MM1TF1 – Thermodynamics

Exercise Sheet: Thermodynamics – nº2

1. (a) Determine the particular gas constants for the following substances, assuming
them to be perfect gases; argon, carbon dioxide and steam. Take the molar
masses to be 39.95, 44.01 and 18.015 kg/kmol respectively.

(b) What is the density of argon at 10 bar and 200oC, assuming it to be a perfect
gas? Calculate the percentage error if the actual density is 10.14kg/m3.

Ans: (a) 0.2081, 0.1889, 0.4615 kJ/kg K;

(b) 10.16, 0.2%.

2. Air occupies a volume of 0.1m3 at a pressure and temperature of 2.0 bar and 25oC
respectively. Assuming the air to be a perfect gas, determine its mass.

The temperature of the air is raised to 150oC during a reversible non-flow constant
volume process. Taking cv to have a constant value of 0.723kJ/kg K, calculate the
changes in internal energy and enthalpy and the energy transferred as heat. What is
the pressure after heating? For air, R = 0.287kJ/kg K.

Ans: 0.234kg, 21.1kJ, 29.5kJ, 21.1kJ, 2.84 bar.

3. A closed system comprises a quantity of nitrogen which is heated reversibly at a

constant pressure of 2 bar from 500K to 750K. Determine the change in specific
volume and the specific energy transfers in the forms of heat and work. Over the
temperature range 500K to 750K the value of cp for nitrogen varies from 1.056 to
1.110kJ/kg K. Assume cp to have a constant value equal to the mean of these values
~
and treat the nitrogen as though it were a perfect gas. Take m = 28.01 kg/kmol.

Ans: 0.371m3/kg, 270.8kJ/kg, -74.2kJ/kg.

4. A perfect gas for which  = 5/3 undergoes processes such that the state changes from
1 bar, 0.1m3 to 2 bar, 0.2m3. What are the changes in internal energy and enthalpy?
Why is it that the work done and the heat transferred cannot be calculated from the
information given?

If the change were carried out during a reversible non-flow constant pressure process
followed by a reversible non-flow constant volume process, what would be the
amount of work done and the heat transferred? Sketch the processes on a p, V
diagram.

Ans: 45kJ, 75kJ; -10kJ, 55kJ.

*5. Additional Question

A closed system, consisting of a quantity of air, undergoes a reversible non-flow

isothermal process from an initial state (40 bar, 0.01m3, 260oC) and in this process the
work done is -75kJ. The air is then heated reversibly at constant volume to a final
state. From initial to final state the total heat transferred is 95kJ. Sketch the
processes on a p, V diagram. Find the final temperature and the final pressure. Treat
the air as a perfect gas with a constant value of cv = 0.76kJ/kg K and take R =
0.287kJ/kg K.

Ans: 360.6oC, 7.29 bar.

Solutions

1.

(a)
Argon
𝑅̃ 8.3145 kJ
𝑅= = = 0.2081
𝑚
̃ 39.95 kg K

Similarly
kJ
𝑅𝐶𝑂2 = 0.1889
kg K

kJ
𝑅𝐻2 𝑂 = 0.4615
kg K
(b)
𝑝𝑣 = 𝑅𝑇
𝑝
𝜌=
𝑅𝑇
Argon

𝑝 10 × 105 kg
𝜌= = 3
= 10.16 3
𝑅𝑇 0.2081 × 10 (200 + 273) m

(c)
Percentage error in densities:
Argon

(10.16 − 10.14)
100 = 0.2%
10.14

2.
𝑝1 𝑉1 = 𝑚𝑅𝑇1

𝑝1 𝑉1 2 × 105 × 0.1
𝑚= = = 0.2338kg
𝑅𝑇1 0.287 × 103 × (25 + 273)

For a perfect gas and any process

𝑈2 − 𝑈1 = 𝑚𝑐𝑣 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 )

