UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

1. The vacuum in a condenser is 690 mm of Hg when the barometer

reading is 765 mm of Hg. Correct this reading to the standard
barometer of 760 mm.

Given Data

Vacuum Pressure, pg = 690 mm of Hg

Barometric Pressure, pb = 765 mm of Hg

To Calculate

Corrected Vacuum

Solution

Corrected Vacuum = 760 – [pb - pg]

= 760 – [765-690]

= 685 mm of Hg

Result

Corrected Vacuum = 685 mm of Hg

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

2. Steam enters a condenser at 30°C and with barometer reading at 760

mm of Hg, a Vacuum of 700 mm was produced. Determine Vacuum
efficiency.

Given Data

Temperture of steam entering condenser, ts = 30°C

Barometric Pressure, pb = 760 mm of Hg

Vacuum Pressure, pg = 700 mm of Hg

To Calculate

Vacuum efficiency ῃvac

Solution

Absolute pressure in the condenser,

p = pb - p g

= 760 – 700

= 60 mm of Hg

At ts = 30°C, from steam tables,

Partial pressure of steam, ps = 0.04242 bar

ps = 0.04242 bar = 0.04242 x

= 31.8176 mm of Hg

Vacuum efficiency ῃvac = x 100

= x 100

= 96.13 %

Result

Vacuum efficiency ῃvac= 96.13 %

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

3. The inlet and outlet temperature of cooling water in a condenser are

29.5°C and 37.5°C respectively. If the vacuum in the condenser is 704.9
mm of Hg. With barometer reading 760 mm of Hg, find the condenser
efficiency.

Given data
Inlet temperature of water, t1 = 29.5°C
Outlet temperature of water, t2 = 37.5°C
Condenser vacuum, pg = 704.9 mm of Hg

Barometer reading, pb = 760 mm of Hg

To Calculate
Condenser efficiency, ῃcond

Solution

Absolute pressure in the condenser,

p = pb - p g

= 760 – 704.9

p = 55.1 mm of Hg 0.070 - 39.03°C

0.075 - 40.32°C
Convert the pressure unit
0.005 increase - 1.29 increases
from mm of Hg to bar
0.00346 increase
p = 55.1 x 9𝑥 4
=
p = 0.07346 bar = 0.89268°C
From steam tables, at 0.07 - 39.03 °C

p = 0.07346 bar , ts = 39.92 °C 0.00346 - 0.89268°C

0.07346 39.92268 °C
Condenser efficiency, ῃcond
UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

ῃcond = x 100 %

ῃcond = x 100 %

= x 100

ῃcond = 76.775 %

Result

Condenser efficiency ῃcond= 76.775 %

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

4. A Surface condenser is designed to handle 17500 kg of steam per hour.

The steam enters at 0.2 bar pressure and 87 % dry and is condensed to
water at 60 °C. The circulating water enters at 40°C and leaves at 50°C.
The condenser is made of 22mm inside diameter tubes. If the velocity
of water in the tube should not exceed 1.78 m/sec, determine the
number of tubes that must be used to build the condenser.
Given data

Mass of steam, ms= 17500 kg/hr.

Pressure of steam, p = 0.2 bar

Dryness fraction, x = 0.87

Condensate temperature, tc= 60 °C

Inlet temperature of cooling water, t1= 40°C

Inlet temperature of cooling water, t2= 50°C

Diameter of the tube, d= 22 mm = 0.022 m

Velocity of water, C=1.78 m/sec

To Calculate

Number of tubes used in the condenser, n.

Solution

NUMBER OF TUBES REQUIRED

From Steam Table at p = 0.2 bar

hf= 251.5 kJ/kg

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

hfg= 2358.4 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at t1=40°C; hf1= 167.5 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at t2=50°C; hf2= 209.3 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at tc=60°C; hc= 251.1 kJ/kg

Enthalpy of steam entering condenser,

hwet = hf + (x. hfg) kJ/kg

= 251.5 + ( 0.87 x 2358.4)

hwet = 2303.308 kJ/kg

Mass of water Required

kg/hr

kg/hr

= 238.66 kg/s
4
Number of tubes

n = 352.71 = 353 (round of value)

Result

Number of tubes, n = 353.

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

5. A surface condenser is required to condense 25000 Kg of steam per

hour at a pressure of 0.12 bar and 0.88 dryness. Cooling water enters at
30° C and leaves at 40° C. If the velocity of water in the tubes should not
exceed 2 m/s, determine the number of 25 mm inner diameter tubes
that must be used to build the condenser. Condensate temperature is
49° C.
Given data

Mass of steam, ms= 25000 kg/hr.

