CHBE 244: Chemical and Biological Engineering

Thermodynamics I
Lecture 10: Closed and steady-state open system
Jan 25, 2016

2 Work, heat and energy

2.15 Closed and Steady-State Open Systems
A few more examples of closed and steady-state open systems!
Example 2.11 Adiabatic, reversible expansion of an ideal gas
Example 2.12. Continuous adiabatic, reversible compression of an ideal gas
Example 2.13. Continuous, isothermal, reversible compression of an ideal gas
Example 2.14. Heat loss from a turbine

Example 2.11 Adiabatic, reversible expansion of an ideal gas

Suppose an ideal gas in a piston + cylinder is adiabatically and reversibly expanded to twice
its original volume (V2 = 2V1 ). What will be the final temperature (T2 )?
Solution:
The system is the gas in the cylinder, closed system
Assumption: No mass flow, no heat transfer (Q = 0) and no shaft work (Ws )


v2
g
d U+
+ z = dQ + dWs + dWEC
2gc gc

(1)

When simplified,

0
0
v

g 
7

*0
>+ dW


d U +
+ z = 
dQ
 s + dWEC

2gc gc

(2)

dU = P dV

(3)

2



 Since the pressure (P ) depends on temperature (T ), we need to combine the ideal gas
equation with the first law equation,
Cv dT = RT

Cv
R
dV

dT = dV
V
T
V

(4)

The techinique that we have performed is called as separation of variables

All of the temperature dependent variables are on left hand side, while all of the volume
dependence is on the right hand side.
If we assume a constant heat capacity for simplicity, the eqn. (4.) can integrate to the
eqn. (5.),
 (Cv /R)
T
Vi
=
(5)
Ti
V
Eqn. (5.) relate state variables for adiabatic reversible changes of an ideal gas
in a closed system.
Note that we may insert the ideal gas law to convert to a formula relating T and P,


T
Ti

(Cv /R)

Ti P
= i
P T

(6)

Rearranging eqn. (6.),



T
Ti

(Cv /R)

T
=
Ti

T
Ti

(Cv /R)+1
=

P
Pi

(7)

which becomes


T
Ti

(Cp /R)
=

P
Pi

(8)

We may also insert the ideal gas law into eqn. (5.) to convert to a formula relating P
and V, using PV/R,

(Cp /R)
PV
Vi
=
(9)
P iV i
V
 i (R/Cv ) i  i (R/Cv )+1  i (Cp /Cv )
P
V
V
V
V
=
=
=
(10)
i
P
V
V
V
V
In general,
P V (Cp /Cv ) = const
2

(11)

Example 2.12 Continuous adiabatic, reversible compression of an

ideal gas
Suppose 1 kmol/h of air at 5 bars and 298 K is adiabatically and reversibly compressed in a
continuous process to 25 bars. What will be the outlet temperature and power requirement
for the compressor in hp?
Solution:
The system is the compressor and it is an open system
Assumptions: ideal gas approximation with Cp /R = 7/2, steady state, KE and PE
are negligible, no heat transfer (Q = 0),
in

out

2
g
v
g
v2
+ W EC + W s
mout + Q
+ z min H +
+ z
0= H+
2gc gc
2gc gc

(12)

= 0, W
EC = 0),
Considering all assumptions (i.e. KE = 0, PE = 0, Q
in

0
v 2

 g 
7

0 = H +
+ z min H +

2gc gc

out
0
0
v 2

 g 
*0

7




out


W
+
z
Q
+
m
+


 EC + W s



2gc gc
0

(13)

when simplify,
s = H m
s
0 = (H in H out )m
+W
+W

(14)

On a mass or molar basis,

0 = H + Ws

(15)

Recall the equation of shaft work and combine with the ideal gas equation,
dWs = dH = V dP
Cp dT = RT

dP
Cp
R

dT = dP
P
T
P

(16)
(17)

By performing separation variables,

T2
=
T1

P2
P1

(R/Cp )
(18)

Steady-state adiabatic, reversible processing of an ideal gas results in the same relations
as Example 2.11. (i.e. eqn. (18.) is equal to eqn. (8.))

