AE 334 EXPERIMENT : DETERMINATION OF NOZZLE EFFICIENCY

Introduction: Nozzles are suitably shaped passages in which a fluid accelerates as its pressure decreases. Nozzles are vital components in a wide variety of engineering applications: turbines, jet propulsion, rockets, ejectors. The high velocity jet of fluid leaving a nozzle may be used in several ways: In a turbine, the kinetic energy stored in the fluid forms the energy available to the blades or the rotor for conversion to shaft work. In rockets and jet propulsion, the change of momentum associated with the velocity changes in the nozzle provides most of the propulsion force. In ejectors and injectors, the changes of momentum of the jet, with its entrained fluid, is used to bring about the desired pressure changes. In the ideal nozzle, flow through a perfect nozzle would be reversible, (i.e. without heat transfer and without frictional effects, shocks, etc.) and will therefore be isentropic. Objective: The aim of this experiment is to determine the effect of back pressure on the mass flow rate with a constant inlet pressure and compare the mass flow rate with the theoretical value for a perfect gas flowing isentropically and calculate the nozzle efficiency.

Experimental setup:

Theory: Due to the effects of friction, uncontrolled expansion, shocks etc., the velocity of the jet of fluid leaving a nozzle will be lower than that from an ideal nozzle. The efficiency of a nozzle as a kinetic energy producer is the ratio:

Kinetic energy increase across the nozzle Kinetic energy increase in an isentropic nozzle
Since the kinetic energy of the fluid before the nozzle is usually insignificant,

Nozzle Efficiency =

Kinetic energy of jet leaving the nozzle Isentropic enthalpy change across the nozzle

For reversible and adiabatic one-dimensional expansion through a passage, the following relationships apply at any section XX.

V2 = constant 2 V2 V2 h1 + 1 = hx + x 2 2 assuming that V1 = 0 then ht = h + Vx = 2(h1 hx ) m x Ax = Vx

.

ht = total enthalpy h = enthalpy V = velocity

where

m = mass flow rate A = Area = specific volume

(1)

If it is assumed the relationship between p and in such an expansion is p= constant.

h1 h2 s = dp
1

2s

p 1 h1 h2 s = p 1 2 1 1 1 p1 p1 1 = RT1

(2)

To calculate mass flow rate per unit area m/A in a nozzle from the contunuity equation we proceed as follows:

m PV = V = A RT PV RT

Tt Tt
1 Tt Pt 1 2 1 = 1+ M P 2

Tt R T

PM = Tt
.

1+

1
2

where

P m = t A Tt (3)

M 1 2 2( 1) 1+ M 2
+1

For choked condition Mach number equals to one, then :

.

mtheoretical

P = 0.404 At 1 T1

At : throat area where P 1 : Inlet Pressure D = throat diameter = 0.00202m (4)

The theoretical value of the jet velocity leaving the nozzle can be found from Equation1 and the actual jet velocity can be found from V=F/m where F is the force which will be found from F/ graph.

Experimental Procedure: 1. Close the air inlet valve and open the chamber pressure control valve. 2. Check that the micrometer dial has been correctly zeroed. 3. Adjust the air inlet control valve to give a constant air inlet pressure of about 500-600 kN.m-2 gauge with the chamber pressure control valve fully open. 4. Then rotate the micrometer adjustment screw until the voltmeter and lamb indicates that the contact is just made. 5. Observe the pressures, temperatures, airflow rate and the dial reading. 6. Increase the chamber pressure and with the original inlet pressure repeat the test. P1(kN/m2) 500 500 500 500 500 500 P2(kN/m2) 150 200 250 300 350 400 mmeasured(g/s) (dial) T1(C) T2(C)

Calculations and Results: Do the steps below for the given pressure adjustments: 1. Calculate the theoretical mass flow rate. 2. Calculate the jet velocity. 3. Calculate the specific kinetic energy, V2/2. 4. Calculate the isentropic enthalpy change. 5. Calculate the nozzle efficiency. 6. Tabulate all the results for each pressure adjustment. 7. Plot m_ theoretical/rp. 8. Plot m_ measured/rp. Note: Be careful on the units ! Discussions and Conclusion: Make comment on the graph. Write your own opinions about the results. What might be the possible causes of errors in this experiment? Discuss about whether the results are acceptable or not? Make comment on the efficiency of the nozzle.