Thermodynamic Cycles

• Look at different cycles that approximate real

processes
• You can categorize these processes several
different ways
• Power Cycles vs. Refrigeration
• Gas vs. Vapor
• Closed vs. open
• Internal Combustion vs. External Combustion
 Power Cycles

• Otto Cycle
• Spark Ignition
• Diesel Cycle
• Brayton Cycle
• Gas Turbine
• Rankine Cycle

These are all heat engines. They convert heat to work, so

the efficiency is:
Wnet
η th =
Qin
Ideal Cycles

• We’ll be using ideal cycles to analyze

real systems, so lets start with the only
ideal cycle we’ve studied so far

Carnot Cycle
 Q
W

Q-W=0 Æ Q=W
In addition, we know that the efficiency for a
Carnot Cycle is:
TL
η th , Carnot = 1−
TH
Carnot Cycle is not a good model for most real
processes

• For example
• Internal combustion engine
• Gas turbine
• We need to develop a new model, that
is still ideal
Air-Standard Assumptions

• Air continuously circulates in a closed

loop and behaves as an ideal gas
• All the processes are internally
reversible
• Combustion is replaced by a heat-
addition process from the outside
• Heat rejection replaces the exhaust
process
• Also assume a constant value for Cp,
evaluated at room temperature
 Terminology for Reciprocating Devices

V max VBDC
Compression Ratio r= =
V min VTDC
Mean Effective Pressure

2
W = ∫ PdV
1

W = P∆V
v

v
1-2 Isentropic Compression
2-3 Constant Volume Heat Addition
3-4 Isentropic Expansion
4-1 Constant Volume Heat Rejection
 Thermal Efficiency of the Otto Cycle

Wnet Qnet Qin − Qout Qout

η th = = = = 1−
Qin Qin Qin Qin
Apply First Law Closed System to Process 2-3, V = Constant

Qnet , 23 − Wnet , 23 = ∆U 23
3
Wnet , 23 = Wother , 23 + Wb , 23 = 0 + ∫ PdV = 0
2

Qnet , 23 = ∆U 23
Qnet , 23 = Qin = mCv (T3 − T2 )
Apply First Law Closed System to Process 4-1,V = Constant

Qnet , 41 − Wnet , 41 = ∆U 41
1
Wnet , 41 = Wother , 41 +W b , 41= 0 + ∫ PdV = 0
4

Qnet , 41 = ∆U 41
Qnet , 41 = − Qout = mCv (T1 − T4 )
Qout = − mCv (T1 − T4 ) = mCv (T4 − T1 )
 Qout (T4 − T1 )
η th , Otto = 1− η th , Otto = 1−
Qin (T3 − T2 )
Æ
mCv ( T4 − T1 ) T1 ( T4 / T1 − 1)
= 1− = 1−
mCv ( T3 − T2 ) T2 ( T3 / T2 − 1)

Recall processes 1-2 and 3-4 are isentropic, so

k −1 k −1
T2 ⎛ v1 ⎞ T3 ⎛ v4 ⎞ T2 T3
= ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ and = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ =
T1 ⎝ v2 ⎠ T4 ⎝ v3 ⎠ T1 T4
Æ or
T4 T3
v3 = v2 and v4 = v1 =
T1 T2
 (T4 − T1 )
η th , Otto = 1−
(T3 − T2 )
T1 (T4 / T1 − 1)
= 1−
T2 (T3 / T2 − 1)

T1
η th , Otto = 1−
T2
Is this the same as the Carnot efficiency?
Efficiency of the Otto Cycle vs. Carnot Cycle

• There are only two temperatures in the

Carnot cycle
• Heat is added at TH
• Heat is rejected at TL
• There are four temperatures in the Otto
cycle!!
• Heat is added over a range of temperatures
• Heat is rejected over a range of temperatures
 Since process 1-2 is isentropic,

k −1
T1 ⎛ V2 ⎞ 1
= ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 1
T2 ⎝ V1 ⎠ r k −1
η th , Otto = 1 − k −1
Æ r
T1
η th , Otto = 1−
T2

Typical Compression
Ratios for Gasoline
Engines
Increasing Compression Ratio
Increases the Efficiency
Why not use higher compression Ratios?

• Premature Ignition
• Causes “Knock”
• Reduces the Efficiency
• Mechanically need a better design
Diesel Engines

• No spark plug
• Fuel is sprayed into hot compressed air
State Diagrams for the Diesel Cycle
Diesel Cycle Otto Cycle

The only
difference
is in
process
2-3
Consider Process 2-3
• This is the step where heat is transferred into the
system
• We model it as constant pressure instead of constant
volume
qin , 23 − wb ,out = ∆u = u3 − u2
qin , 23 = ∆u + P∆v = ∆h = C p (T3 − T2 )
Consider Process 4-1
• This is where heat is rejected
• We model this as a constant v process
• That means there is no boundary work

q41 − w41 = ∆u
q41 = −qout = ∆u = Cv (T1 − T4 )
qout = Cv (T4 − T1 )
As for any heat engine…

wnet qout
ηth = = 1−
qin qin
qout = Cv (T4 − T1 ) and qin = C p (T3 − T2 )

nth ,diesel = 1−
Cv (T4 − T1 )
= 1−
(T4 − T1 )
C p (T3 − T2 ) k (T3 − T2 )
 Rearrange

T1 (T4 T1 − 1)
nth ,diesel = 1−
kT2 (T3 T2 − 1)
PV PV
3 3
= 2 2 where P3 = P2
T3 T2
T3 V3
= = rc
T2 V2

rc is called the cutoff ratio – it’s the ratio of

the cylinder volume before and after the
combustion process
 T1 (T4 T1 − 1)
nth ,diesel = 1−
kT2 (rc − 1)

PV PV
4 4
= 1 1 where V4 = V1
T4 T1
T4 P4
=
T1 P1
 T1 (TP44 TP11 − 1)
nth ,diesel = 1−
kT2 (rc − 1)
Since Process 1-2 and Process 3-4
are both isentropic

PV = P V and
1 1
k
2 2
k

P V = PV
4 4
k
3 3
k

k
P4 V k
P3 V ⎛ V3 ⎞ k
= 4
k
= ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = rck 3
k
P1 V P2 V
1 ⎝ V2 ⎠ 2

1 1
 nth ,diesel = 1−
(
T1 r − 1 c
k
)
kT2 (rc − 1)
Finally, Since process 1-2 is
isentropic

k −1 The volume ratio

T1 ⎛ v2 ⎞ from 1 to 2 is the
= ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ compression ratio, r
T2 ⎝ v1 ⎠

k −1
T1 ⎛ 1 ⎞
=⎜ ⎟
T2 ⎝ r ⎠
 1 ⎡ rc − 1 ⎤
k
ηth ,diesel = 1 − k −1 ⎢ ⎥
r ⎣ k (rc − 1) ⎦

k=1.4
The efficiency of the Otto cycle is always higher than the
Diesel cycle

Why use the Diesel cycle?

Because you can use higher compression ratios