E233 – Thermofluids

P04
The First Law of Thermodynamics

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 The First Law
The First Law of Thermodynamics, also known as the
conservation of energy principle, provides a basis for
studying the relationships among the various forms of
energy (such as heat Q, work W and total energy E) and
energy interaction. The First Law of Thermodynamics
cannot be derived or proved from basic principles; its
validity and any of its consequences were understood
based on experimental observations.

A corollary of the First Law – Energy can neither be

created or destroyed during a process; it can
only change forms.

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 Understanding the First Law
The First Law is viewed as a statement of the conservation of energy in the
following examples.
Consider a potato is being baked in an oven. As
a result of heat transfer from the oven to the
potato, the energy of the potato will increase.
Disregarding any losses and if 5 kJ of heat is
transferred to the potato, the energy increase of
potato will also be 5 kJ

Consider a cooking process in which 15 kJ of heat is

transferred to the cooker from a heating element. If 3
kJ of it is lost to the surrounding air, the increase in
energy inside the cooker will be equal to the net heat
transferred which is (15 – 3) kJ, that is 12 kJ.

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 Understanding the First Law (cont’d)
Win
=10 kJ

E=8 kJ Win
=8 kJ

A well-insulated (that is, The electric heater is The boundary work

adiabatic*) room heated replaced by a paddle done by the piston on
by an electric heater. wheel. As a result of the the air is transferred to
The (electrical) work stirring process, the in air as an increase in
done on the adiabatic shaft work done is equal the energy of the air.
room is equal to the to the increase in the The air becomes hotter
increase in the energy energy of the room. as a consequence of
of the room. the compression.
*Adiabatic means no heat crosses the boundary, that is Q=0

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 Energy Balance
In the light of the preceding examples, conservation of energy
principle is: The net change (increase or decrease) in the
total energy of the system during a process is equal to the
difference between the total energy entering and the total
energy leaving the system during that process.
That is,
 Total energy   Total energy   Change in the total 
   
 entering the system   leaving the system   energy of the system 

or Ein -Eout =ΔEsystem

which is the energy balance equation

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 Energy Change of a System, Esystem
Energy change = Energy at final state – Energy at initial state

Esystem= Efinal - Einitial = E2 – E1

The change in the total energy of a system, E, during a process
is the sum of the changes in internal, kinetic and potential
energies,
Esystem = U + KE + PE
where U = m  u2 - u1 
1

KE = m C2 - C1
2
2 2

PE = mg  z 2 - z1 
E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering
 Mechanism of Energy Transfer, Ein & Eout
Energy can be transferred to or from a system in three forms:
heat, work and mass flow.
1. Heat transfer, Q – Heat transfer to a system (+ve)
increases the internal energy of the system, and heat
transfer out from a system (-ve) decreases it.
2. Work transfer, W – Work transfer to a system (-ve)
increases the energy of the system and work transfer from
a system (+ve) decreases it.
3. Mass Flow, m – When mass enters a system, the energy
of the system increases because mass carries energy with
it. Likewise, when some mass leaves the system the
energy contained within the system decreases because
the leaving mass takes out some energy with it.

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 Mechanism of Energy Transfer, Ein & Eout (cont’d)
The energy balance equation can therefore be written as,

Ein-Eout =(Qin–Qout)+(Win–Wout)+(Emass,in–Emass,out)=Esystem
Q=0, for adiabatic systems
W=0, for systems that involve no work interactions
Emass=0, for systems that involve no mass flow across their
boundaries (eg. closed systems)

Energy balance for any system undergoing any kind of process

re-written as,
Ein - Eout = ΔEsystem
Net energy transfer by Change in internal,
heat, work and mass kinetic and
potential energies

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 First Law and Closed Systems
For closed systems, mass flow across the boundaries is zero,
and Esystem=U since KE and PE are both zero.

Ein-Eout =(Qin–Qout)+(Win–Wout)+(Emass,in–Emass,out)=Esystem
is reduced to Wnet,out
(Qin–Qout) + (Win–Wout) = U
A closed
system
Qnet,in - Wnet,out = U U
Qnet,in
The First Law for a closed system being conducted through a
non-flow process states that,
“the difference between the sum of the heat flowing into a
closed system and the work flowing from the system is
equal to the increase in the internal energy of the system”.
E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering
 First Law and Cyclic Processes
For a non- flow closed system, Qnet,in - Wnet,out = ΔU
increase of internal
heat flow into work flow from energy of the system
the system the system

For a closed system undergoing a cycle, the initial and final states
are identical, and thus ΔU = 0. The energy balance equation for a
cycle becomes, Qnet,in = Wnet,out p1 
A cyclic
heat flow into work flow from process,
the system the system 1231


p2=p3 
The First Law states, V1=V3 V2

"when a closed system has passed through a cycle, the sum of the
heat energy taken in across the boundary from the surroundings is
equal to the work delivered from the system to the surroundings"
E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering
 First Law and Open System
The figure below shows an open system undergoing a steady
flow process.
Work outflow, W
2

Flow work at exit

Stored energy at 2
entry (PE+KE+U)1 Stored energy at
1 exit (PE+KE+U)2
Flow work at entry
1
Heat inflow, Q

The First Law states that,

“Stored energy at entry + flow work at entry + heat inflow to
the system = stored energy at exit + flow work at exit + work
outflow from the system“

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering

 What have you learned?

1. Understanding the First Law

2. Energy Balance
3. Energy Change of a System
4. Mechanism of Energy Transfer
5. First Law applied to:
• Closed Systems
• Cyclic Processes
• Open Systems

E233 Thermofluid, School of Engineering