ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

Specific Heat Capacity of Ideal Gases

Dr. Manoj Ranaweera

Senior Lecturer
Department of Mechanical Engineering
 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this session students should be

able to:
 Describe the two forms of specific heat capacities
for fluids
 Apply specific heat capacity relations of ideal
gases

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Introduction

“The specific heat capacity is the amount of energy

required to raise the temperature of unit mass of a
substance by one degree”

 Note: above definition is valid for reversible

processes as the relationship temperature having
with irreversibilities cannot be clearly distinguished.

 Units: J /(kg K) or kJ /(kg K)

 Fluids, especially, gases could be heated in a number

of ways. Two common methods are constant
pressure and constant volume.

 Energy required in these two methods to raise the

temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one
degree is different.
ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications
 Constant Volume Specific Heat
Capacity (Cv)

Consider a fixed volume of gas being heated

reversibly at constant volume. Apply 1st law
of thermodynamics.
Since the process is being done at constant
volume the boundary work is Zero. If the
process is reversible, there is no work
interactions with any irreversibility

∆𝑄 − ∆𝑊 = ∆𝑈
0
 From the definition of specific heat….
∆𝑄 = 𝑚𝐶𝑣 ∆𝑇
ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications
 Constant Volume Specific Heat
Capacity (Cv)

By substitution….

𝑚𝐶𝑣 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑑𝑈

𝑑𝑢 = 𝐶𝑣 𝑑𝑇

By integration
𝑢 = 𝐶𝑣 𝑇 + 𝑘 ;
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑘 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

For ideal gases, when T = 0, u = 0. Therefore,

k =0

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

𝒖 = 𝑪𝒗 𝑻
 Constant Pressure Specific Heat
Capacity (Cv)

Consider a fixed volume of gas being heated

reversibly at constant pressure. Apply 1st law
of thermodynamics.
Since the process is reversible, the only work
is the moving boundary work
∆𝑄 − ∆𝑊 = 𝑑𝑈

From the definition of specific heat….

∆𝑄 = 𝑚𝐶𝑝 𝑑𝑇

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Constant Pressure Specific Heat
Capacity (Cv)

By substitution…

𝑚𝐶𝑝 𝑑𝑇 − 𝑃𝑑𝑉 = 𝑑𝑈
𝑚𝐶𝑝 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑃𝑑𝑉 + 𝑑𝑈

𝑃𝑑𝑉 + 𝑑𝑈 = 𝑑𝐻

𝑚𝐶𝑝 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑑H

𝐶𝑝 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑑h

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Constant Pressure Specific Heat
Capacity (Cv)

By integration

ℎ = 𝐶𝑝 T + k
𝑘 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑇 = 0, ℎ = 0. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑘 = 0

𝒉 = 𝑪𝒑 𝐓

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Specific Heat Capacity Relations

For ideal gases

𝑃𝑣 = 𝑅𝑇 (R – Gas constant)

From the definition of enthalpy

ℎ = 𝑢 + 𝑃𝑣
By substitution
ℎ = 𝑢 + 𝑅𝑇
𝐶𝑝 𝑇 = 𝐶𝑣 𝑇 + 𝑅𝑇

𝐶𝑝 = 𝐶𝑣 + 𝑅
ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications
 Specific Heat Capacity Ratio

The ratio of Cv and Cp is denoted by gamma

(𝛾)

𝐶𝑝
𝛾=
𝐶𝑉
Usually 𝛾 = 1.4 most diatomic gases such as
CO, H2, N2, O2

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Example 1

A perfect gas has a molar mass of 26 kg/ kmol

and 𝛾 = 1.26. Ru = 8.3145 kJ/ kg K. Calculate the
heat rejected:

i. When unit mass of the gas is contained in a

rigid vessel at 3 bar and 315 0C, and is then
cooled until the pressure falls to 1.5bar (Ans
361 kJ/kg)
ii. When unit mass flow rate of the gas enters a
pipeline at 280 0C, and flows steadily to the
end of the pipe where the temperature is 20
0C. Neglect changes in velocity of the gas in the
pipeline (Ans 403 kW)

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Example 2

Air at 1.02 bar, 22 0C, initially occupying a

cylinder of volume 0.015m3 is compressed
reversibly and adiabatically by a piston to a
pressure of 6.8 bar. Calculate the final
temperature, the final volume, and the work
done on the mass of air in the cylinder.
Take 𝛾 = 1.4

P-V relation of an adiabatic process is 𝑃𝑣 𝛾 = 𝑘

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Example 2

Air at 1.02 bar, 22 0C, initially occupying a

cylinder of volume 0.015m3 is compressed
reversibly and adiabatically by a piston to a
pressure of 6.8 bar. Calculate the final
temperature, the final volume, and the work
done on the mass of air in the cylinder.
Take 𝛾 = 1.4

P-V relation of an adiabatic process is 𝑃𝑣 𝛾 = 𝑘

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications

 Example 3

1 kg of a perfect gas is compressed from 1.1

bar, 27 0C according to a law 𝑃𝑣 1.3 =
𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡, until the pressure is 6.6 bar.
Calculate the heat flow to or from the cylinder
walls if:
i. The molar mass of the gas is 30 kg/kmol and
Cp = 2.10 kJ/kgK
ii. The molar mass of the gas is 40kg/kmol and Cp
= 0.520kJ/kgK

ME 2842: Basic Thermal Sciences and Applications