The Second Law of Thermodynamics

Work always converts directly and completely to heat, but not the
reverse
Heat can be converted to work only by

some devices called heat engines.

Heat received by Heat Engine is partly converted

to work, partly rejected to sink
Schematic of Steam Power Plant
Even the most efficient heat
engines reject most heat as
waste heat
 Thermal Efficiency of a Heat Engine

- a measure of the performance of a heat engine

- the fraction of the heat input that is converted to net work output

  𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒=
𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡

  𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑊 𝑛𝑒𝑡

𝑡h𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 η𝑡h = =
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 h𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑄 𝑖𝑛

  𝑄 𝑜𝑢𝑡
η𝑡h =1 −
𝑄 𝑖𝑛
 Statements of the Second Law of Thermodynamics

 It is impossible for any device that operates on a cycle to receive heat from a single reservoir
and produce a net amount of work. (Heat cannot be converted completely into work. )

 It is impossible for any cyclic device to operate in such a manner that the sole effect is the
transfer of heat from a region of low temperature to a region of higher temperature.

 No heat engine can have a thermal efficiency of 100 percent.

The second law of thermodynamics asserts that energy has quality as well as quantity,
and actual processes occur in the direction of decreasing quality of energy.
 Most efficient thermodynamic cycle –
Carnot cycle - thermodynamic cycle conceived in 1824 by a French
military engineer Sadi Carnot in his only published work
“Reflections sur la puissance motrice du feu”

Sadi Carnot 1796-1832

Carnot Engine
AB Isothermal at Th
BC Adiabatic
CD Isothermal at Tc
DA Adiabatic

This ideal cycle provides a maximum (theoretical)

efficiency of a heat engine .
Exercises for workshop class