MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

MAE 204 Thermodynamics

Why is thermo hard?
1. Abstract ideas: We probably know what heat is, but what is enthalpy?
2. Use of table and charts.
3. Wide range of subject.
4. Trouble with units.
5. Extremely cumulative.

Motivation:
1. Thermodynamics is a study of energy exchange.
2. How can we convert energy to work?
Example: A gas-turbine system has a compressor, combustion chamber and a turbine.

Fuel
Combustion
Chamber

WBack WNet

Comp. Turb.

Fresh Air Exhaust Gas

This is an open system, as the working fluid (air) does not remain in the system. To make it
closed, the equivalent system will look like: (The total output work WNet depends on the fluids
states, which is the area enclosed by the curves)
QIn
P
Heat
Exchanger 2 3
2 3

WBack WNet

Comp. Turb.

1 4
Heat
Exchanger 1 4

QOut Brayton Cycle v

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

Chapter 1
Thermodynamics is the study of energy exchange.

First law of thermodynamics: (energy conservation) Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it

can only change form. For the energy determination, we need to know the properties of fluids.
To study the energy, we look at:
1. The quantity of energy.
2. The quality of energy (how easily energy can be transformed), e.g. electrical energy is of
higher quality than heat energy.
3. What does the energy tells us about the properties of a system?

Dimensional homogeneity: The units on both sides of an equation must match. SI or English.

Seven Base Units SI Units

Length Meter (m)
Mass Kilogram (kg)
Time Seconds (s)
Electric Current Ampere (A)
Temperature Kelvin (K)
Amount of substance Mole (mol)
Luminous Intensity Candela (cd)

Force: Newton’s Second Law:   m

F  a
Force mass accelearat ion
Kg  m
?  Kg  m / s 2  1N  1
s2
1 Newton is defined as the force required to accelerate a mass of 1kg at the rate of 1m/s².

a =1m/s²
SI 1N 1 Kg

a =1 ft/s²
English ? 1 lb.m
1
lb. f
32.174
a =1 ft/s²
1 lb.f ?
32.174 lb.m
= 1 Slug

1 lb.f 1 lb.m
a =32.174 ft/s²

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

Thermodynamic System: A thermodynamic system is a region in space that we are interested in

analysis. For an example, an open gas turbine, it can be
(1) All the components, i.e. the whole system
(2) Just one component, e.g. turbine
(3) The gas between the compressor and the combustion chamber
1
Combustion
3 Chamber
2

Comp. Turb.

When we talk about a system we don’t care about what is inside the system. All we care about
quantities crossing the system boundaries. We track and need to balance mass (physical
substances) and energy (work, heat, electrical energy).

Note that boundary may not be physical boundary; it can be a part of a component (fig).

System

We know there are two types of systems, open and close.

(1) In the closed system, mass is fixed, but the volume may change, e.g. in a piston, gas is
compressed. In a closed system, mass may not cross the boundary, but energy can. A
system with zero mass or energy transfer is an ISOLATED SYSTEM.

Gas
Gas

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

(2) In the open system, volume is fixed, energy and mass can cross the boundary. Like the
nozzle (fig)

System

Properties: Macroscopic characteristics of a system, e.g. mass, volume, energy, pressure,

temperature etc., which can be given a numeric value without knowledge of the history of
system. Consider a particle moves through space in two different path (I and II) from point A to
B.

II

A B

Can you tell the mass at point B without knowing the path (either I or II)? Yes
Can you tell the temperature at point B without knowing the path? Yes
Can you tell the time needed for traveling from A to B? No
Can you tell how much energy is needed to travel from A to B? No

When the answer is yes, it is a property, otherwise it is not.

(a) Extensive properties: Related to mass e.g. mass, volume, enrgy etc.
(b) Intensive properties: Not related to mass e.g. pressure, temperature, density etc.
Extensive
 Intensive
Mass

State: The condition of a system as described by its properties, e.g. liquid, gas or solid. The state
of a simple, compressible system is completely specified by two independent intensive
properties. If you know the state, you know all the intensive properties of the system. For
example, water vapor at 300°C and 4 Mpa – specific volume is 0.05887m³/kg, internal energy is
2026.2 kJ/kg. Note that depending on the state, some properties may change the dependance.

For example, liquid water at the boiling point is 100°C at sea level and 95°C at Denver,
So, Tboil = f(T)
But for vapor, temperature and pressure are independent.

