Thermodynamic Cycles

Review: Thermodynamic Process

P 4 3

1 2

• Thermodynamic processes can be connected together to

form a cycle (connect the dots)
• Corners represent the thermodynamic states of the system
• When the processes form a closed figure, its called a cycle
 Cycles
• A diagram can be drawn with any pair of properties
– P-T
– P-V (allows the net work of a cycle to be determined:
W=integral of pdV
– T-S (gives the net heat of a cycle; recall 2nd law which
states: dsdQ/T -> Q=integral of Tds!

• If you can convert some of the heat to work, you have an

engine!
 Cycle Types
• Premixed Charge – Otto Cycle, gasoline,
spark-ignition engine
• Non-premixed charge or stratified charge
engine
(compression ignition or Deisel cycles)
• Gas Turbines – Brayton Cycle
• Other cycles: Rankine, …
 Where to start:
Air (ideal gas) cycles
• Assume no changes in gas properties (cp,
MW, , …) due to changes in composition,
temp., …called the IDEAL air cycle!

• REAL cycles must consider fuel-air mixture

which is compressed, burned, expanded,…
with accompanying changes in thermodynamic
properties
 Premixed Charge – Otto Cycle
4 Expand
P s
v
5
Burn: 3
Constant v Blowdown
s
Volume
1 2, 6
V (cylinder volume)
Compress
Mass in
Process Description Assumption Other info
cylinder
1 -> 2 Intake P = const Inc.
1. Intake valve open
2 -> 3 Compress s = const Const
1. Exhaust valve closed
3 -> 4 Burn v = const Const 2. intake valve closed
4 -> 5 Expand s = const Const 3. spark fires
5. exhaust valve opens –
5 -> 6 Blowdown v = const Dec.
pressure “blows down”
6 -> 1 Exhaust P = const Dec.
 Otto Cycle

4
Heat
4
P Added
s
v
5 T v s Expansion
3
s v 3
5
Compression s v
1 2, 6
V 1,2,6
Heat S
Rejected
 Thermal efficiency

th=what you get/what you pay for

th  Work out  Work in
Heat in
- cv(T5  T4)  cv(T3  T2) - T5  T4  T3  T2)
th  
cv(T4  T3) T4  T3

Adiabatic reversible compression/ expansion


 ( 1)  ( 1)
T3 V3 
T4 V4




 
and   
T2 V 
 T5 V  
2  5





V4 V3 1
thus   where rc: compression ratio
V5 V2 rc
 Thermal efficiency
• After some algebra:
 1 1
th,otto rc  

• independent of heat input

• efficiency increases as rc increases
– why not go to rc -> 
• why not?
– geometrical limitations, heat loss, irreversibilities
(high compression -> high T -> high heat loss), knock
 Thermal efficiency
 1 1
th rc  

• Example: Auto engine: rc~8; ~1.3


th~0.46 (theoretical); th~0.30 at best (expt)

Differences:
• Heat Loss to valves, cylinder walls
• Incomplete combustion
• Friction
• Blow by, valves leak
• Throttling (Pexhaust Pintake)
 Diesel Cycle
Combustion Stratified charge engine
2 3
Expansion - fuel injected after air compressed
P
- heat release doesn’t occur instantly
4
Compression since fuel will take more time to
burn than in the premixed case.
6 1,5 This is bec. fuel must mix,
V vaporize, than burn. Takes time.
- To model this, combustion process
assumed to occur at increasing
New ratio V3/V2 introduced volume, constant pressure
 Diesel Cycle
V3
Define: β  depends on the heat input
V2

 
 
  

1 β 1 
can show: th,diesel 1
  
  β 1
  
  

 rc 



 

>1 for >1

thus:  
th,diesel th,otto

and:  
th,diesel th,otto when =1
 Ideal Brayton Cycle
(Gas Turbines)
1. Isentropic Compression (1->2)
2. Constant pressure heat addition (2->3)
3. Isentropic expansion (3->4)
4. Constant pressure heat rejection (4->1)

2 3
P
Combustor 2 3

.
m 4
Wnet
1 Wc
4
Compressor Turbine 1

V
 Ideal Brayton Cycle

Heat
Added 3
P
2 3
T Expansion
s
v
2
4
4 Compression s v

1
1 Heat
Rejected
s
V
 Ideal Brayton Cycle
 cp T T 
Wc  m
 2 1
m
 c 
  
 T  T  T  T 
Wnet = Wt – Wc = p 3 4 2 1  
 cp T T 
Wt  m
 3 4
W  1 
( ) /  P
Qin  m 
 cp T T





  net  1 
 
 where PR= 2
3 2
  th Q  PR 
in
  P
1
 cp T T 
Qout  m
 4 1
 1
  
 P  T2 T3
Note:


2  

P  T1 T4

 1