 Note that this equation (8.) or (18.) are usually used as an approximation for both
open and closed systems.

T2 = (298 K)

25 bar
5 bar

 27
= 472 K

(19)

Adapting the adiabatic energy balance equation (18.) and assuming the heat capacity
at constant pressure (Cp ig ) = constant,
" 
#
(R/Cpig )
P
2
Wsig = H ig = Cpig T = Cpig T1
1
(20)
P1
7
Wsig = Cpig T = RT = (3.5)(8.314)(472 298) = 5063 J/mol
2

(21)

Converting to the unit from J/mole to hp,

Wsrev





J
mole
1hr
= 5063
1000
mole
hr
3600sec

1hp
745.7 Js

!
= 1.9 hp

(22)

Example 2.13 Continuous, isothermal, adiabatic, reversible compression of an ideal gas

Repeat the compression from Example 2.12, but consider steady-state isothermal compression. What will be the heat removal rate and power requirement for the compressor in
hp?
By definition of shaft work,
Z
WEC =

Z
P dV =

V2
RT
)dV = RT ln( )
V
V1

(23)

For an isothermal, ideal gas, V2 /V1 = P1 /P2 . Noting the reciprocal and negative
logarithm,
V2
P2
WEC = RT ln( ) = RT ln( )
(24)
V1
P1
The flow work performed on an ideal gas packet of unit mass is
Wf low = P Vout P Vin = RTout RTin = 0

(25)

The total requirement for isothermally compressing an ideal gas packet of unit mass is
 
P2
Ws = RT ln
= (8.314)(298)ln(5) = 3987 J/mol
(26)
P1
4

 Converting to the unit from J/mole to hp,





J
mole
1hr
rev
Ws = 3987
1000
mole
hr
3600sec

1hp
745.7 Js

!
= 1.5 hp

(27)

Compared to adiabatic compression, the isothermal compressor requires less work.

This happens because cooling withdraws energy from the system.
It is difficult to achieve perfectly adiabatic or isothermal operation in practice, but
adiabatic operation is usually a better approximation because compression is
so rapid that there is insufficient time for heat transfer. Usually fluids are cooled after
compression.

Example 2.14 Heat loss from a turbine

High-pressure steam at a rate of 1100 kg/h initially at 3.5 MPa and 350o C is expanded in
a turbine to obtain work. Two exit streams leave the turbine. Exiting stream (2) is at 1.5
MPa and 225o C and flows at 110 kg/h. Exiting stream (3) is at 0.79 MPa and is known
to be a mixture of saturated vapor and liquid. A fraction of stream (3) is bled through a
throttle valve to 0.10 MPa and is found to be 120o C. If the measured output of the turbine
of the turbine. Also, determine the quality (q) of the
is 100 kW, estimate the heat loss (Q)
steam in stream (3).

Figure 1: Illustration of a turbine with a single inlet and a double outlet

Solution:
Step 1: Define systems: System A is the turbine, System B is the throttle valve. Both are
steady state open system
Step 2: Across the system A (turbine), from the mass balance, the flowrate of stream (3)
is:
m
3=m
1m
2 = (1100 110)kg/h = 990 kg/h
(28)
5

Step 3: Determine the enthalpy values for all streams:

For stream 1 (T1 = 350o C and P1 = 3.5 MPa), from superheated steam table,
H1 = 3104.8 kJ/kg
For stream 2 (T2 = 225o C and P2 = 1.5 MPa), the value H2 (1.5 MPa, 225o C) is
not available directly, so we need to first interpolate at 1.4 MPa between 200o C
and 250o C to find H(1.4 MPa, 225o C) and then interpolate between this value
and the value at 1.6 MPa:
1
H(1.4 M P a, 225o C) = (2803.0 2927.9) = 2865.5 kJ/kg
2

