Available Energy/ Availability/ Exergy And Irreversibility

The source of energy can be divided into two group.

1. High grade energy  work, mechanical work

(W < Q) + Qrejection
2. Low grade energy  eq. heat, or thermal energy

(W = Q)

Available Energy
It is the maximum usefull work that can be obtained from the system in a process in which the system
reaches dead state.

Dead State
A system is said to be in dead state, if it is in thermodynamic equilibrium with its surrounding.

Available Energy Referred to a Cycle

 T 
Wmax  Q1  1  2 
  T1 
carneet
Wmax  Q1car.
Wmax will depend upon T1 and T2 it means
I) More will be the T1 more will be the Q1 hence more will be the Wmax.
II) Lower will be sink temp., more will be efficiency hence more work is obtained.
There our main motiue is to have higher source temper. And as low possible will be the sink temperature.
 There minimum sink temperature will be environment temp.
 T 
 Wmax  Q1  1  0 
 T1 
 T 
Q1  1  0 
 T1 
Available energy of Q1 at T1 = with reference to a surrounding temp. of T0.
T 
Q2  Q1  0 
 T1  (V.A.E)
 S × T0
T T 
 Q1  L  L 
T
 M TH  = Q – Heat supply.
Loss of available energy 1
NOW
T1 > T 2

Available energy Q1 (at T1) with reference to T0.

 T 
 (A.E)1  Q1 1  0 
 T1 
Earlier one (at T2)
 T 
 (A.E)2  Q1 1  0 
 T2 
T1 > T 2
 (A.E)2 < (A.E)1
It means Q1 should be accepted at high temperature as possible.

NOTE:
 According to first law of thermodynamics, termal energy at higher temperature has same meaning
when compared to an equal amount of thermal energy at lower temperature and hence first law is known
as quantitative law.
 According to 2nd law of thermodynamics, thermal energy at higher temp. has more significance when
compare to same amount of thermal energy at lower temperature and hence 2 nd law is known as
quanlitature law.
 
 
1 1 
A1  A 2  Q1    T0
 T2 T1  Ambient
Higher Lower  temp.
 temp temp.  Loss of A.E irreversibility.

IRREVERSIBILITY
(  S)sys + (  S)surr. = (  S)universe = Entropy generation
(  S)system + (  S)surrounding = Entropy generation
( S)sys  ( S)surr.  Entropy generation
 
change or Net entropy
entropy of out flow
a system

 Q
 
T
(S2 – S1) +  0  = ( S)univ.
Q
( S)sys  
T0
 ( S)univ.

I  T0 ( S)univ.