Thermodynamics: Pressure and temperature from turbine

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the outlet temperature (T2) and pressure (P2) of a turbine receiving air from a combustor in an aircraft engine. Participants explore the application of thermodynamic principles, including energy balance and entropy changes, within the context of an ideal turbine with an efficiency of 1.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the energy balance equation for a control volume, concluding that energy is not changing, leading to a simplified equation.
  • They express uncertainty about how to handle the work term in the energy balance equation.
  • Another participant suggests that the process is isentropic due to the turbine's ideal efficiency, leading to the entropy change equation for an ideal gas.
  • They derive a relationship between T2 and P2 but note that two unknowns remain, complicating the solution.
  • Participants discuss the integration of the work term and find a relationship that reaffirms the earlier entropy equation.
  • One participant claims to know the expected values for P2 and T2 but is unsure how to derive them from the given information.
  • Another participant hints that additional information about the turbine may be necessary to resolve the problem.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty and disagreement regarding the derivation of the outlet conditions (T2 and P2). There is no consensus on how to proceed with the problem or on the values of P2 and T2, despite one participant stating their expected values.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the exhaust pressure is typically taken to be atmospheric pressure, but this assumption may depend on specific turbine characteristics that have not been fully clarified in the discussion.

Henry Stonebury
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Homework Statement


A turbine is receiving air from a combuster inside of an aircraft engine. At the inlet of the turbine I know that
T1 = 1273 K and P1 = 549 KPa, and the velocity of the air is essentially 0.
The turbine is assumed to be ideal, so its efficiency is exactly 1.

Also: R = 287 J/KgK, Cv = 716 J/KgK, and Cp = Cv + R = 1003 J/KgK

What I am trying to find is the temperature and the pressure at the outlet(T2, P2).

Homework Equations


The energy balance equation for control volumes:
d(Ecv)/dt = Qdot - Wdot + mdot*[(h1 - h2) + (V1^2 - V2^2)/2 + g(z1 - z2)]

Change of Entropy for ideal gas:
deltaS = Cp*ln(T2/T1) - R*ln(P2/P1)

and of course the Ideal Gas law, if it is useful here:
Pv = RT, where v is specific volume

The Attempt at a Solution



First, I considered the energy balance equation. Energy is not changing in this process so d(Ecv)/dt = 0. Also, kinetic and potential energy are not changing so their respective terms are also made to be 0. There is no heat transfer into or out of the turbine so the Qdot term is also 0.

I am left with:

0 = -Wdot + mdot(h1 - h2)

Rearranging:

-Wdot/mdot = h2 - h1

h2 - h1 can be replaced with Cp(T2 - T1), so

-Wdot/mdot = Cp(T2 - T1)

At this point I start to become unsure of myself, as I am not completely sure what to do with the work term here. I decided to move on and look at the entropy to see if I could get further.

I assumed that this process is isentropic, so deltaS should be 0. The reason why I chose to assume this is because of the fact that the efficiency = 1 for this turbine.

so using the entropy equation for ideal gas:

0 = Cp*ln(T2/T1) - R*ln(P2/P1)

I get:

T2/T1 = (P2/P1)^(R/Cp)

This is where I hit a dead end. I have two unknowns in this equation, so I would need another equation in order to solve for both of them. I thought of using the Ideal Gas law here, but I realized that using it would add an extra unknown: specific volume.

So all I am left with is that work term in the energy balance equation. In my textbook I found that:

Wdot/mdot = int(vdP)

so I decided to try it. I replaced v with RT/P from the ideal gas law and tried integrating like so:

int( RT/P dP ) = int( Cp dT)
int( R/P dP ) = int( Cp/T dT)

and to my amazement this gave me: R*ln(P2/P1) = Cp*ln(T2/T1), which is of course equal to my entropy equation from before.

So now I am hopelessly lost, and hopefully somebody can shed some light on what I am doing wrong here.
 
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Henry Stonebury said:

Homework Statement


A turbine is receiving air from a combuster inside of an aircraft engine. At the inlet of the turbine I know that
T1 = 1273 K and P1 = 549 KPa, and the velocity of the air is essentially 0.
The turbine is assumed to be ideal, so its efficiency is exactly 1.

Also: R = 287 J/KgK, Cv = 716 J/KgK, and Cp = Cv + R = 1003 J/KgK

What I am trying to find is the temperature and the pressure at the outlet(T2, P2).

Homework Equations


The energy balance equation for control volumes:
d(Ecv)/dt = Qdot - Wdot + mdot*[(h1 - h2) + (V1^2 - V2^2)/2 + g(z1 - z2)]

Change of Entropy for ideal gas:
deltaS = Cp*ln(T2/T1) - R*ln(P2/P1)

and of course the Ideal Gas law, if it is useful here:
Pv = RT, where v is specific volume

The Attempt at a Solution



First, I considered the energy balance equation. Energy is not changing in this process so d(Ecv)/dt = 0. Also, kinetic and potential energy are not changing so their respective terms are also made to be 0. There is no heat transfer into or out of the turbine so the Qdot term is also 0.

I am left with:

0 = -Wdot + mdot(h1 - h2)

Rearranging:

-Wdot/mdot = h2 - h1

h2 - h1 can be replaced with Cp(T2 - T1), so

-Wdot/mdot = Cp(T2 - T1)

At this point I start to become unsure of myself, as I am not completely sure what to do with the work term here. I decided to move on and look at the entropy to see if I could get further.

I assumed that this process is isentropic, so deltaS should be 0. The reason why I chose to assume this is because of the fact that the efficiency = 1 for this turbine.

so using the entropy equation for ideal gas:

0 = Cp*ln(T2/T1) - R*ln(P2/P1)

I get:

T2/T1 = (P2/P1)^(R/Cp)

This is where I hit a dead end. I have two unknowns in this equation, so I would need another equation in order to solve for both of them. I thought of using the Ideal Gas law here, but I realized that using it would add an extra unknown: specific volume.

So all I am left with is that work term in the energy balance equation. In my textbook I found that:

Wdot/mdot = int(vdP)

so I decided to try it. I replaced v with RT/P from the ideal gas law and tried integrating like so:

int( RT/P dP ) = int( Cp dT)
int( R/P dP ) = int( Cp/T dT)

and to my amazement this gave me: R*ln(P2/P1) = Cp*ln(T2/T1), which is of course equal to my entropy equation from before.

So now I am hopelessly lost, and hopefully somebody can shed some light on what I am doing wrong here.

You're given P1 as the gas comes out of the combuster and enters the turbine. What is P2 at the exit of the turbine? What should it be?
 
P2 and T2 are the temperature and pressure at the exit of the turbine, and in this problem they are both unknowns.

I do however know what their values are supposed to be: P2 = 293KPa, T2 = 1063K
I just do not know how to get there with what I have.
 
Henry Stonebury said:
P2 and T2 are the temperature and pressure at the exit of the turbine, and in this problem they are both unknowns.

I do however know what their values are supposed to be: P2 = 293KPa, T2 = 1063K
I just do not know how to get there with what I have.
You must have been given some more information about the turbine which you have overlooked.

Unless there is something specific happening with this turbine, the exhaust pressure is usually taken to be atmospheric pressure.

What is the problem statement given to you verbatim?
 

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