ChE234 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS

Make-up Exam 2 -Question 2

October 28, 2010
1. One mole of air at T = 1000 K and P = 2 bar is cooled at constant volume
to
T = 500 K. The air is then heated at constant pressure until the
temperature reaches 1000 K. If this two-stage process is replaced with a
single isothermal expansion of air from 1000 K and 2 bar to some final
pressure P, what is the value of P that makes the work of the two
processes the same? Assume mechanical reversibility.
First we need to determine the various states
State 1: T1 = 1000 K, P1 = 2 bar
Ideal gas law PV = nRT
V1 = 1x8.314x1000/100,000 = 0.04517 m3
State 2 : At constant V, P2/T2 = P1/T1
P2 = (500/1000)x2 = 1 bar
State 3 : At constant P, V3/T3 = V2/T2
V3 = (1000/500)x0.04157 = 0.08314 m3

P1
1

31

Process 1-2 dW = PdV but the volume is constant so

W12 = 0
Process 2-3 dW = PdV but the pressure is constant
Fall 2010

W23 = P2(V3-V2) = 100x0.04157 = 4.157 kJ

The total work is the area under the process curve.
For an isothermal process (see class notes and book) W = - nRT ln(Pfinal/Pinitial)
or 8.314x1000 ln(P/2) = - 8,314 in Joules
ln(P/2) = -0.5 and thus P =121.3 kPa = 1.213 bar
2. Helium contained in a cylinder at ambient conditions, 300 K and 100 kPa is compressed in
a reversible isothermal process to 1000 kPa. The gas is then expanded back to 100 kPa in a
reversible adiabatic process.
R (He) = 2.0677 kJ/kg.K

Cp(He) = 5.1926 kJ/kg.K

Cv(He) = 3.1156 kJ/kg.K

a. Show the process on a P-v diagram and a T-s diagram below. Clearly indicate its
directions

1
s

b. Calculate the final temperature

T2 T1 300 K and P3 P1 100 kPa , P2 1000 kPa
1

2 2

TP

3 3

T P

100
T3 300 x

1000

0.4

119.4 K Brrr!

c. Determine the change in internal energy for the process per kilogram of helium
U U U 23 0 Cv (T3 T2 )
or since the internal energy is a state function
U U 3 U1 Cv (T3 T1 ) but T2 T1
which gives the same result
U 5.1926 x(119.4 300) 563 J/kg
Fall 2010

d. (6 points) Calculate the net work per kilogram of helium

W W12 W23
V2

V2

V1

V1

W12 PdV

RT1
V
P
dV RT1 ln 2 RT1 ln 1
V
V1
P2

1
1428.3kJ/kg
10
U 23 Q23 W23 , Q23 0 since the process is an adiabatic process.

W12 2.0677 x300 ln

W23 U 23 Cv (T3 T2 )
W23 3.1156 x(119.4 300) 563kJ/kg
W 865.3kJ/kg

Fall 2010