𝐻2 − 𝐻1 = 𝑚𝑐𝑝 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 )
Thus

𝑈2 − 𝑈1 = 𝑚𝑐𝑣 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 ) = 0.2338 × 0.723(150 − 25) × 103 = 21.3kJ

kJ
𝑐𝑝 = 𝑅 + 𝑐𝑣 = 0.287 + 0.723 = 1.01
kgK
(𝑇 )
𝐻2 − 𝐻1 = 𝑚𝑐𝑝 2 − 𝑇1 = 0.2338 × 1.01 × 125 = 29.52kJ

For any non-flow process

𝑄12 + 𝑊12 = 𝑈2 − 𝑈1
 For a reversible constant volume process 𝑊12 = 0

𝑄12 = 𝑈2 − 𝑈1 = 21.3kJ

𝑝1 𝑉1 𝑝2 𝑉2
= and 𝑉1 = 𝑉2
𝑇1 𝑇2

𝑝1 𝑇2 2 × (150 + 273)
𝑝2 = = 2.84bar
𝑇1 (25 + 273)

3.
𝑅̃ 8.3145 kJ
𝑅= = = 0.2968
𝑚
̃ 28.01 kg K

𝑅𝑇2 𝑅𝑇1
𝑣2 − 𝑣1 = − and 𝑝1 = 𝑝2 = 2bar
𝑝2 𝑝1

0.2968 × 103 m3
𝑣2 − 𝑣1 = (750 − 500) = 0.371
2 × 105 kg

For a reversible non-flow constant pressure process and a perfect gas

𝑞12 = 𝑐𝑝 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 )

kJ
𝑞12 = 𝑐𝑝 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 ) = 1.083(750 − 500) = 270.8
kg

kJ
𝑤12 = −𝑅(𝑇2 − 𝑇1 ) = −0.2968 × (750 − 500) = −74.2
kg

4.
𝑝2 𝑉2 𝑝1 𝑉1
𝑈2 − 𝑈1 = 𝑚𝑐𝑣 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 ) = 𝑚𝑐𝑣 ( − )
𝑚𝑅 𝑚𝑅

but
𝑅
𝑐𝑣 =
𝛾−1

𝑝2 𝑉2 − 𝑝1 𝑉1 2 × 105 × 0.2 − 1 × 105 × 0.1

𝑈2 − 𝑈1 = = = 45kJ
𝛾−1 2⁄3
5
𝐻2 − 𝐻1 = 𝑚𝑐𝑝 (𝑇2 − 𝑇1 ) = 𝛾(𝑈2 − 𝑈1 ) = × 45 = 75kJ
3

𝑊12 and 𝑄12 are not properties. They depend upon the process and this is not specified in the
first part of the question. However, for the given process

𝑊12 = 𝑊1𝑎 + 𝑊𝑎2 = −𝑝1 (𝑉2 − 𝑉1 ) + 0 = −1 × 105 (0.2 − 0.1) × 10−3 = −10kJ

𝑄12 = (𝑈2 − 𝑈1 ) − 𝑊12 = 45 + 10 = 55kJ

5.
𝑊12 = −75kJ and 𝑄13 = 95kJ
 𝑝1 𝑉1 40 × 105 × 0.01
𝑚= = = 0.2615kg
𝑅𝑇1 0.287 × 103 × (260 + 273)

For the isothermal 𝑄12 = −𝑊12 = 75kJ

Since 𝑄13 = 𝑄12 + 𝑄23 95 = 75 + 𝑄23 or 𝑄23 = 20kJ

But

𝑄23 = 𝑚𝑐𝑣 (𝑇3 − 𝑇2 )

20 × 103
𝑇3 = + 260 = 360K
0.2615 × 0.76 × 103

𝑝1 𝑝1 75 × 105
𝑊12 = −𝑚𝑅𝑇1 𝑙𝑛 ( ) ∴ 𝑙𝑛 ( ) =
𝑝2 𝑝2 0.2615 × 0.287 × 103 × 533

Thus

𝑝1
𝑙𝑛 ( ) = 1.875
𝑝2
or
𝑝1
= 6.52 ∴ 𝑝2 = 6.13 bar
𝑝2

But

𝑝3 𝑝2 633.6
= ∴ 𝑝3 = 6.13 × = 7.29bar
𝑇3 𝑇2 533