Alexandria University. Mechanical Dpt.

Faculty of Engineering. Thermodynamics.

SHEET (3)
Work Calculation
1- An ideal gas at a given state expands to a fixed final volume first at constant
pressure and then at constant temperature. For which case is the work done greater?

2- A rigid tank contains air at 500 kPa and 150 °C. As a result of heat transfer to the
surroundings, the temperature and pressure inside the tank drop to 65 °C and 400 kPa,
respectively. Determine the boundary work done during this process.

3- Nitrogen at an initial state of 300 K, 150 kPa, and 0.2 m3 is compressed slowly in
an isothermal process to a final pressure of 800 kPa. Determine the work done during
this process.

4-The volume of 1 kg of helium in a piston-cylinder device is initially 5 m3. Now

helium is compressed to 2 m3 while its pressure is maintained constant at 180 kPa.
Determine the initial and final temperatures of helium as well as the work required to
compress it, in kJ.

5- A piston–cylinder device initially contains 0.07 m3 of nitrogen gas at 130 kPa and
120 °C. The nitrogen is now expanded polytropically to a state of 100 kPa and
100 °C. Determine the boundary work done during this process.

6- A piston–cylinder device initially contains 0.07 m3 of nitrogen gas at 130 kPa and
180 °C. The nitrogen is now expanded to a pressure of 80 kPa polytropically with a
polytropic exponent whose value is equal to the specific heat ratio=1.395 (called
isentropic expansion). Determine the final temperature and the boundary work done
during this process.

7- A gas is compressed from an initial volume of 0.42 m3 to a final volume of 0.12

m3. During the quasi-equilibrium process, the pressure changes with volume
according to the relation P= aV+b, where a= -1200 kPa/m3 and b= 600 kPa. Calculate
the work done during this process (a) by plotting the process on a P-V diagram and
finding the area under the process curve and (b) by performing the necessary
integrations.
8- A mass of 1.5 kg of air at 120 kPa and 24 °C is contained in a gas-tight, frictionless
piston–cylinder device. The air is now compressed to a final pressure of 600 kPa.
During the process, heat is transferred from the air such that the temperature inside
the cylinder remains constant. Calculate the work input during this process.
(Answer: 206 kJ)

9- A piston–cylinder device contains 0.15 kg of air initially at 2 MPa and 350 °C. The
air is first expanded isothermally to 500 kPa, then compressed polytropically with a
polytropic exponent of 1.2 to the initial pressure, and finally compressed at the
constant pressure to the initial state. Determine the boundary work for each process
and the network of the cycle.

10- A gas in a piston–cylinder assembly undergoes a process for which the

relationship between pressure and volume is PV^2 =constant. The initial pressure is 1
bar, the initial volume is 0.1 m3, and the final pressure is 9 bar. Determine (a) the
final volume, in m3, and (b) the work for the process, in kJ.

11- Air contained within a piston–cylinder assembly is slowly heated. As shown in

Fig., during this process the pressure first varies linearly with volume and then
remains constant. Determine the total work, in kJ.

12- A gas contained within a piston–cylinder assembly undergoes three processes in

series:
Process 1–2: Constant volume from p1=1 bar, V1= 4 m3 to state 2, where p2= 2 bar.

Process 2–3: Compression to V3= 2 m3, during which the pressure–volume

relationship is PV= constant.

Process 3–4: Constant pressure to state 4, where V4= 1 m3.

Sketch the processes in series on P–V coordinates and evaluate the work for each
process, in kJ.
13- Carbon monoxide gas (CO) contained within a piston– cylinder assembly
undergoes three processes in series:

Process 1-2: Constant pressure expansion at 5 bar from V1 = 0.2 m3 to V2 =1 m3

Process 2-3: Constant volume cooling from state 2 to state 3 where p3 = 1 bar

Process 3-1: Compression from state 3 to the initial state during which the pressure-
volume relationship is PV = constant

Sketch the processes in series on p-V coordinates and evaluate the work for each
process, in kJ.

14- A gas in a piston–cylinder assembly undergoes an expansion process for which

the relationship between pressure and volume is given by PV^n=5 constant.
The initial pressure is 3 bar, the initial volume is 0.1 m3, and the final volume is 0.2
m3. Determine the work for the process, in kJ, if (a) n= 1.5, (b) n= 1.0, and (c) n=0.

15-A piston–cylinder device contains 0.05 m3 of a gas initially at 200 kPa. At this
state, a linear spring that has a spring constant of 150 kN/m is touching the piston but
exerting no force on it. Now heat is transferred to the gas, causing the piston to rise
and to compress the spring until the volume inside the cylinder doubles. If the cross-
sectional area of the piston is 0.25 m2, determine (a) the final pressure inside the
cylinder, (b) the total work done by the gas, and (c) the fraction of this work done
against the spring to compress it.

16-Determine the power transmitted through the shaft of a car when the torque
applied is 200 N·m and the shaft rotates at a rate of 4000 revolutions per minute
(rpm).