MODULE 2.

1: ideal gas cycles

Carnot Cycle
❀ most efficient Thermodynamic Cycle
❀ heat is transferred during Isothermal Process
❀ during Isentropic Compression, the pressure increases
❀ during Isentropic Expansion, the pressure decreases
❀ Mean Effective Pressure (MEP) is the ratio of the Net Work and the Volume Displacement
❀ Carnot cycle comprises of four processes:
↬ Reversible isothermal process of heat addition (Process A-B)
↬ Reversible adiabatic process of expansion (Process B-C)
↬ Reversible isothermal process of heat rejection (Process C-D)
↬ Reversible adiabatic process of compression (Process D-A)
 MODULE 2.1: ideal gas cycles
Carnot heat engine
Process A-B

❀ process heat is released from the hot

reservoir and is absorbed by the
ideal gas particles within the system.
❀ the temperature of the system rises
❀ high temperature causes the gas
particles to expand hence pushing
the piston upwards and doing work
on the surroundings

Process B-C

❀ In this process expansion continuous,

however there is no heat exchange
between the system and the
surroundings.
❀ the system is undergoing adiabatic
expansion.
❀ Expansion allows the ideal gas
particles to cool, decreasing the
temperature of the system.

Process C-D

❀ Process surroundings do work on

the system which causes heat to be
released.
❀ Temperature within the system
remains the same. Thus, isothermal
expansion occurs.

Process D-A

❀ No heat exchange occurs in this

process however, the surroundings
continue to do work on the system.
❀ Adiabatic compression occurs which
raises the temperature of the system
and puts the piston back to its
original state (Prior to process A-B).
 MODULE 2.1: ideal gas cycles
Summary of Formulas

Heat Added, 𝐐𝐀 Heat Rejected, 𝐐𝑹 Net Work Output, 𝐖

𝐐𝐀 = 𝐓𝟏 (𝐒𝟏 − 𝐒𝟒 ) 𝐐𝐑 = 𝐓𝟐 (𝐒𝟏 − 𝐒𝟒 ) 𝐖 = 𝐐𝐀 − 𝐐𝐑

𝐖 = (𝐓𝟏 − 𝐓𝟐 )(𝐒𝟏 − 𝐒4 )

Cycle Efficiency, e Volume Displacement, 𝑽𝑫

W where: 𝑽𝑫 = 𝑽𝟐 − 𝑽𝟑
e=
𝐐𝐀
𝐓𝟏 = maximum absolute temperature
(𝐓𝟏 − 𝐓𝟐 )
e=
𝑇1 𝐓𝟐 = minimum absolute temperature