THERMODYNAMICS

Basic concepts
Dr N S Senanayake

Content

Working substance
Macroscopic and Microscopic analysis

Properties
State
Phases
Processes
System
Control volume

Working substance

This is the substance that facilitate the

work and heat transfer in a
thermodynamic system

Working substances are in general fluids

that are capable of changing its physical
shape

Pure substance-single substance or mixture

of substances which has the same
molecular structure throughout its mass.
Ex. Water or steam (air is not a pure
substance)

Macroscopic and Microscopic Analysis

The analysis of a substance by its

properties is called macroscopic analysis
The analysis done on the behavior of the
individual atoms and molecules of a
substance is called microscopic analysis
In Engineering Thermodynamics we
mainly focus on Macroscopic
Analysis

Property

A property of a system is any quantity

that helps to defines a unique position
(state) of a substance
Thermodynamic properties are classifies
as:

Intensive properties
Independent

of the mass of the substance

Ex: pressure, temperature, density

Extensive properties
Dependent

on the mass of the system

Ex: Volume, Enthalpy, Internal Energy

Property cont..

Any property that determines the

transfer of Mass, Momentum or energy is
referred to as Transport Property
Examples: thermal conductivity,
viscosity

State

State is the condition of existence of the

substance or a system
Knowledge of thermodynamic properties
of a substance defines the State
At a particular state a substance has
certain properties that are functions of
that state, and certain relations exist
between the properties.

Phase

Substances can exit in 3 phases

Solid
Liquid
Vapor or gas

Process

Process is an operation that changes the

state of a substance.
Const
Const
Polytrop
hic
process

ant
volum
e
proces
s

Process from state 1 to state 2

ant
pressu
re
proces
s

Cycle
The thermodynamic cycle consists of a
series of operations carried out on a
substance (fluid) after which it returns to
its original state.

system

Athermodynamic
systemis defined as
a volume in space or
a well defined set of
materials.
The imaginary outer
edge of the system
is called
itsboundary.
The boundary can be
fixed or moving.

Open and Closed systems

A system in which
no matter enters
or leaves
(i.e.crosses the
boundary) is
called
aclosedsystem
Mass remains
constant in the
process

A system in which matter crosses the

boundary is called anopensystem.
Mass changes in the process

Examples for closed and Open Systems

Close
d
syste
m

Hydrological cycle

Close
d
syste
m

Open
syste
m

Examples for closed and Open Systems

Open
syste
m

Steam power plant

Open
syste
m

Closed
system

Control volume

A volume of a system demarcated for

the purpose of study is called control
volume.

Temperature
Temperat
ure is one
of the
most
intrinsic
properties
A of
measure
a proportional to the
kinetic energy associated with
substance
the disordered microscopic

motion of atoms and

molecules.

Internal Energy (U)

The store of energy which results from the

motion of atoms and molecules of a
substance is referred to as Internal Energy
The term heat is used to give energy
transfer from the substance
Symbol U is used to give the internal Energy

Enthalpy (H)

Enthalpyis a measure of the totalenergyof

athermodynamic system
It includes

theinternal energy (the energy required to

create a system), and
the amount of energy required to make space for
it by displacing itssurroundingand establishing
its volume and pressure

H U pV