COMPUTER CONTROLLED EXPANSION PROCESSES OF A PERFECT GAS UNIT

INTRODUCTION PRACTICAL POSSIBILITIES

• The TEPGC unit is a demonstration equipment of expansion processes
of a perfect gas which uses air to carry out the experiments which
demonstrate the basic principles of Thermodynamics.
• In the industry, the expansion and compression processes of different
gases are treated in a continuous way. The TEPGC unit allows the
student to deepen in its knowledge to later understand other more
complex units.
• The TEPGC unit consists of two rigid tanks of methacrylate connected
between them. One of them operates under pressure and the other
one operates under vacuum. Between them, there is an air pump and
a set of valves which allow to carry out the different experiments.
• The unit is suitable to understand the main Laws of Thermodynamics:
 Understanding the state variable concept.
 Carrying out the gas expansions to familiarize with the First Law of
Thermodynamics.
 Understanding the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
 Law of Boyle, Law of Joule and Law of Gay-Lussac.
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• Some of the practices to carry out with the TEPGC unit are:
 Studying a perfect gas behavior.
 Understanding the state variable concept.
 Studying adiabatic reversible processes.
 Studying adiabatic irreversible processes.
 Carrying out gas expansions to become familiar with the First
Law of Thermodynamics.
 Studying the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
 Understanding the relative and absolute pressure concept.
EXPERIMENT PROCEDURE
To carry out the practice, follow these instructions:
Connect the Interface and execute the SCADA-TEGPC program,
supplied with the equipment. Place the valves in such a way that
the air pump is supplied with external air and pressurizes the
larger pressure tank.
Once the unit is ready, press “SAVE DATA” and write a sampling
time of 1 second in the software. Write down the data.
Activate AB-1 by means of the software. Observe that SP1
increases its value until reaching a preselected value. At this
point we have:
Stop the data acquisition process by pressing “SAVING DATA”. If
you need some previous datum, it can be extracted from here.

WARNINGS, MAIN INSTRUCTIONS

AND PRECAUTIONS
Before carrying out the practices, it is advisable to follow the
recommendations and the actions indicated in the “Installation and
Starting up” manual. In the same way, it is recommended to read the
“Interface and control Software” manual.
It is recommended:
1. Never manipulate the security valve which is installed in the
equipment. Its operating has been adjusted in the factory.
2. Utilization of Individual Protection Equipment.