Lecture 11. Heat Engines (Ch.

4)

A heat engine – any device that is capable of

converting thermal energy (heating) into mechanical
energy (work). We will consider an important class of
such devices whose operation is cyclic.

Heating – the transfer of energy to a system by thermal contact with a

reservoir.
Work – the transfer of energy to a system by a change in the external
parameters (V, el.-mag. and grav. fields, etc.).

The main question we want to address: what are the limitations imposed
by thermodynamic on the performance of heat engines?
 Perpetual Motion Machines are Impossible
Perpetual Motion Machines of the
first type – these designs seek to violation of the First Law
create the energy required for their (energy conservation)
operation out of nothing.
Perpetual Motion Machines of the
second type - these designs extract
the energy required for their operation violation of the Second
in a manner that decreases the entropy Law
of an isolated system.

hot reservoir
Word of caution: for non-cyclic processes,
TH
100% of heat can be transformed into work
without violating the Second Law.
heat

Example: an ideal gas expands isothermally

work being in thermal contact with a hot reservoir.
Since U = const at T = const, all heat has
been transformed into work.
impossible cyclic
heat engine
Fundamental Difference between Heating and Work
- is the difference in the entropy transfer!

Transferring purely mechanical energy to or from a system does

not (necessarily) change its entropy: ΔS = 0 for reversible
processes. For this reason, all forms of work are thermodynamically
equivalent to each other - they are freely convertible into each other
and, in particular, into mechanical work.
An ideal el. motor converts el. work into mech. work, an ideal el. generator
converts mech. work into el. work.

Work can be completely converted into heat, but the inverse is

not true. The transfer of energy by heating is accompanied with the
entropy transfer δQ
dS=
T
Thus, entropy enters the system with heating, but does not leave the
system with the work. On the other hand, for a continuous operation of a
heat engine, the net entropy change during a cycle must be zero!
How is it possible???
 The Price Should be Paid...
An engine can get rid of all the Essential parts of a heat engine
entropy received from the hot (any continuously operating
reversible device generating work
reservoir by transferring only part
from “heat”)
of the input thermal energy to the
cold reservoir.
δQ hot reservoir, TH
dS=
T
heat

entropy
Thus, the only way to get rid of the
accumulating entropy is to absorb work
more internal energy in the heating

heat
process than the amount converted
to work, and to “flush” the entropy
with the flow of the waste heat out
of the system. cold reservoir, TC

An essential ingredient: a
“Working substance” – the system
temperature difference between that absorbs heat, expels waste
hot and cold reservoirs. energy, and does work (e.g., water
vapor in the steam engine)
 Perfect Engines (no extra S generated)
(to simplify equations, I’ll omit δ in δQ throughout this lecture)
The condition of continuous operation:
hot reservoir, TH QH QC
ΔS H = ΔSC = Sadi Carnot
TH TC
QH
ΔS H = QH TC
TH QC = QH
TH
heat
entropy

The work generated during one cycle of a

work
reversible process:
heat

W
TH − TC
W = QH − QC = QH
TH
QC
ΔSC = QC
TC Carnot efficiency:
W T
the highest possible emax ≡ = 1− C < 1
cold reservoir, TC value of the energy QH TH
conversion efficiency
 Consequences

Any difference TH –TC ≠ 0 can be exploited to generate mechanical

energy.
The greater the TH –TC difference, the more efficient the engine.
Energy waste is inevitable.

Example: In a typical nuclear power plant, TH = 3000C (~570K), TC =

400C (~310K), and the maximum efficiency emax=0.45. If the plant
generates 1000 MW of “work”, its waste heat production is at a rate
⎛1 ⎞
QC = QH − W = W ⎜ − 1⎟ ≈ 1220 MW
⎝e ⎠
- more fuel is needed to get rid of the entropy then to generate useful
power.
This creates the problem of waste heat - e.g., the waste heat produced
by human activities in the LA basin exceeds 7% of the solar energy
falling on the basin (~ 1kW/m2).
 Real Engines
Real heat engines have lower efficiencies
because the processes within the devices are
hot reservoir, TH
not perfectly reversible – the entropy will be
generated by irreversible processes:
QH
ΔS H = QH
TH W TC
e= ≤ 1− = emax
heat QH TH
entropy

work e = emax only in the limit of reversible

operation.
heat

W Some sources of irreversibility:

heat may flow directly between reservoirs;
not all temperature difference TH – TC may
QC be available (temperature drop across thermal
ΔSC = QC
TC resistances in the path of the heat flow);
part of the work generated may be
cold reservoir, TC converted to heat by friction;
gas may expand irreversibly without doing
work (as gas flow into vacuum).
 Problem
The temperature inside the engine of a helicopter is 20000C, the temperature of the
exhaust gases is 9000C. The mass of the helicopter is M = 2⋅103 kg, the heat of
combustion of gasoline is Qcomb = 47⋅103 kJ/kg, and the density of gasoline is ρ =
0.8 g/cm3. What is the maximum height that the helicopter can reach by burning V =
1 liter of gasoline?

