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Thermodynamics

I'm stuck on a question on a thermo sheet and it is

A possible ideal-gas cycle operates as follows:
(i) From an initial state (p1; V1) the gas is cooled at constant pressure to (p1; V2);
(ii) The gas is heated at constant volume to (p2; V2);
(iii) The gas expands adiabatically back to (p1; V1).
Assuming constant heat capacities, show that the thermal efficiency is

1-(gamma)*((V1/V2)-1)/((P2/P1)-1)

what I currently have is

for the Isobaric part:
dW=P1(V2-V1) and dQ=Cp(T2-T1)

The const vol part:
dW=0 and dQ=Cv(T2-T1)

The adiabatic part
dW=(P2V2-P1V1)/(gamma-1) and dQ=0

where gamma=Cp/Cv

Any help would be much appreciated :smile:

thanks
Reply 1
bump
Original post by natninja
I'm stuck on a question on a thermo sheet and it is

A possible ideal-gas cycle operates as follows:
(i) From an initial state (p1; V1) the gas is cooled at constant pressure to (p1; V2);
(ii) The gas is heated at constant volume to (p2; V2);
(iii) The gas expands adiabatically back to (p1; V1).
Assuming constant heat capacities, show that the thermal efficiency is

1-(gamma)*((V1/V2)-1)/((P2/P1)-1)

what I currently have is

for the Isobaric part:
dW=P1(V2-V1) and dQ=Cp(T2-T1)

The const vol part:
dW=0 and dQ=Cv(T2-T1)

The adiabatic part
dW=(P2V2-P1V1)/(gamma-1) and dQ=0

where gamma=Cp/Cv

Any help would be much appreciated :smile:

thanks

Thermal efficiency is defined as η=WoutQin\eta = \dfrac{W_{\text{out}}}{Q_{\text{in}}}. By energy conservation, Qin=Qout+Wout    η=1QoutQinQ_{\text{in}} = Q_{\text{out}} + W_{\text{out}} \implies \eta = 1 - \dfrac{Q_{\text{out}}}{Q_{\text{in}}}.

For (i), the heat transfer to the environment by the gas cooling is Qout=T1T2CP dT=CP(T2T1)Q_{\text{out}} = \int_{T_1}^{T_2} C_P \ \text{d}T = C_P (T_2 - T_1)

For (ii), the heat transferred to the gas (QinQ_{\text{in}}) is Qin=T2T3CV dT=CV(T3T2)Q_{\text{in}} = \int_{T_2}^{T_3} C_V \ \text{d}T = C_V (T_3 - T_2)

For (iii), Q=0Q = 0 as it is an adiabatic process.

With PV/T=constantPV/T = \text{constant} and some algebraic manipulation, the result should fall out.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by Felix Felicis
Thermal efficiency is defined as η=WoutQin\eta = \dfrac{W_{\text{out}}}{Q_{\text{in}}}. By energy conservation, Qin=Qout+Wout    η=1QoutQinQ_{\text{in}} = Q_{\text{out}} + W_{\text{out}} \implies \eta = 1 - \dfrac{Q_{\text{out}}}{Q_{\text{in}}}.

For (i), the heat transfer to the environment by the gas cooling is Qout=T1T2CP dT=CP(T2T1)Q_{\text{out}} = \int_{T_1}^{T_2} C_P \ \text{d}T = C_P (T_2 - T_1)

For (ii), the heat transferred to the gas (QinQ_{\text{in}}) is Qin=T2T3CV dT=CV(T3T2)Q_{\text{in}} = \int_{T_2}^{T_3} C_V \ \text{d}T = C_V (T_3 - T_2)

For (iii), Q=0Q = 0 as it is an adiabatic process.

With PV/T=constantPV/T = \text{constant} and some algebraic manipulation, the result should fall out.

Solved it a while ago, turns out it's the Lenoir cycle - but thanks anyway :smile:

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