Exergy: A simplified note

Exergy is a thermodynamic property that represents the maximum potential work that can be
extracted from a system as it comes into equilibrium with its surroundings. Exergy is often
referred to as "available energy" or "useful energy," as it measures the useful potential of a
system to perform work.
In summary, exergy provides a more precise measure of the useful energy content of a system
compared to total energy.
Exergy losses occur due to irreversibilities within a system, such as heat transfer across
temperature gradients, friction losses, mixing processes, and combustion inefficiencies, which
reduce the potential work that can be extracted from a system
Energy vs Exergy
Energy Definition:
Energy is the ability to do work or produce heat. It is a fundamental property of a system that can
exist in various forms such as mechanical, thermal, chemical, and nuclear.
Exergy definition
Exergy, on the other hand, is a measure of the potential work that can be extracted from a system
when it reaches thermodynamic equilibrium with its surroundings. Exergy accounts for both the
quantity and quality of energy within a system.
Measure of usefulness:
Energy
Energy represents the total amount of work and heat contained within a system, but not all of
this energy can be converted into useful work.
Exergy
Exergy, however, quantifies the portion of energy that is available to perform useful work. It
provides a more accurate representation of the useful energy content of a system.
Causes of exergy losses:
Exergy losses occur due to irreversibilities within a system. Irreversibilities are processes that
prevent a system from returning to its initial state, leading to a decrease in exergy.
Some common causes of exergy losses include:
-Heat transfer across a finite temperature difference: Heat transfer between a system and its
surroundings at different temperatures leads to exergy losses due to the irreversibility of the
process.
 -Friction and fluid flow resistance: Mechanical or fluid flow losses due to friction and resistance
result in exergy losses as some of the energy is converted into thermal energy and cannot be used
for work.

-Mixing of different substances: Mixing of substances at different temperatures or pressures

leads to exergy losses as the potential for work extraction decreases.

-Combustion inefficiencies: In combustion processes, not all of the chemical energy is converted
into useful work, resulting in exergy losses.
Components of exergy
In exergy calculations, there are four contributing factors. These are kinetic energy, potential
energy, chemical exergy, and physical exergy. These components make up the total available
energy of a system.

Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is the energy associated with the motion of an object. In the
context of exergy calculations, kinetic energy may be considered as a form of energy that can
potentially be converted into useful work. The kinetic energy of a system can be included in the
total energy content when calculating exergy.
Potential Energy: Potential energy is the energy associated with the position of an object relative
to a reference point. In the context of exergy calculations, potential energy can also be considered
as a form of energy that can be converted into useful work. The potential energy of a system can
be included in the total energy content when calculating exergy.
Chemical Exergy:
Chemical exergy represents the maximum useful work that can be obtained from a substance
through chemical reactions. It takes into account the chemical composition of the substance and
the potential work that can be extracted by reacting it with other substances.
Chemical exergy is an important component in the exergy analysis of systems involving chemical
reactions.
Physical Exergy:
Physical exergy, also known as thermodynamic or mechanical exergy, represents the maximum
useful work that can be obtained from a system through physical processes such as expansion,
compression, heat transfer, etc. Physical exergy accounts for the thermodynamic properties of the
system, such as pressure, temperature, and entropy, and assesses the quality of the energy
available for conversion into work.
In exergy calculations, these various components of energy are considered based on the specific
characteristics of the system under study. The total exergy of a system is then calculated by
accounting for all relevant forms of energy and their potential for useful work conversion.
Exergy calculation
Equation
The equation for calculating exergy is:
Exergy = Energy - (T0 * S)
Where: Energy is the total energy content of the system or substance, T0 is the reference
temperature (in Kelvin), S is the entropy of the system or substance
What does this equation mean?
As explained above, the four components of exergy are: internal energy, kinetic energy, potential
energy, and flow energy. These components make up the total available energy of a system. T0S
represents the irreversibilities in a system due to temperature differences. So, in a sense, the four
components of exergy contribute to the total energy available in a system, while T0S represents
the irreversibilities present.
Next step
Calculate the total energy content of the system or substance. This can be calculated using the
specific energy formula
Energy = Specific energy * Mass
Where:
Specific energy is the energy content per unit mass of the substance (in Joules/kg)
Mass is the total mass of the substance
In the equation Exergy = Energy - T0*S, the energy component typically includes the internal
energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, and chemical energy of a system.
The calculation of energy is dependent on the specific components and forms of energy present
in the system. Here's how we can calculate energy using the components of exergy:
Internal Energy (U):
The internal energy of a system is the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of the molecules
within the system. It can be calculated using the equation:
U = U_kinetic + U_potential
Where U_kinetic is the kinetic energy of the molecules and U_potential is the potential energy of
the molecules relative to some reference point.

Kinetic Energy:
The kinetic energy of a system is given by the formula:
Kinetic Energy = 0.5 * m * v^2
Where m is the mass of the system and v is the velocity.
Potential Energy:
The potential energy of a system is given by the formula:
Potential Energy = m * g * h
Where m is the mass of the system, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the
system relative to a reference point.
Chemical Energy:
Chemical energy is the energy stored in the chemical bonds of molecules
within the system. The calculation of chemical energy depends on the specific chemical reactions
and compounds involved.
Entropy (S):
Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. It can be calculated using
thermodynamic principles and the system's temperature, pressure, and volume. The calculation
of entropy involves considering the system's state variables and their changes under reversible
processes.
By accounting for internal energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, and chemical energy, we can
determine the total energy content of the system and then use the formula
Exergy = Energy - T0*S to calculate the exergy content, where S is the entropy of the system.
Calculation of specific energy
Specific energy in the context of exergy calculation refers to the amount of energy per unit mass
of a substance. It is typically expressed in terms of energy per unit mass (such as joules per
kilogram or BTUs per pound).
To calculate specific energy in exergy calculations, we would first determine the total energy
content of a substance (considering internal energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, and
chemical energy as mentioned earlier) and then divide this total energy by the mass of the
substance.
The formula for specific energy can be written as:
Specific Energy = Total Energy / Mass
Where:
Specific Energy is the energy content per unit mass (e.g., J/kg, BTU/lb)
Total Energy is the total energy content of the substance, including internal energy, kinetic energy,
potential energy, and chemical energy
Mass is the mass of the substance
Once we have calculated the specific energy for a substance, you can use this value in exergy
calculations to determine the exergy content and potential work that can be extracted from the
substance.
How the four components of exergy contribute?
Contribution of the four components of exergy to total exergy
Kinetic energy,
Potential energy,
Chemical exergy, and
Physical exergy

Kinetic Energy Contribution:

Calculate the kinetic energy of the system using the formula:
Kinetic Energy = 0.5 * m * v^2
where m is the mass of the system and v is the velocity.
Potential Energy Contribution:
Calculate the potential energy of the system using the formula:
Potential Energy = m * g * h
where m is the mass of the system, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the
system relative to a reference point.
Chemical Exergy Contribution:
Calculate the chemical exergy of the system by considering the chemical composition and
balancing of the chemical reactions involved.
Chemical Exergy = Σ n_i * μ_i
where n_i is the number of moles of each component i, and μ_i is the chemical potential of
component i.
Physical Exergy Contribution:
Calculate the physical exergy of the system by considering the thermodynamic properties of the
system, such as pressure, temperature, and entropy.
Physical Exergy = E - T0S + P0V
where E is the total energy content of the system, T0 is the reference temperature, S is the
entropy of the system, P0 is the reference pressure, and V is the volume of the system.
Total Exergy Contribution:
Calculate the total exergy of the system by summing up the contributions from kinetic energy,
potential energy, chemical exergy, and physical exergy.
Total Exergy = Kinetic Energy + Potential Energy + Chemical Exergy + Physical Exergy
By following these steps and calculating the contribution of each component one by one, we can
determine the total exergy content of the system