The work done on lifting the helicopter: W = MgH

W T
For the ideal Carnot cycle (the maximum efficiency): e≡ = 1− C
QH TH
⎛ TC ⎞
Thus, W = ⎜⎜1 − ⎟⎟ QH
⎝ TH ⎠
The heat released in the gasoline combustion: QH = qcomb ⋅ ρ ⋅ V
⎛ T ⎞
MgH = ⎜⎜1 − C ⎟⎟ qcomb ⋅ ρ ⋅ V
⎝ TH ⎠
q ⋅ ρ ⋅V ⎛ TC ⎞ 47 ⋅103 kJ/kg × 0.8 kg/liter × 1liter ⎛ 1173 K ⎞
H = comb ⎜⎜1 − ⎟⎟ = ⎜1 − ⎟ = 928 m
Mg ⎝ TH ⎠ 2000 kg × 9.8 m/s 2
⎝ 2273 K ⎠
 Note: if TH and/or TC vary in the process, we still can δ QH − δ QC δ W
e(T ) = =
introduce an “instanteneous” efficiency: δ QH δ QH

Problem [ TH = f(t) ]
A reversible heat engine operates between two reservoirs, TC and TH.. The cold reservoir
can be considered to have infinite mass, i.e., TC = T1 remains constant. However the hot
reservoir consists of a finite amount of gas at constant volume (ν moles with a specific heat
capacity cV), thus TH decreases with time (initially, TH =T2, T2 > T1). After the heat engine
has
. operated for some long period of time, the temperature TH is lowered to TC =T1
(a) Calculate the heat extracted from the hot reservoir during this period.
(b) What is the change of entropy of the hot reservoir during this period?
(c) How much work did the engine do during this period?

∂Q νc dT νcV dTH
T1
QH = νcV (T2 − T1 ) T1
(a) (b) dS = H = V H
TH TH
→ ΔS = ∫
T2
TH
=νcV ln
T2
∂QH − ∂QC ∂W
e(T ) =
(c) T
= = 1− 1 ∂QH = −νcV dTH
∂QH ∂QH TH

⎛ T ⎞ ⎛ T ⎞
∂W = ∂QH ⎜⎜1 − 1 ⎟⎟ = −νcV dTH ⎜⎜1 − 1 ⎟⎟
⎝ TH ⎠ ⎝ TH ⎠
⎛ T ⎞
T1
⎟⎟νcV dTH = νcV (T2 − T1 ) −νcV T1 ln 2
T
W = − ∫ ⎜⎜1 − 1
T2 ⎝ ⎠
TH T1
 Problem Given 1 kg of water at 1000C and a very large block of ice at 00C.
A reversible heat engine absorbs heat from the water and expels heat to the ice until
work can no longer be extracted from the system. The heat capacity of water is 4.2
J/g·K. At the completion of the process:
a) What is the temperature of the water?
b) How much heat has been absorbed by the block of ice in the process?
c) How much ice has been melted (the heat of fusion of ice is 333 J/g)?
d) How much work has been done by the engine?

(a) Because the block of ice is very large, we can assume its e = 1 − Tice / Twater = 0
temperature to be constant. When work can no longer be
extracted from the system, the efficiency of the cycle is zero: → Twater = Tice = 0 0 C
(b) The heat absorbed by the block of ice:
δ QH − δ QC
e(TW , TI ) = δ QC = [1 − e(TW , TI )]δ QH = −[1 − e(TW , TI )] mW cW dTW = −
TI
mW cW dTW
δ QH TW
Tf
⎛ 373 ⎞
273
T dTW
QC = − ∫ I mW cW dTW = −TI mW cProblem
W ∫ = 273K × 1kg
(cont.) × 4 . 2kJ/kg × ln ⎜ ⎟ = 357.9kJ
T
Ti W 373
TW ⎝ 273 ⎠
QC 357.9 kJ
(c) The amount of melted ice: MI = = = 1.07 kg
L 333 J/g
(d) The work : W = QH − QC = 1kg × 4.2kJ/kg ⋅ K ×100K - 357.9 kJ = 62.1 kJ
 Carnot Cycle
- is not very practical (too slow), but operates at the maximum efficiency allowed by
the Second Law.