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

In Mechanics: If forces are balanced

Equilibrium:
In Thermodynamics: Mechanical, thermal, phase and chemical equilibrium.

Quasiequilibrium: Infinitesimal departure from thermodynamic equilibrium. It can happen if

system changes very quickly between states.

Process: A transformation from one state to another. There are many intermediate states during a
process. A process is fully described by three things: initial state, the path (the direction must be
specified as shown in figure) and the final state.

II
A B

I
There are 4 different processes:
Constant Pressure = Isobaric
Constant Temperature = Isothermal
Constant Volume = Isochoric
Constant Entropy = Isentorpic (If friction present, it is adiabatic)

Thermodynamic Cycle: A sequence of process that begins and ends at the same state, e.g. Otto
cycle. It has 4 processes.
(i) Adiabatic compression: P, T, v (ii) Isochoric heat addition: P, T, v
Heat

2 2 3

(iii) Adiabatic expansion: P, T, v (iv) Isochoric heat rejection: P, T, v

Heat

4 4 1

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

P
3

Phase: Quality of matter that is homogeneous throughout in both chemical composition and
physical structure, e.g. Liquid, vapor and solid.

Pure substance: uniform and invariable in chemical composition, can exist in more than one
phase, e.g. Water + Water vapor (mixture of gases, no chemical reaction)

Temperature: You do not feel temperature, you actually feel heat transfer. This is connected with
zeroth law of thermodynamics. This law says if two bodies are in thermal equilibrium (no heat
transfer) with a third body, then the two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

A B
A Q=0
B
Q=0 Q=0

So, TA = TC and TB = TC, then TA = TB.

If the third body is the thermometer, then we can say that bodies A and B are at same
temperature. Temperature has four different scales.

TR   TF  459.69  95 TK 

TK   TC  273.16  95 TR 
TF  95 TC  32

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

Pressure: Defined as,

Force
Pressure  1 Pascal = 1 N/m²
Area
1 Bar = 105 N/m² = 105 Pascal
1 Torr = 1mm Hg = 19.34  10-3 Psi = 1.33  10² Pa
1 Hg = 70.73 lb.f/ft²

Pressure

Gage
Pressure
Standard Atmospheric Pressure = 760mm Hg = 29.921 Hg
Vacuum Absolute = 14.696 Psi (lb.f/in²)
Pressure = 1.01325105 Pa

Absolute
Pressure

Absolute Reference

Pressure can be measured by:

(a) Borden type: Deflection of coil.
(b) Piezoelectric: Deforming crystals produce electrical current.
(c) Diaphragm: Relates deflection to capacitance.
(d) Manometer: Difference in the height of liquid columns.

The manometer: It contains

P1 P2

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

Po Fo = Poa

Area of a

Fs
Z = mg

A
A B FA = PAa

To find PA, look at the column of liquid at that point.

F = 0  Fo + Fs = FA  Po a + mg = PA a  = PA = Po + mg/a

As, mass = volume  density  m = a Z , So, PA = Po +  g Z

Two points at the same elevation in same liquid is same, i.g. PA = PB,
Note that orientation of the surface is not important (like fig.)

P A = PB

A B

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MAE 204 Thermodynamics Chapter 1

So, we can measure the pressure difference across the two points. The flowing fluid has the
density of g and the manometer fluid has the same of f.

g
P1 P2

a
B

h
f
A A'

The pressures at points A and B:

PA  P1   g ga  h  and PA'  PA  P1   g ga  h 
PB  P2   g ga  P2  PB   g ga
Also, PB  PA   f gh  P1   g ga  h    f gh
 P1   g ga  h    f gh  P2   g ga
 P1   g gh   f gh  P2
 P1  P2   f gh   g gh   f   g gh
In the case, g << f, P1  P2   f gh

All these analysis are assuming the constant density. If the density changes with elevation as
(z), taking the free body diagram of a differential element,
P dA

Small
dz Element
g dm

P + dP

Balancing all the force in positive upward direction, we get,

PdA  gdm  P  dPdA
 PdA  gz dV  PdA  dPdA
 dPdA  gz dAdz
 dP  gz dz
P2 Z2 Z2

  dP  g  z dz  P2  P1  g  z dz

P1 Z1 Z1
Z2

In the case, where density constant, P2  P1  g  z dz  gZ2  Z1 

Z1