MAE 553: Compressible Flows

Problem Set 2
Narayanaswamy / Spring 2016
Due: Thursday, Feb. 4, Close of business
Problem 1. Consider the situation below where heat is conducted through a solid rod
from a hot reservoir (T1) to a cold one (T2). Assume that the process is in a steady state,
the conductivity of the rod is k, the cross-sectional area of the rod is A, and the length of
the rod is L. Also assume that the reservoirs are large enough that their temperatures do
not change.
Find a relation for the average rate of production of entropy per unit length of rod. You
will need to use the Fourier conduction law.
Discuss your result (more than just a few sentences).

L
T1

T2

Problem 2. A nozzle flow of air (assume CPG) with entrance conditions shown has heat
/ L mq
/ L [W/m], where q=500
transferred to it at a constant rate per unit length, Q
kJ/kg. If the wall temperature distribution along the nozzle is T(x) [K] = 300 (1+x/L),
then determine the Mach number and the pressure at the exit. Assume that the entire
process is reversible (what does this mean about the gas temperature distribution?).
x

L=1m

T1 = 300 K
P1 = 200 kPa
M1 = 0.3
m = constant

P2 = ?
M2 = ?

Q / L
Problem 3. Consider a Mach 3 flow of air past a flat plate
as shown. The plate is insulated and the air can be treated
as a CPG with Pr=1. Also shown is a Pitot tube in the free
stream flow. You are to compare the dissipation suffered
by a fluid particle brought to rest at the plate surface
(station 1) and at the mouth of the Pitot tube (station 2).
Obtain a numerical result for s/R, where s is the entropy
per unit mass and R is the gas constant. Note that the
fluid at the surface of the plate comes to the recovery

2
boundary
layer

temperature, which equals the stagnation temperature for

Pr=1. Comment on your result.
Problem 4. Consider a turbojet engine whose exit Mach number is subsonic under all
conditions.
(a) You are to determine the thrust produced by the engine sitting on a test stand in
quiescent air. The exit velocity, mass flow rate and density are as shown in the figure.

Patm,

Ue, e
diffuser

compressor

combturbine nozzle
ustion
chamber

FR?

(b) Now consider the case where the engine is tested in a windtunnel as shown below. The
compressor cannot accomodate all of the mass flow rate that can be delivered into the
diffuser area and so some of the inlet air spills over the outside of the diffuser. The air
that enters the diffuser is shown by the pre-entry streamtube. For this case determine
the force on the thrust stand.
Pre-entry
streamtube

, U, Patm

Ue, e
diffuser

compressor

combturbine nozzle
ustion
chamber

FR?