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Perfect gas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In physics, a perfect gas is a theoretical gas that differs from real gases in a way that makes certain
calculations easier to handle. Its behavior is more simplified compared to an ideal gas (also a
theoretical gas). In particular, intermolecular forces are neglected, which means that one can use the
ideal gas law without restriction and neglect many complications that may arise from the Van der
Waals forces.
Contents
[hide]

1Perfect gas nomenclature

o

1.1Thermally and calorically perfect gas

2References

3See also

Perfect gas nomenclature[edit]

The terms perfect gas and ideal gas are sometimes used interchangeably, depending on the
particular field of physics and engineering.[1] Sometimes, other distinctions are made, such as
between thermally perfect gas and calorically perfect gas, or between imperfect, semi-perfect,
perfect, and ideal gases. The assumptions are summarized in the following table.

Nomenclature 1

Nomenclature
2

Calorically
perfect

Perfect

Thermally
perfect

Semi-perfect

Heat capacity at
constant V,
,
or constant P,
.

Ideal-gas law

Constant

Yes

T-dependent

Yes

and

Ideal

May be T and/or pdependent

Yes

Imperfect

T and p-dependent

No

Thermally and calorically perfect gas[edit]

Along with the definition of a perfect gas, there are also two more simplifications that can be made
although various textbooks either omit or combine the following simplifications into a general "perfect
gas" definition.
A thermally perfect gas

is in thermodynamic equilibrium

is not chemically reacting

has internal energy e, enthalpy h, and heat capacities CV,CP that are
functions of temperature only and not of pressure, i.e.,
,

This type of approximation is useful for modeling, for example, an axial compressor where
temperature fluctuations are usually not large enough to cause any significant deviations from
the thermally perfect gas model. Heat capacity is still allowed to vary, though only with temperature,
and molecules are not permitted to dissociate. The latter implies temperature limited to 2500 K. [2]
Even more restricted is the calorically perfect gas for which, in addition, the heat capacity is
assumed to be constant:

and

Although this may be the most restrictive model from a temperature perspective, it is accurate
enough to make reasonable predictions within the limits specified. A comparison of calculations for
one compression stage of an axial compressor (one with variable Cp, and one with constant Cp)
produces a deviation small enough to support this approach. As it turns out, other factors come into
play and dominate during this compression cycle. These other effects would have a greater impact
on the final calculated result than whether or not Cp was held constant. (examples of these real gas
effects include compressor tip-clearance, separation, and boundary layer/frictional losses, etc.)

References[edit]
1.

Jump up^ J.B. Young, Thermodynamics, Engineering lecture.

Cambridge University.

2.

Jump up^ Anderson, J D. Fundamentals of Aerodynamics.

See also[edit]

Gas

Gas laws

Ideal gas

Ideal gas law

Equation of state

Categories:

Gases