(29)

(225 201.4)
(2919.9 2792.8) = 2854.5 kJ/kg
(250 201.4)
(30)
(1.5

1.4)
H(1.5 M P a, 225o C) = (2865.5) +
(2854.5 2865.5) = 2860 kJ/kg
(1.6 1.4)
(31)

H(1.6 M P a, 225o C) = (2792.8) +

Therefore, H2 = 2860 kJ/kg

Since stream 3 is saturated, the temperature and pressure and specific enthalpies
of the saturated vapor and liquid can be found, but the quality needs to be
calculated to determine the overall molar enthalpy of the stream. Therefore, we
have to determine the stream 4 enthalpy first.
For stream 4, (T4 = 120o C and P4 = 0.1 MPa), the value H4 (0.1 MPa, 120o C) is
not available directly, so we need to interpolate at 0.1 MPa between 100o C and
150o C to find H(0.1 MPa, 120o C):
H(0.1 M P a, 120o C) = (2675.8) +

(120 100)
(2776.6 2675.8) = 2716.1 kJ/kg
(150 100)
(32)

Therefore, H4 = 2716.1 kJ/kg

Since the throttle valve in system B is isenthalpic,
H3 = H4 = 2716.1 kJ/kg
Therefore, H3 = 2716.1 kJ/kg

(33)

 of the turbine:
Step 4: Focus on system A, estimate the heat loss (Q)
Assumptions: Steady state flow; KE and PE are negligible
in
g
v2
+ z min
0=
H+
2g
gc
c
inlets


out
X
v2
g
+ W s
H+
+ z
mout + Q
2g
g
c
c
outlets
X

(34)

Since we have 1 inlet and 2 outlets of the system A,

+ W s
0 = H1 m 1 H2 m 2 H3 m 3 + Q

(35)

From problem statement, we know W s = - 100 kW

= H3 m 3 H1 m 1 + H2 m 2 W s = (2716.1 kJ )(990 kg )
Q
kg
h
kJ
kg
kJ
kg
(3104.8
)(1100
) + (2860
)(110
) (100kW )
kg
h
kg
h
kJ
1h
kJ
kJ
= (411741 )(
) + (100 ) = 14.4
h 3600s
s
s

(36)

of the turbine is -14.4 kJ

Therefore, the heat loss (Q)
Step 5: Determine the quality (q) of the steam in stream 3:
From the energy balance of stream 3 (Note the textbook is wrong for this equation),
H3 m
3 = H Lm
L + HV m
V H3 = H L + q(H vap )

(37)

At Psat = 0.79 MPa, from the saturation pressure table, HL = 718.5 kJ/kg and H vap =
2049 kJ/kg. (Interpolation!)
q=

2716.1 718.5
H3 H L
=
= 0.975
vap
H
2049

(38)

Therefore, the quality (q) of the steam in stream 3 is 0.975

The energy balance for a non-adiabatic turbine is identical to the balance for an isothermal compressor, but the conclusions are entirely different.
In the compressor, we want to minimize work, so the heat loss works to our advantage. For the turbine, we want to maximize work, so any loss of energy should
be avoided.
7

Supplementary derivation of eqn. (37)

H3 m
3 = H Lm
L + HV m
V

(39)

H Lm
L + HV m
V
m
3

(40)

H L (m
3m
V ) + HV m
V
m
3

(41)

H Lm
3 H Lm
V + HV m
V
m
3

(42)

H3 =

H Lm
3m
V (H L H V )
m
3

(43)

H3 =

H Lm
3+m
V (H V H L )
m
3

(44)

H3 =
H3 =
H3 =

H3 = H L +

m
V
(H V H L )
m
3

H3 = H L + q(H vap )

(45)
(46)

where q is the vapor mass fraction of stream 3 and H vap is the difference of the
enthalpy of vapor and the enthalpy of liquid in stream 3.