Pressure of steam, p = 0.12 bar

Dryness fraction, x = 0.88

Condensate temperature, tc= 49°C

Inlet temperature of cooling water, t1= 30°C

Inlet temperature of cooling water, t2= 40°C

Diameter of the tube, d= 25 mm = 0.025 m

Velocity of water, C= 2 m/sec

To Calculate

Number of tubes used in the condenser, n.

Solution

NUMBER OF TUBES REQUIRED

From Steam Table at p = 0.12 bar

hf= 206.9 kJ/kg

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

hfg= 2383.2 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at t1=30°C; hf1= 125.7 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at t2=40°C; hf2= 167.5 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at tc=49°C; hc = 205.1 kJ/kg

Enthalpy of steam entering condenser,

hwet = hf + (x. hfg) kJ/kg

= 206.9 + ( 0.88 x2383.2)

hwet = 2304.116 kJ/kg

Mass of water Required

kg/hr

= 1255392.345 kg/s

= 348.7201 kg/s
4
Number of tubes

4 4

n = 355.2034 = 356 (round of value)

Result

Number of tubes, n = 356.

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

6. A Surface condenser is designed to handle 17600 kg of steam per hour.

The steam enters at 0.2 bar pressure and quality is 0.88. Cooling water
enters at 40°C and leaves at 50°C. The condenser is made of 23 mm
inside diameter tubes. The velocity of water in the tube is 1.8 m/sec.
Calculate the number of tubes that must be used in the condenser. The
temperature of the condensed is 60 °C.
Given data

Mass of steam, ms= 17600 kg/hr.

Pressure of steam, p = 0.2 bar

Dryness fraction, x = 0.88

Condensate temperature, tc= 60 °C

Inlet temperature of cooling water, t1= 40°C

Inlet temperature of cooling water, t2= 50°C

Diameter of the tube, d= 23 mm = 0.023 m

Velocity of water, C=1.8 m/sec

To Calculate

Number of tubes used in the condenser, n.

Solution

NUMBER OF TUBES REQUIRED

From Steam Table at p = 0.2 bar

hf= 251.5 kJ/kg

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

hfg= 2358.4 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at t1=40°C; hf1= 167.5 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at t2=50°C; hf2= 209.3 kJ/kg

From Steam Table at tc=60°C; hc= 251.1 kJ/kg

Enthalpy of steam entering condenser,

hwet = hf + (x. hfg) kJ/kg

= 251.5 + ( 0.87 x 2358.4)

hwet = 2303.308 kJ/kg

Mass of water Required

kg/hr

kg/hr

= 240.024 kg/s
4
Number of tubes

4 4 4

n = 321.11 = 321 (round of value)

Result

Number of tubes, n = 321.

UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

7. During a trial on a steam condenser a vacuum of 68.5 cm of Hg was

obtained with a barometer reading 76.5 cm of Hg. The temperature of
the condenser is 34°C. Correct the vacuum to a standard barometer of
76 cm and hence determine the partial pressure of air and steam
present and also the mass of air present with 1 Kg of steam. R for air =
0.287 kJ/KgK.

Given Data

Vacuum in condenser, pg = 68.5 cm of Hg = 685 mm of Hg

Barometric reading, pb = 76.5 cm of Hg = 765 mm of Hg

Condenser temperature, ts = 34°C,

Ts = Ta = 34+273 = 307 K

For air, R = 0.287 kJ/KgK

To Calculate

1. Corrected Vacuum
2. mass of air present with 1 Kg of steam

Solution

1. Corrected Vacuum = 760 – [pb - pg]

= 760 – [765-685]

= 680 mm of Hg

2. Mass of air present with 1 Kg of steam

pa . Va = ma . R . Ta

ma =

Absolute pressure in the condenser,

p = pb - p g
UNIT - 1 CONDENSER PROBLEM THERMAL AND AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING - SDK@2020

= 765– 685

p = 80 mm of Hg

p = 80 mm of Hg, = 80 x

= 0.10666 bar

At ts = 34°C, from steam tables,

Partial pressure of steam, ps = 0.05318 bar and

specific volume of steam vs = 26.601 m3/kg

Partial Pressure of air, from Dalton’s theory

p = ps + pa bar
pa = p – ps bar

= 0.10666 – 0.05318

= 0.05348 bar

pa = 5.348 kN/m2

from Dalton’s theory vs = va

ma =

4
=
ma = 1.6146 kg/kg of steam

Result

Corrected Vacuum = 680 mm of Hg

Mass of air, ma = 1.6146 kg/kg of steam