What is the entropy increase per kilogram

In summary, the power plant delivers energy at 9.7E2 MW using steam turbines. The steam goes into the turbines superheated at 665 K and deposits its unused heat in river water at 298 K. The entropy increase per kilogram of the downstream river water is J/kg·K.
  • #1
bpw91284
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Homework Statement



Suppose a power plant delivers energy at 9.7E2 MW using steam turbines. The steam goes into the turbines superheated at 665 K and deposits its unused heat in river water at 298 K. Assume that the turbine operates as an ideal Carnot engine.

a. If the river flow rate is 37 m3/s, estimate the average temperature increase of the river water immediately downstream from the power plant.

b. What is the entropy increase per kilogram of the downstream river water in J/kg·K?

Homework Equations



http://www.physics.iastate.edu/getfile.php?FileID=3135
http://www.physics.iastate.edu/getfile.php?FileID=3170

The Attempt at a Solution



I solved for efficiency using e=1-T_L/T_H

Then used e=W/Q_H to get Q_H in watts

I could find Q_L with Q_H=Q_L+W but don't know where to go from there.

Maybe convert the volumetric flow rate to mass flowrate using density and then somehow use Q=mc(delta T)??
 
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  • #2
bpw91284 said:

Homework Statement



Suppose a power plant delivers energy at 9.7E2 MW using steam turbines. The steam goes into the turbines superheated at 665 K and deposits its unused heat in river water at 298 K. Assume that the turbine operates as an ideal Carnot engine.

a. If the river flow rate is 37 m3/s, estimate the average temperature increase of the river water immediately downstream from the power plant.

b. What is the entropy increase per kilogram of the downstream river water in J/kg·K?

Homework Equations



http://www.physics.iastate.edu/getfile.php?FileID=3135
http://www.physics.iastate.edu/getfile.php?FileID=3170

The Attempt at a Solution



I solved for efficiency using e=1-T_L/T_H

Then used e=W/Q_H to get Q_H in watts

I could find Q_L with Q_H=Q_L+W but don't know where to go from there.

Maybe convert the volumetric flow rate to mass flowrate using density and then somehow use Q=mc(delta T)??
You are on the right track. The question asks you to find the amount of heat flow per second and then to assume that the heat is carried away by 37m^3 of water per second. How much heat is dumped into the water each second (in joules) and what temperature increase does that give to 37,000 kg of water?

For entropy, just use dS = dQ/T

The question is somewhat confusing because it tells you that the heat flows into the river at 298 K and then it asks you to find the temperature of the water. But you will see that the temperature increase is very small.

AM
 
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  • #3
Andrew Mason said:
You are on the right track. The question asks you to find the amount of heat flow per second and then to assume that the heat is carried away by 37m^3 of water per second. How much heat is dumped into the water each second (in joules) and what temperature increase does that give to 37,000 kg of water?

For entropy, just use dS = dQ/T

The question is somewhat confusing because it tells you that the heat flows into the river at 298 K and then it asks you to find the temperature of the water. But you will see that the temperature increase is very small.

AM

So keep going with what I was doing, find Q_L, then Q_L=mc(delta T), and solve for delta T where Q_L is in watts and "m" is in kg per second?

All those efficiency and Q_H=Q_L+W etc. equations can be in either watts or joules right?

Thanks,
Brandon
 
  • #4
bpw91284 said:
So keep going with what I was doing, find Q_L, then Q_L=mc(delta T), and solve for delta T where Q_L is in watts and "m" is in kg per second?

All those efficiency and Q_H=Q_L+W etc. equations can be in either watts or joules right?
[itex]Q = m(c\Delta T)[/itex] . So differentiating with respect to time: [itex]dQ/dt = dm/dt(c\Delta T)[/itex] You are given dQ/dt (megawatts or 10^6 joules /sec) and dm/dt (convert to kg/sec from m^3/sec) so that should enable you to find [itex]\Delta T[/itex].

Efficiency can be thought of as the work per unit time divided by heat supplied per unit time.

AM
 
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  • #5
Andrew Mason said:
[itex]Q = m(c\Delta T)[/itex] . So differentiating with respect to time: [itex]dQ/dt = dm/dt(c\Delta T)[/itex] You are given dQ/dt (megawatts or 10^6 joules /sec) and dm/dt (convert to kg/sec from m^3/sec) so that should enable you to find [itex]\Delta T[/itex].

Efficiency can be thought of as the work per unit time divided by heat supplied per unit time.

AM

Calculus... I tutor this introductory physics class and the students haven't even had calculus yet. Any idea of how I can explain this to them without calculus.
 
  • #6
bpw91284 said:
Calculus... I tutor this introductory physics class and the students haven't even had calculus yet. Any idea of how I can explain this to them without calculus.


In time [itex]\Delta t[/itex], the heat flow is [itex]\Delta Q = P\Delta t/e[/itex]

This same heat flows to the water in the same time period. So:

[tex]\Delta Q = \Delta m c\Delta T = P\Delta t/e[/tex]

Now [itex]\Delta m = \dot m \Delta t [/itex] (flow rate x time) so:

[tex]\dot m c\Delta T = P/e[/tex]

AM
 

Related to What is the entropy increase per kilogram

What is entropy increase per kilogram?

Entropy increase per kilogram is a measure of the change in disorder or randomness of a substance per unit mass. It is a thermodynamic property that describes the amount of energy that is not available to do work.

How is entropy increase per kilogram calculated?

Entropy increase per kilogram can be calculated by dividing the change in entropy by the mass of the substance. It is typically measured in units of joules per kelvin per kilogram (J/K/kg).

What factors affect the entropy increase per kilogram?

The entropy increase per kilogram is affected by temperature, pressure, and the molecular structure of the substance. Higher temperatures and pressures generally lead to a greater increase in entropy, while more complex molecular structures may have a lower entropy increase per kilogram.

What is the significance of entropy increase per kilogram?

Entropy increase per kilogram is an important concept in thermodynamics and is used to understand and predict the behavior of substances in various systems. It helps to determine the direction and magnitude of energy flow and can also provide insight into the efficiency of energy conversion processes.

How does entropy increase per kilogram relate to the second law of thermodynamics?

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of a closed system will always increase over time. Entropy increase per kilogram is a measure of this overall increase in entropy and can be used to quantify the efficiency of energy transformations and the irreversibility of natural processes.

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