P 1 1–2 isothermal expansion (in contact with TH)

absorbs 2–3 isentropic expansion to TC
heat
3–4 isothermal compression (in contact with TC)
2 4–1 isentropic compression to TH
(isentropic ≡ adiabatic+quasistatic)
TH
4 3 TC Efficiency of Carnot TC
cycle for an ideal gas: emax = 1 −
rejects heat TH
(Pr. 4.5)
V
S On the S -T diagram, the work done is
3 2
the area of the loop:
contained in gas

∫ dU = 0 = ∫ TdS − ∫ PdV
entropy

4 The heat consumed at TH (1 – 2) is the area

1
surrounded by the broken line:
TC TH T QH = TH (S H − SC ) S - entropy
contained in gas
 The Carnot heat engine operates at the maximum efficiency allowed by the Second
Law. Other heat engines may have a lower efficiency even if the cycle is reversible
(no friction, etc.)
Problem
Problem. Consider a heat engine working in a reversible cycle and using an ideal
gas with constant heat capacity cP as the working substance. The cycle
consists of two processes at constant pressure, joined by two adiabatic
processes.
(a) Which temperature of TA, TB, TC, and TD is highest, and which is lowest?
(b) Find the efficiency of this engine in terms of P1 and P2 .
(c) Show that a Carnot engine with the same gas working between the highest and
lowest temperatures has greater efficiency than this engine.

P
A B
(a) From the equation of state for an ideal gas (PV=RT),
P2 we know that
TB > TA TC > TD
From the adiabatic equation : TB > TC TA > TD
Thus TB = max(TA , TB , TC , TD ) TD = min (TA , TB , TC , TD )
P1 D C

V
 Problem (cont.)

P (b) The heat absorbed from the hot reservoir QAB = C P (TB − TA )

QCD = C P (TC − TD )
A B
P2 The heat released into the cold reservoir

QAB − QCD T −T
Thus, the efficiency e= = 1− C D
P1 D C QAB TB − TA

From the equation for an adiabatic process:

V
PV γ = const → T γ / P γ −1 = const
γ γ γ γ
TA TD TB TC
γ −1
= γ −1 γ −1
= γ −1
PA PD PB PC

TB (PC / PB ) − TA (PD / PA )
(γ −1) / γ (γ −1) / γ
= 1 − (P1 / P2 )
(γ −1) / γ
e = 1−
TB − TA
γ −1
⎛P⎞ γ TD T
(c) e = 1 − ⎜⎜ 1 ⎟⎟ = 1− < 1 − D = emax
⎝ P2 ⎠ TA TB
 Stirling heat engine

Stirling engine – a simple, practical heat engine using a gas

as working substance. It’s more practical than Carnot, though
its efficiency is pretty close to the Carnot maximum
efficiency. The Stirling engine contains a fixed amount of gas
which is transferred back and forth between a "cold" and and
a "hot" end of a long cylinder. The "displacer piston" moves T
2 3
the gas between the two ends and the "power piston" T2
changes the internal volume as the gas expands and
contracts.
T1 4
1
The gasses used inside a Stirling engine never leave the
engine. There are no exhaust valves that vent high-pressure
gasses, as in a gasoline or diesel engine, and there are no V1 V2
explosions taking place. Because of this, Stirling engines are
very quiet. The Stirling cycle uses an external heat source,
which could be anything from gasoline to solar energy to the
heat produced by decaying plants. Today, Stirling engines
are used in some very specialized applications, like in
submarines or auxiliary power generators, where quiet
operation is important.
 Efficiency of Stirling Engine
In the Stirling heat engine, a working substance, which may be assumed to be an
ideal monatomic gas, at initial volume V1 and temperature T1 takes in “heat” at
constant volume until its temperature is T2, and then expands isothermally until its
volume is V2. It gives out “heat” at constant volume until its temperature is again T1
and then returns to its initial state by isothermal contraction. Calculate the efficiency
and compare with a Carnot engine operating between the same two temperatures.

