ME200 Division 5, Spring 2014 Review Concepts and Important Points for Exam 2

Important points from lecture

1. You must use absolute temperature (K or R) and absolute pressure with the ideal gas equation
Pv = RT .
2.

R = R / MW , where R is the universal gas constant (8.314 kJ/kmol-K in SI units) and MW is

the molecular weight of the gas in kg/kmol.

3. Do not use bar as a pressure unit in Pv = RT or in h h f @ T + v f @ T P Psat @ T . Convert bar

to kPa.
4. Be very careful about units when using Pv = RT with English units.
5. 1 kJ/kg = 1000 m2/s2. Use this to make KE and PE units consistent with units of enthalpy from
the tables.
6. When finding enthalpy or internal energy of an ideal gas, you have 2 main options:
a. Use the ideal gas tables, and find h or u as a function of temperature. If you find a
change in h or u, such as h2 h1, using the tables, you have accounted for variable
specific heat.
T2

T2

b. Use the ideal gas relations h2 h1 = c p dT and u2 u1 = cv dT . Normally when we

T1

T1

take this approach, we do not know specific heat as a function of temperature. We

therefore simplify the integrals as h2 h1 = c p (T2 T1 ) and u2 u1 = cv (T2 T1 ) by
assuming constant specific heat.
New Assumptions for Exam 2
1. Steady state, steady flow (SSSF). Unless specifically noted, we will always assume this for an
open system.
2. <insert material here> behaves as an ideal gas. If you have information to check this
assumption, do it! How do you check? Do one of the following:
a. Find the compressibility factor, Z, using the Generalized Compressibility Chart. You will
need to calculate two of the following to use the chart:

PR =

P
T
v
, TR =
, vR =
Pcrit
Tcrit
RTcrit Pcrit

*Must use absolute temperature and absolute pressure!*

i. If Z 1.0 (0.95 < Z < 1.05), you may assume ideal gas.
ii. Otherwise, use Pv = ZRT where Z is the value you found.
b. Check the following conditions:

PR < 0.1 OR ( TR > 2.0 AND PR < 1.0 )

i. If either case is true, you may assume ideal gas
ii. Otherwise, you must use tables and/or find the compressibility factor, Z, as
above.

ME200 Division 5, Spring 2014 Review Concepts and Important Points for Exam 2
3. 1-dimensional flow at measured state points. We always assume this in order to use our
forms of the basic equations for open systems.
4. Open system. If mass crosses the boundary of the system, it is clearly an open system.
Things to Practice/Review
1. Know how to draw Pv and Tv diagrams by hand. Your drawings will be qualitative, but the
relative positions of lines and points should be correct. You have the skills and knowledge to do
this.
2. Review general concepts of cycles and cycle efficiency from lecture 6. We did not revisit them in
class.
Exam-taking Tips
1. If state points are not given in the sketch, define your own to keep your work organized.
2. If values of properties at certain states are given in the problem statement but are not shown on
the sketch, add them to the sketch.
3. Watch out for the hfg column in the saturated properties tables. The columns are hf, hfg, hg.
Many people accidentally write the value of hfg instead of hg.