1
C
HAPTER
1
INTRODU TION
In this chapter the purpose of fluid machines, their application in process
industries and the role of the chemical engineer with respect to fluid machines
is discussed. In addition some basic relevant concepts and terminologies are explained.
1.1
FLUID MACHINES IN CHEMICAL PROCESS INDUSTRIES
In chemical and process industries it is usually required to increase the mechanical energy of fluids. In moving fluids from one place to another it may be required to increase the mechanical energy to account for increase in geodetic energy (potential energy), velocity energy, pressure energy and losses due to fluid friction. In gasses the energy may be related to moving the gas or compress it. The machines used for this purpose are called fluid machines. Fluid machines used to transport liquid are known as pumps. Fans, blowers and
compressors are used to increase the mechanical energy of gasses. Pumps are used to transport process and service liquids. Fans are used in
v
entilating buildings, aerating workstations, exhausting or introducing air or other gasses into process reactors, dryers, cooling towers, kilns, etc., at relatively low pressure. Fans are
also used in some air-cooled heat exchangers. Blowers and compressors are used to compress process gas, supplying plant with compressed air, convey solid material in suspension, exhausting or introducing air into process reactor at higher pressures and
similar processes.
Chapter 1 Introduction
2
The chemical engineer is involved in selecting, installing, operating, testing and maintaining fluid machines depending on his assignment. To do this effectively the engineer has to know the system where the fluid machine is to be used and the operating
principles, capability and limitations of the different types of fluid machines. In moving fluids the most important system parameters are the properties of the fluid (viscosity, density, composition, vapor pressure, etc.) the flow rate, the specific energy requirement
and the suction condition. In case of compression the important parameters are the required flow rate, the property of the gas (Molecular weight, specific heat capacity, and
inlet and discharge temperature, viscosity) and the compression ratio. The determination of these parameters is dealt with in Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Substance Parameters. This teaching material is intended to introduce the chemical engineer with the most common fluid machines that he will encounter in the chemical and process industries. This teaching material covers the characteristic features, operation principles, and the theory behind the operation principles of various fluid machines. These principles are used for selection, installation, operation and maintenance of fluid machines.
1.2
BASIC CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGIES Mechanical Energy
of a flowing fluid is part of the total energy of the fluid that can be directly and completely converted to work. It is the sum of the potential, kinetic and pressure energy of the flow medium. Heat and internal energy cannot be completely converted to work. Energy that is converted to heat or internal energy is lost work or loss in mechanical energy. Mechanical energy is also known as useful energy.
The specific work of a fluid machine
is the useful energy (work) that the machine transfers or can transfer to the flow medium per unit mass of the fluid. The SI unit of specific energy is J/kg or m
2
/s
2
.
The total head
transferred to a flow medium
is the specific energy transferred to the fluid divided by the gravitational acceleration and is the measure of the amount of useful
Chapter 1 Introduction
3
energy (mechanical energy or work) of the flow medium. The term head is more commonly used in centrifugal pumps. The SI unit of head is meter.
g Y H
(1.1) H=Head, Y= Specific Work g=gravitational acceleration.
The head of a pump
is the specific energy that the pump can transfer to the flow medium (liquid) under specified condition divided by the gravitational acceleration.
Example 1.1
The rate of energy transfer from a fluid machine to a flow medium is 40kW and the mass flow rate of the flow medium is 2kg/s. Calculate the specific energy transferred to the fluid.
Solution
N= 40kW= 40 kJ/s, mass flow rate= 2kg/s
kJ/kg20kg/s2kJ/s40second per flowMass
second per transferedenergyTotal
EnergySpecific
Example 1.2
Determine the head of the fluid machine in Example 1.1.
Solution
Y=20,000 J/kg=20,000 m
2
/s
2
2038.7mm/s9.81/sm20,000
222
g Y H
Total Pressure
of a Fluid Machine (commonly used for fans and positive displacement pumps and compressors) is the specific energy that a fluid machine transfers to a flow medium multiplied by the density of the flow medium.
ρY
P
t
(1.2)
Вознаградите свое любопытство
Все, что вы хотели прочитать.
Когда угодно. Где угодно. На любом устройстве.
Без обязательств. Отменить можно в любой момент.