ENGINEERING THERMODYN

1 AMICS I
CHAPTER

Introduction
MEng 2131
 Defintion of Thermodynamics
 Therme – heat & dynamics - power
 The word Thermodynamics was used for
the first time in 1849 by Lord Kelvin.
 Thermodynamics
Describes macroscopic properties of equilib
rium systems.
 Entirely empirical
 Built on 4 laws and “Simple” Mathematics
 Laws of Thermodynamics
 The Zero Law – Defines Temperature (T)
 1st Law – Defines Energy (U)
 Simply an expression of the conservation of energ
y principle.
 2nd Law – Defines Entropy (S)
 Energy has quality as well as quantity – actual pro
cesses occur in the direction of decreasing quality
of energy (Eg. Cup of Coffee)

 3rd Law – Gives numerical value to Entropy

Defintions of Thermodynamics (cont...)

 Thermodynamics involves the storage, t

ransformation, and transfer of energy
 Energy is stored as
 internal energy (due to temp.),
 kinetic energy (due to motion),
 potential energy (due to elevation), and
 chemical energy (due to chemical compost
ion).
 Applications of
Thermodynamics

The human body

Air-conditioning Airplanes
systems

Car radiators Power plants Refrigeration systems

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 Applications of
Thermodynamics

6
Applications of this Power plant
course (or Heat engine)

Refrigerator
(or Air-conditioner)
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 Applications of this
course Heat transfer to
Example cooling water or
atmospheric air

Fuel + Air Movement of car

Heat engine
e.g. Car engine or
(or power plant)
Burn to produce Electrical energy
HEAT WORK

Products of combustion
Exhaust

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Some Energy Conversion Applications

1. Simple Steam Power Plant

2. Fuel Cells
3. Thermoelectric Generator
4. Thermoionic Generators
 1. Simple Steam Power Plant
The Four Basic components of a steam
power plant are
 Steam Generator (Boiler)
 Turbine
 Condenser
 Pump
Simple Steam Power Plant

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How Fuel Cells Work

Fuel Cells
Making power more efficiently
and with less pollution.
 Fuel Cell
- an electrochemical energy
conversion device
 To convert the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen int
o water, and in the process it produces electricity.
 Battery : the other electrochemical device that we
are all familiar.
 A battery has all of its chemicals stored inside, an
d it converts those chemicals into electricity too.
 This means that a battery eventually "goes dead"
and you either throw it away or recharge it.
 For a fuel cell

 Chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it n

ever goes dead.
 As long as there is a flow of chemicals into t
he cell,
 the electricity flows out of the cell.
 Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen an
d oxygen as the chemicals.
 Fuel Cell Descriptions
 Fuel Cells generate electricity through an
electrochemical process
 In which the energy stored in a fuel is conv
erted directly into DC electricity.
 Because electrical energy is generated wit
hout combusting fuel,
 Fuel cells are extremely attractive from an
environmental stand point.
 A functioning cell
in a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell st
 It consists of three components - a cathode, an anode,
and an electrolyte sandwiched between the two.
 Oxygen from the air flows through the cathode
 A fuel gas containing hydrogen, such as methane, flow
s past the anode.
 Negatively charged oxygen ions migrate through the el
ectrolyte membrane react with the hydrogen to form wa
ter,
 They reacts with
the methane fuel
to form hydrogen (H2) &
carbon dioxide (CO2).
 This electrochemical reaction generates electrons, which
flow from the anode to an external load and back to the
cathode,
 a final step that both completes the circuit and supplies
electric power.
 To increase voltage output, several fuel cells are stacked
together to form the heart of a clean power generator.
 Cool Fuel Cells
 Fuel cells promise to be the environmentally-fri
endly power source of the future,
 but some types run too hot to be practical. NAS
A-funded research may have a solution.
Basic Configuration
PEMFC

PEM- Proton Exchange

Membrane FC
Animation of PEMFC
Applications of Fuel cells
Refrigerators and Heat pumps
 In principle, a refrigerator and a heat pump is
one and the same thing.
 It is a device to pick up heat from a cold pla
ce and to discard the same at a hot place. T
he difference between the two lies in usage.
 If the removal of heat from a cold place is m
ore important, it is called a refrigerator.
 If the deposit of heat by the machine to a ho
t place is more important, it is called a heat p
ump.
Refrigerators and a Heat pumps

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 Environmental Concerns
 Mankind is using fossil fuels (coal, petrole
um and natural gas) at an extraordinarily l
arge scale which after combustion will sup
ply the required energy for
 transportation
 industrial and domestic use
 Environmental Concerns (Cont...)
Combustion of fuels on large scale results in massi
ve unwanted products (pollutants)
 Carbon monoxide (CO)- due to incomplete comb.
 Nitric oxide (NO) – formed at high combustion tem
p. Giving rise to NO2
 Sulphur dioxide (SO2) – due to oxidation of fuel c
onsidered impurity

Carbon dioxide (CO2)- causes the greenh

ouseeffect and is being blamed for glob
al warming!
 Renewable Energy
 ....causes triggered the search for other sourc
es of energy
 the rapid rate of depletion of fossil fuels and the en
viornmental problems their combustion is causing .
 the sharp increase in price of fuel oils in the 1970s

Attention diverted to
“RENWABLE ENERGY SOURCE
S”
Types of Renewable Energy Sources

 SolarEnergy
 Wind Energy
 Geothermal Energy
 Biomass Energy from plants