Q12 = CV (T2 − T1 ) =
nR(T2 − T1 ) > 0
3
T 1-2 W12 = 0
2 3 2
T2 ⎛V ⎞
V2 V 2
dV
2-3 Q23 = ∫ PdV = nRT2 ∫ = nRT2 ln⎜⎜ 2 ⎟⎟ > 0 Q23 = −W23
V1 V1
V ⎝ V1 ⎠
T1
Q34 = CV (T1 − T2 ) = nR(T1 − T2 ) < 0
4 3
1 3-4 W34 = 0
2
⎛ V1 ⎞
V1 V1
dV
V1 V2
4-1 Q 41 = ∫V PdV = nRT 1∫
V2
V
= nRT 1 ln ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ < 0 Q23 = −W23
⎝ V2 ⎠
2

1 QH
3
(T − T ) + T2 ln(V2 / V1 ) T
Q12 + Q23 2 2 1 3 1
= = = = 2
+ >
e QH − QC Q23 − Q41 (T2 − T1 ) ln(V2 / V1 ) T2 − T1 2 ln (V2 / V1 ) emax
 Internal Combustion Engines (Otto cycle)
- engines where the fuel is burned inside the engine cylinder as opposed to that
where the fuel is burned outside the cylinder (e.g., the Stirling engine). More
economical than ideal-gas engines because a small engine can generate a
considerable power.
Otto cycle. Working substance – a mixture of air and
1
P vaporized gasoline. No hot reservoir – thermal energy
ignition

w e is produced by burning fuel.

or xp
k d an
on sio 0–3 intake (fuel+air is pulled into the cylinder
e
by n by the retreating piston)
4 ga
comp s 3–4 isentropic compression
work ressi 2
done on
exhaust

on ga 4–1 isochoric heating

s
Patm 0
3
1–2 isentropic expansion
intake/exhaust 2 – 3 – 0 exhaust
V1 V2 V V2 - maximum cylinder volume
V - minimum cylinder volume
1
γ −1
⎛ V1 ⎞ T2 V2
The efficiency: e = 1 − ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 1− V1
- the compression ratio
(Pr. 4.18) ⎝ V2 ⎠ T1 γ = 1+2/f - the adiabatic exponent

For typical numbers V1/V2 ~8 , γ ~ 7/5 → e = 0.56, (in reality, e = 0.2 – 0.3)
(even an “ideal” efficiency is smaller than the second law limit 1-T3/T1)
 Otto cycle (cont.)
1
P S
ignition

wo e x
rk pa
do ns 1 Q=0 2
ne ion
by S1
4 ga
comp
ressi
s QH QC
work 2
done on

exhaust
on ga
Patm 0
s
S2 4 Q=0
3 3
intake/exhaust

V1 V2 V V1 V2 V

QC
e = 1− QH = CV (T1 − T4 ) QH = CV (T3 − T2 ) < 0
QH
P3
1− γ −1
T −T V (P − P ) VP P2 VP T ⎛ V ⎞
e = 1− 2 3 = 1− 2 2 3 = 1− 2 2 = 1 − 2 2 = 1 − 2 = 1 − ⎜⎜ 2 ⎟⎟
T1 − T4 V1 (P1 − P4 ) V1 P1 1 − P4 V1 P1 T1 ⎝ V1 ⎠
R / CV P1
R ⎛ V2 ⎞
γ −1 = e = 1 − ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
CV ⎝ V1 ⎠
 Refrigerators
The purpose of a refrigerator is to make thermal
energy flow from cold to hot. The coefficient of
hot reservoir, TH
performance for a fridge:
QH
ΔS H = QH COP ≡
QC
=
QC
=
1
TH W QH − QC QH / QC − 1

heat QH TH TC
≥ COP ≤ COPmax =
entropy

QC TC TH − TC
work W
heat

COP is the largest when TH and TC are close

to each other!
For a typical kitchen fridge TH ~300K, TC~
QC 250K ⇒ COP ~ 6 (for each J of el. energy,
ΔSC = QC
TC the coolant can suck as much as 6 J of heat
from the inside of the freezer).
cold reservoir, TC A fridge that cools something from RT to LHe
temperature (TC~ 4K) would have to be much
less efficient.
 Example:

A “perfect” heat engine with e = 0.4 is used as a refrigerator (the heat

reservoirs remain the same). How much heat QC can be transferred in one
cycle from the cold reservoir to the hot one if the supplied in one cycle
work is W =10 kJ?
QC
W QH − QC Q Qc QH
e= = COP = c = =
QH QH W QH − QC 1 − QC
QH
QC
= 1− e 1− e 1 − e 0.6
COP = = = = = 1.5
QH 1 −1+ e e 0.4

QC (in one cycle) = W × COP = 15 kJ