ACCRA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

INDEX NUMBER
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
END OF FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION, 2018/2019 ACADEMIC YEAR
BTECH MECHANICAL I
COURSE CODE: BME 351 COURSE TITLE: TURBO MACHINES AND PROPULSION
INSTRUCTIONS: ANSWER ALL QUESTION
TIME ALLOWED: THREE HOURS

QUESTION ONE
a) The (NPSH)min for a pump is given by the manufacturer as 7.0 m. This pump is being used
to pump water from a reservoir at a rate of 0.2832 m3/s. The water level in the reservoir
is 1.280 m below the pump. Atmospheric pressure is 98.62 kN /m2 and the water
temperature is 20 oC. Assume total head loss in the suction pipe is 1.158 m of water.
Determine whether or not the pump is safe from cavitation effects. (Take 𝛾𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 9.79)
[7 marks]
b) Sketch the head versus discharge curve for a centrifugal pump (Fig. 1a) having r 1 = 55
mm, r2 = 110 mm, b1 = 27.5 mm, b2 = 22 mm, N = 1300 rpm, and β2 = 33o. (take g = 9.807)

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 [8 marks]
QUESTION TWO
a) The wicket gates of a propeller turbine of Fig. 2a are turned so that the flow makes an
angle of 45o with the radial line at section 1, where the speed is 4.005 m/s. Determine
the magnitude of tangential velocity component Vu over section 2.

[5 marks]
b) A hypodermic needle has an inside diameter of 0.3 mm and is 60 mm in length, as
shown in Fig 2b. If the piston moves to the right at a speed of 18 mm/s and there is no
leakage, what force F is needed on the piston? The medicine in the hypodermic has a
viscosity µ of 0.980 × 10-3 Pa s and its density ρ is 800 kg/m3. Consider flows in both
needle and cylinder. Neglect exit losses from the needle as well as losses as the
juncture of the needle and cylinder.

[10 marks]
QUESTION THREE

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a) Water at 40 oC flows from tank A to tank B as shown in Fig. 3a. Find the volumetric
flow, neglecting entrance losses to the capillary tube as well as exit losses. (Take µ =
6.51 × 10-4, ρ = 992 kg/m3, g = 9.807 and 𝛾𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 9.79)

[10 marks]
b) A 60 mm diameter pipe (Fig. 3b) contains glycerine at 20 oC flowing at 8.5 m3/h. Verify
that the flow is laminar. For the pressure measurements shown, is the flow ascending
or descending? What is the head loss for these pressures? (Take 𝜌𝑔𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑒 =
1258 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3 , 𝜇𝑔𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑒 = 1.49, 𝑔 = 9.807)

[10 marks]
c) Water flows at 0.20 m3/s through a 300 mm diameter, 120 m long pipe, under a
pressure difference of 280 mmHg. Find the friction factor. (take 𝜌𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 =
13.6 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3 , 𝑔 = 9.807)
[10 marks]