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paulxu11
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Homework Statement
The problem:
Here is an approximate reaction for burning hydrocarbons in air:
(CH2)n + 1.5*n O2 + 6n N2 -> n CO2 + n H2O + 6n N2 (n is an integer)
The (CH2)n approximates the fuel, and everything on the right is the exhaust. The atomic masses of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are in the ratio 1:12:14:16. (Hint: how many kg of exhaust for one kg of fuel?)
A car uses 4.0 kg of (CH2)n hydrocarbon fuel per 100 km while it travels at 100 k.p.h. in a straight line at constant speed. The gas comes out of the (horizontal) exhaust pipe at a speed of v = 50 m.s-1, measured with respect to the car.
The questions:
Q1: What is the magnitude of the force the exhaust gas exerts on the car? (Hint: the exhaust gasses are accelerated in the frame of the car, so ignore the momentum of the incoming gas.)
Q2: Because of the thrust, should you worry about the angle of your exhaust pipe?
Q3: The energy obtained from burning petrol is large: about 46 MJ/kg. At what rate is this car consuming chemical energy from its fuel?
Q4: Suppose the car has a frontal area of A = 2.1 m2 and a drag coefficient of CD = 0.36 and that the density of air is ρ = 1.2 kg/m3. Use without proof that the air resistance is ½CDρAv2. (Physclips has a section on car physics if you want to see why this is so.) What is the power used to overcome air resistance for this the car at this constant speed?
Q5: Make the rough approximation that rolling resistance is negligible in comparison with air resistance at this speed, so the latter is the only retarding force. What is the efficiency of the engine plus transmission? (i.e. what fraction of the available chemical energy is used to propel the car?)
Q6: The engine turns at 3000 rpm at this speed. The engine capacity has a displacement of 1.2 litres: this means that 1.2 litres of exhaust gas is expelled from the motor (into the exhaust manifold) every two* revolutions. Further assume that the gas leaves the exhaust pipe with the same volume** that it leaves the engine. What exhaust pipe diameter is required to obtain the given exhaust speed?
* Two revolutions because it is a four stroke engine: intake, compression, power and exhaust as the piston goes down, up, down and up.
** In practice, this would mean that the volumetric effect of the change in pressure approximately cancels that of the change in temperature.
Homework Equations
F=dI/dt
dI=dP=v*dm
The Attempt at a Solution
Q1: The force the exhaust gas exerts on the car:
F=dI/dt=v*(dm/dt)=1/18N=0.056N
where dt=100km/100kph=1h=3600s
dm/dt=4kg/3600s=1/900kg/s
v=50m/s
Q2: No
Q3: The rate of consuming energy;
P=dw/dt=184000KW/3600s=460/9KW=51KW
where dw=46MJ/kg * 4kg=184MJ=184000KJ
dt=3600s
Q4: The power to overcome;
P=(½CDρA)*v^3=1/2*0.36*1.2*(250/9)^3=9.7KW
where CD=0.36, ρ = 1.2 kg/m3, A = 2.1 m^2, v=100kph=250/9 m/s
Q5: The efficiency:
(51-9.7)/51 * % = 81%
where (total_energy - energy_to_overcome _air_resistance)/totaol_enetgy
Q6: Known:
rmp=3000;
v_exhaust=50 m/s;
engine_displacement=1.2 litres;
1.2 litres of exhaust gas is expelled from the motor (into the exhaust manifold) every two* revolutions.So I tried to solve all of the questions.
I don't really understand the last question.
The problem is quite lengthy.
Could someone be patient enough to suggest me if my answers are correct or not and help me with the Q6.
Thank you.
Paul