AE 231 Thermodynamics

Recitation 6
Instructor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sinan Eyi
 Problem 1
Question: A cyclic machine, shown in the figure, receives 325 kJ
from a 1000 K energy reservoir. It rejects 125 kJ to a 400 K
energy reservoir and the cycle produces 200 kJ of work as
output. Is this cycle reversible, irreversible, or impossible?
Solution:
ηCarnot = 1 –TL/TH
ηCarnot = 1 - 400/1000 = 0.6
ηeng = W/QH = 200/325 = 0.615 > ηCarnot
This is impossible.
 Problem 2
Question: A heat pump has a coefficient of performance that is
50% of the theoretical maximum. It maintains a house at 20°C,
which leaks energy of 0.6 kW per degree temperature difference
to the ambient. For a maximum of 1.0 kW power input find the
minimum outside temperature for which the heat pump is a
sufficient heat source.
 Problem 2
Solution:
C.V. House. For constant 20°C the heat pump must provide
Qɺ H = Qɺ leak = 0.6 (TH − TL ) = β Wɺ

C.V. Heat pump. Definition of the coefficient of performance and the fact that
the maximum is for a Carnot heat pump.
( H L )
β = Qɺ / Wɺ = Qɺ / Qɺ − Qɺ = 0.6 β
H H = 0.5 * T / ( T − T )
carnot H H L

Substitute into the first equation to get

0.6 (TH - TL ) = [ 0.5 * TH / (TH - TL ) ] 1 =>
(TH - TL )2 = (0.5 / 0.6) TH * 1 = 0.5 / 0.6 *293.15 = 244.29
TH - TL = 15.63 => TL = 20 - 15.63 = 4.4 °C
 Problem 3
Question: Consider a Carnot cycle heat engine
operating in outer space. Heat can be rejected from
this engine only by thermal radiation, which is
proportional to the radiator area and the fourth power
of absolute temperature, Qrad ~ KAT4. Show that for
given engine work output and given TH, the radiator
area will be minimum when the ratio TL/TH = 3/4.
 Problem 3
Solution:
T  T 
η = 1− L Wnet = η QH Wnet = 1 − L  QH
TH  TH 

QH TH
= QH =
TH  TH − TL  TH  TH − TL 
QL Wnet =  QL =   QL
QL TL TL
 TH  TL  TL 

QL = KATL4

 T − TL 
Wnet =  H  KATL
4

 TL 
 Problem 3
Solution:
−1
 TL   TL  
4
Wnet  TH − TL  ATL4 ATL4  TH 
4
=  4 = 4  − 1 = A     − 1
KTH  TL  TH TH  TL   TH   TH  

Wnet   TL 
3
 TL 

4

4
= A   −   = const
KTH   TH   TH  

Wnet
4
= A 
 x 3
− x 4
 = const = α
KTH

TL
where x =
TH
 Problem 3
Solution:
α
A=
x3 − x 4

dA α ( 3 x − 4 x ) α ( 3x2 − 4 x3 ) ( 3x 2 − 4 x3 )
2 3

= = 3 =A =0
(x − x ) (x − x ) (x − x ) (x − x )
2 4 3 4 3 4
dx 3 4

dA (3 − 4 x ) = 0
= Ax 2 3
dx ( x − x4 )
3 TL 3
x= =
4 TH 4
 Problem 4
Question: Air in a piston/cylinder goes
through a Carnot cycle with the P-v
diagram shown in the Figure. The high
and low temperatures are 600 K and
300 K respectively. The heat added at
the high temperature is 250 kJ/kg and
the lowest pressure in the cycle is 75
kPa. Find the specific volume and
pressure at all 4 states in the cycle
assuming constant specific heats at
300 K.
 Problem 4
Solution:
Q
q= q H = 250 kJ / kg TH = 600 K TL = 300 K P3 = 75kPa
m

Cv = 0.717 kJ / kgK R = 0.287 kJ / kgK

T1 = T2 = TH = 600 K T3 = T4 = TL = 300 K

RT3
v3 = = (0.287 *300) / 75 = 1.148m 3 / kg
P3
 Problem 4
From the first law of thermodynamics for a closed system

δ q = du + δ w

Between the states 2 and 3 we have an adiabatic process

δq = 0 du = Cv 0 dT δ w = Pdv

from the equation of state for an ideal gas

dv
P = RT / v δ w = RT
v
dv ⇒ dT dv
δ q = Cv 0 dT + RT ⇒ δq = 0 Cv 0 = −R
v T v
 Problem 4
3 3 3 3
dT dv dT dv v3 T
∫2 v 0 T ∫2 v
C = − R ⇒ C v0 ∫
2
T
= − R ∫
2
v
⇒ Cv 0 ln
v2
= − R ln 3
T2

1.148 300
0.717 ln = −0.287 ln
v2 600

v2 = 1.148 / exp(1.739045) = 0.2034 m 3 / kg

Between the states 1 and 2 we have an isothermal process

dv dv
δ q = Cv 0 dT + RT ⇒ dT = 0 ⇒ δ q = RT
v v
 Problem 4
v2 v
q H = RTH ln ⇒ ln 2 = qH / RTH = 250 / 0.287 * 600 = 1.4518
v1 v1

v1 = v2 / exp(1.4518) = 0.2034 / exp(1.4518) = 0.04763

in Carnot Cycle
v3 v4
= ⇒ v4 = v1 * v3 / v2 = 0.04763*1.148 / 0.2034 = 0.2688
v2 v1

P1 = RT1 / v1 = 0.287 * 600 / 0.04763 = 3615kPa

P2 = RT2 / v2 = 0.287 * 600 / 0.2034 = 846.6 kPa

P4 = RT4 / v4 = 0.287 *300 / 0.2688 = 846.6kPa