11.1 Describe the geometry and operation of a human peristaltic PDP which is cherished by
every romantic person on earth. How do the two ventricles differ?
Solution: Clearly we are speaking of the human heart, driven periodically by travelling
compression of the heart walls. One ventricle serves the brain and the rest of one’s extremities,
while the other ventricle serves the lungs and promotes oxygenation of the blood. Ans.
11.2 What would be the technical classification of the following turbomachines:
(a) a household fan = an axial flow fan. Ans. (a)
(b) a windmill = an axial flow turbine. Ans. (b)
(c) an aircraft propeller = an axial flow fan. Ans. (c)
(d) a fuel pump in a car = a positive displacement pump (PDP). Ans. (d)
(e) an eductor = a liquid-jet-pump (special purpose). Ans. (e)
(f) a fluid coupling transmission = a double-impeller energy transmission device. Ans. (f)
(g) a power plant steam turbine = an axial flow turbine. Ans. (g)
11.3 A PDP can deliver almost any fluid, but there is always a limiting very-high viscosity
for which performance will deteriorate. Can you explain the probable reason?
Solution: High-viscosity fluids take a long time to enter and fill the inlet cavity of a PDP.
Thus a PDP pumping high-viscosity liquid should be run slowly to ensure filling. Ans.
11.4 An interesting turbomachine is the torque converter [58], which combines both a pump
and a turbine to change torque between two shafts. Do some research on this concept and
describe it, with a report, sketches and performance data, to the class.
Solution: As described, for example, in Ref. 58, the torque converter transfers torque T
from a pump runner to a turbine runner such that
ω
pump
Τ
pump ≈
ω
turbine
Τ
turbine. Maximum
efficiency occurs when the turbine speed
ω
turbine is approximately one-half of the pump
speed
ω
pump. Ans.