- #1
curiouschris
- 147
- 0
I want to propose an interesting thought experiment, but don't want to
A/ make a bigger fool of myself than I normally do
B/ well that's about it really
The premise behind my experiment is that rising steam does not lose thermal energy if we ignore thermal losses both radiative and conductive.
I know that's an odd thing to say but its important in this context.
So my pre thought experiment question is this.
If I heated steam in a perfectly thermally insulated container which led to a perfectly thermally insulated riser (tube, pipe, chimney or whatever you want to call it) does the water vapour lose thermal energy as it rises?
Assume the following...
1/ riser is open at the top
2/ sufficient time has passed such as the tube only contains water vapour in the form of steam. (the walls of the riser are at the same temp as the steam and therefore no condensation).
3/ perfect thermal insulation of all components (not possible, but just humour me)
4/ steam that exits the riser is ignored.
In the above scenario, does the water vapour lose thermal energy as it rises. if so why and how?
EDIT:
The source of steam is water boiling in the container with energy supplied by an external source. As the water boils, the steam generated displaces the contents of the riser, thus water molecules as steam vapour rise up the tube.
CC
A/ make a bigger fool of myself than I normally do
B/ well that's about it really
The premise behind my experiment is that rising steam does not lose thermal energy if we ignore thermal losses both radiative and conductive.
I know that's an odd thing to say but its important in this context.
So my pre thought experiment question is this.
If I heated steam in a perfectly thermally insulated container which led to a perfectly thermally insulated riser (tube, pipe, chimney or whatever you want to call it) does the water vapour lose thermal energy as it rises?
Assume the following...
1/ riser is open at the top
2/ sufficient time has passed such as the tube only contains water vapour in the form of steam. (the walls of the riser are at the same temp as the steam and therefore no condensation).
3/ perfect thermal insulation of all components (not possible, but just humour me)
4/ steam that exits the riser is ignored.
In the above scenario, does the water vapour lose thermal energy as it rises. if so why and how?
EDIT:
The source of steam is water boiling in the container with energy supplied by an external source. As the water boils, the steam generated displaces the contents of the riser, thus water molecules as steam vapour rise up the tube.
CC
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