Analyzing the Pratt and Whitney 4084 on the Boeing 777 using the First Law

of Thermodynamics
We are all familiar with the First Law of Thermodynamics in this form:
U = Q + W
U: change of internal energy of the system
Q: heat received by the system
W: work done on the system
Due to the scope of most basic thermodynamics classes, the system that
we describe is almost exclusively ideal gasses. However, the first law can be
used in a much more general context. In fluid mechanics, the first law usually
deals with the rate of flow in a time unit, hence:
U/t = Q/t + W/t
Apply this for a fluid system with control volume
D
Dt

, we get:

system

Q
out ) system + ( W
W
out )system
ed =( Q

(1)

: density of the fluid

: volume of the fluid
e: energy per unit mass
: heat transfer rate
Q
: work transfer rate
W
In words:
Time rate of
increase of
the total
stored
energy of
the system

Net time
rate of
energy
addition by
heat
transfer
into the
system

Net time
rate of
energy
addition by
work
transfer into
the system

Furthermore, using Reynolds transport theorem for a control volume:

ed = ed + eout out A out V out e A V

t system
t CV

(2)

(with A and V stand for area and velocity)

In words:
Time rate of
increase of
the total
stored
energy of
the system

Time rate of increase

of the total stored
energy of the
contents of the
control volume

+ Net rate of flow of the

total stored energy out
of the control volume
through the control
surface

Combining (1) and (2):

ed + eout out A out V out e A V =( Q Q out ) system+( W W out ) system

t system
Apply this to a specific control volume (CV) gives:

ed + e out o ut A out V out e A V =( Q Q out )CV +( W W out) CV

t CV
In more simple form:

ed + e out out A out V out e A V = Q net +W net

t CV

The heat transfer rate

CV

(3)

is positive for heat going in and negative for heat

net
going out of the system. If the process is adiabatic,
is zero.
Q
, also called power, is positive when work is done
The work transfer rate, W
on the contents of the control volume by the surroundings. Otherwise, it is
considered negative. In many instances, work transfer includes:
-

shaft .
Work transferred across the control surface by a moving shaft W
In rotary devices such as turbines, fans, and propellers, a rotating shaft
transfers work across that portion of the control surface that slices
through the shaft.
Work transferred across the control surface when the force is
associated with the fluid pressure (a normal stress) acts over a
distance. Since
normal stress = pin AinVin, and therefore:
Fnormal stress = pin Ain, we get W

 normal stress = p A V p out A out V out

W
net
Total work trasfer rate W

net=W
shaft + W
normal stress
W

is therefore:

shaft + p A V p out A out V out

W

And finally, e, the total energy per unit mass for each particle in the system,
is related to the internal energy per unit mass u , the kinetic energy per
unit mass V2/2, and the potential energy per unit mass, gz, by equation:
e=u +

V2
+ gz
2

Substitute e and

net
W

in (3), we get:

V2

ed
+
u
+

2 + gz
t CV

V
net + W
shaft + p A V pout A out V out
out A out V out u + + gz A V =Q
2

out

Which is equivalent to:

ed + u+ V2 + gz
t CV

out

out A out V out u +

V
+W

+ gz A V p A V + pout A out V out =Q

net
shaft
2

or:

ed + u+ p + V2 +gz
t CV

p V
net + W
shaft
out A out V out u + + + gz A V =Q

out

We have arrived at the energy equation for a control volume from the first
law of thermodynamics. This equation has tremendous application, even
though it derived from the simple U = Q + W at the beginning.