is ...

For the condensation you need the heat of condensation (e.g. from the same source)
 
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  • #12
A search on ' thermodynamic properties of styrene ' returns links for several books and papers dealing with this subject in detail . They are almost all behind paywalls but if you are at an accredited study centre you may be able to get free downloads .
 
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  • #13
Thank you, I will try some calculations
BvU said:
You just look it up : google 'styrene gas heat capacity' and there you are. Point is that the styrene is only 1.3% of the stuff you are trying to cool down, so you still need to know what the remainder is ...

For the condensation you need the heat of condensation (e.g. from the same source)
So let's say I have a mixture of two gases and styrene is 1.3% can i calculate Q like this:
Q=(m1*0.013*c1+m2*0.987*c2)(T1-T2) ?
 
  • #14
Nidum said:
A search on ' thermodynamic properties of styrene ' returns links for several books and papers dealing with this subject in detail . They are almost all behind paywalls but if you are at an accredited study centre you may be able to get free downloads .
That's one way. Another is to dig up Purcell and Shareef (which wasn't all that difficult :mad:) and in fact they do it all for you ! Formulas, phys props, the works ! Hideous units, but you can't have everything :wink:.

Spoiler: the 'other gas' is air ?:) !
 
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  • #15
BvU said:
That's one way. Another is to dig up Purcell and Shareef (which wasn't all that difficult :mad:) and in fact they do it all for you ! Formulas, phys props, the works ! Hideous units, but you can't have everything :wink:.

Spoiler: the 'other gas' is air ?:) !
Thank you kind sir, I will be forever in debt for you.:smile:
 

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