Question

Liquid water at 180°C and 1 002.7 kPa has an internal energy (on an arbitrary scale) of 762.0 kJ/kg and a
specific volume of 1.128 cm³/g.

(i) What is its enthalpy? (3 marks)

(ii) The water is brought to the vapor state at 300°C and 1 500 kPa where its internal energy is 2
784.4 kJ/kg and its specific volume is 169.7 cm³/g. Discuss the energy changes that occur to the
system and calculate ΔU and ΔH for the process. (8 marks)

[Modified from: J.M. Smith, H.C. Van Ness, M.M. Abbott; Introduction to chemical engineering
thermodynamics 7th Edition, page 58, question 2.18]

Solution:

(i)

(ii) We can imagine the system as water contained in a cylinder with a frictionless piston, as heat is
added, the water is brought to vapor state, expanding from its initial pressure of 1 002 kPa at
180°C to a final pressure of 1 500 kPa at 300°C. No work is done on the system since no force
external to the system moves hence , the change in the internal energy of the system
results from heat transfer from the surroundings to the system.

Since changes in enthalpy and internal energy are independent of the process that brings them
about, our workings can be based on a two-step mechanically reversible process where a
constant mass of water is (a) cooled at constant volume to final pressure and (b) heated at
constant pressure to final temperature.

Step (a):

, negative sign since system is cooled

( )
Step (b):

( ( ))

For the process: