Thermodynamics - Calculating Work/Heat, Piston/Cylinder

In summary, the conversation is about a problem involving a piston-and-cylinder device containing 5 kg of water at a temperature of 150 ◦C and a pressure of 0.20 MPa. The piston is pushed in a slow isothermal process until the volume of water becomes 10% of its initial value. The task is to calculate the heat and work exchanged between the device and the surroundings during this process. The conversation includes data from Steam Tables and equations for calculating entropy, internal energy, heat, and work. The conversation also discusses the confusion on how to calculate the two processes involved in the problem and the concept of work being positive or negative depending on the type of gas involved. In the end, the correct calculation for work
  • #1
gphsuvat
3
0
First, I did find a previous discussion from a few years ago related to this problem. However, my specific question is further along in the problem than the other person got:

Homework Statement


A piston-and-cylinder device contains 5 kg of water initially at 150 ◦C and 0.20 MPa. The frictionless piston is then pushed slowly in an isothermal process until the volume of water becomes 10% of its initial value. Calculate the heat and work exchanged between the device and the surroundings during this process. You must start from the appropriate form of the balance equations and simplify them.

Following is data that I looked up from Steam Tables for (1= Superheated vapor) and (2=Saturated Vapor)
1. Superheated
## \hat V = 0.9596 m^3/kg ##
## \hat S = 7.2795 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ } ##
## \hat U = 2576.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ }##

2. Saturated Vapor
## \begin{matrix}
\hat V ^v = 0.3928 m^3/kg & \hat V ^L = 0.001091 m^3/kg \\
\hat S ^v = 6.8379 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ } & \hat S ^L = 1.8418 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ }\\
\hat U ^v = 2559.5 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } & \hat U ^L = 631.68 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } \\
\Delta \hat U _{evap} = 1927.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ }
\end{matrix}
##

Homework Equations


The system is initially a superheated vapor (all of it is vapor phase). It is isothermally compressed to a saturated mixture of liquid and vapor. Process is completely reversible.
In the other thread, Chestermiller mentioned that there were two things to consider:
1) isothermal compression to saturation point
2) isothermal and isobaric compression to equilibrium vapor pressure/temperature.
I am unsure how to calculate the two of these together...

## \hat V = w^v \hat V ^v + (1-w^v ) \hat V ^L ##
## w^v = {\frac{ \hat V - \hat V^L }{ \hat V ^v - \hat V ^L}} ##
## dU = Q + W \rightarrow dU = Q - W \text{ as W here is only PV work.}\ ##
## dS = \frac{Q}{T} \rightarrow Q = TdS \rightarrow Q = T \int_1^2 dS \rightarrow Q = MT( \hat S _2 - \hat S _1 ) ##
## \hat V = \frac{V}{M} ##

The Attempt at a Solution


## \hat V _1 = \frac{V_1}{M} \rightarrow V _1 = \hat V _1 M \rightarrow V _1 = (0.9596 m^3/kg)( 5 kg) = 4.798 m^3 ##
## V _2 = 0.1 V_1 = 0.4798 m^3 ##
## \hat V _2 = \frac{V_2}{M} \rightarrow \frac{0.4798 m^3}{5 kg} = 0.09596 m^3/kg ##

## w^v = \frac{ \hat V - \hat V^L }{ \hat V ^v - \hat V ^L} \rightarrow \frac{0.09596 m^3/kg - 0.001091 m^3/kg}{0.3928 m^3/kg - 0.001091 m^3/kg} = 0.242 ##
## w^v=0.242 and w^L = (1-0.242) = 0.758 ##Need to find the second entropy..
## \hat S _2 = w^v \hat S ^v + w^L \hat S ^L = (0.242)(6.8379 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ } ) + (0.758)(1.8418 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ }) = 3.051 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ } ##

Thus the heat for the system

## Q = MT( \hat S _2 - \hat S _1 ) = (5 kg)(423 K)(3.051 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ } - 7.2795 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg K}\ }) = -8945 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } ##This is where I am confused on how to proceed, to solve for the work.
I know for an ideal gas, ## \Delta U = 0 ## but, I do not think that ## \Delta U = 0 ## in this case? I do not know if I need to use ## \Delta U_{evap} ## ?## \Delta U = Q + W \rightarrow M( \hat U _2 - \hat U _1 ) = Q - W ##
## \hat U _2 = w^v \hat U ^v + w^L \hat U ^L = (0.242)(2559.5 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ }) + (0.758)(631.68 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ }) = 1098.21 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } ##
## W = Q - M( \hat U _2 - \hat U _1 ) = (-8945 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } ) - (5 kg) (1098.21 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } - 2576.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } ) = -1551.55 kJ ##

Therefore the W and Q for system ## W = - 1551.55 kJ ## and ## Q = -8945 kJ ##Do I need to account for the ## \Delta U_{evap} ## ? Is the thought process correct? Or does ## U=0 ## ?
 
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  • #2
I don't know what my thought processes were a few years ago regarding this problem, but what you've done here certainly looks correct to me now. You've automatically taken into account the heat of vaporization when you calculated ##\hat{U}_2## . ΔU is not equal to zero because of the change of phase. Note however, that the ##\hat{U}##'s of the vapors in the two states are close to being equal. The difference is due to non-ideal gas behavior.

Chet
 
  • #3
Thank you for the reply. To make sure I understand the concept, when calculating ## \Delta U ## the heat of vaporization does not need to be added, because the calculation already accounted for it?
I am also somewhat confused with this outcome for Work because I thought that work done ON a system in compression is positive (As in, W > 0).

I started to become confused when I saw another classmate's work, they had done this:
## \Delta U _{evap} = 1927.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } = (5 kg)(1927.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ }) = 9639.5 \text{kJ}\ = \Delta U ##
## \Delta U = Q + W ##
## W = \Delta U - Q \rightarrow W = 9639.5 \text{kJ} \ - (- 8974.3 \text{kJ} \ ) = 18613.8 \text{kJ} \ ##

So...yeah =? is work negative when isothermal compression of a real gas goes through a phase change, and work positive in a isothermal compression of an ideal gas??
 
  • #4
gphsuvat said:
Thank you for the reply. To make sure I understand the concept, when calculating ## \Delta U ## the heat of vaporization does not need to be added, because the calculation already accounted for it?

In your calculation, you employed the internal energy of the vapor, which is equal to the internal energy of the liquid plus the heat of vaporization. (add 'em up to check). So, as I said, you did actually automatically include the heat of vaporization.
I am also somewhat confused with this outcome for Work because I thought that work done ON a system in compression is positive (As in, W > 0).

Your equations for the first law are a little schizophrenic. You have written both ##ΔU=Q+W## and ##ΔU=Q-W## on the same line in two different places. The first form of the equation is used when you are referring to the work done ON the system, and the second form is used when when you are referring to the work done BY the system. In your calculations, you used the second form, so the calculations determined the work done BY the system, which, in compression, is negative.

I started to become confused when I saw another classmate's work, they had done this:
## \Delta U _{evap} = 1927.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ } = (5 kg)(1927.9 \frac{ \text{kJ}\ }{ \text{kg}\ }) = 9639.5 \text{kJ}\ = \Delta U ##
## \Delta U = Q + W ##
## W = \Delta U - Q \rightarrow W = 9639.5 \text{kJ} \ - (- 8974.3 \text{kJ} \ ) = 18613.8 \text{kJ} \ ##
Your friend's calculation uses the first form of the first law equation, which assumes that you are referring to the work done ON the system. However, his calculation is totally wrong, whereas, your calculation is correct. (With these gaps in your understanding, I find it amazing that you were able to do the calculations correctly).
So...yeah =? is work negative when isothermal compression of a real gas goes through a phase change, and work positive in a isothermal compression of an ideal gas??
In compression, if W refers to the work done BY the system, it is always negative, irrespective of whether the gas is real or ideal, and irrespective of whether a phase change occurs.

Chet
 

Related to Thermodynamics - Calculating Work/Heat, Piston/Cylinder

1. What is the first law of thermodynamics and how does it relate to calculating work and heat?

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another. This means that the total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant. When calculating work and heat in a piston/cylinder system, this law is used to determine the change in internal energy of the system, which is equal to the work done on the system plus the heat added to the system.

2. How do you calculate work in a piston/cylinder system?

Work in a piston/cylinder system can be calculated by multiplying the force applied to the piston by the distance the piston moves. This can be represented by the equation W = F * d, where W is work, F is force, and d is distance. In a piston/cylinder system, the force is typically provided by the gas inside the cylinder as it expands or contracts.

3. What is heat and how is it related to temperature in thermodynamics?

Heat is a form of energy that is transferred from a hotter object to a colder object. In thermodynamics, heat is related to temperature through the second law of thermodynamics, which states that heat flows from a higher temperature to a lower temperature. The amount of heat transferred is also proportional to the difference in temperature between the two objects.

4. How does the ideal gas law relate to calculating work and heat in a piston/cylinder system?

The ideal gas law, PV = nRT, is often used in thermodynamics to calculate the work and heat in a piston/cylinder system. This law relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of an ideal gas, and can be used to determine the change in internal energy of the gas as it expands or contracts in the cylinder. This change in internal energy is then used to calculate the work and heat in the system.

5. What is the difference between isothermal and adiabatic processes in a piston/cylinder system?

An isothermal process is one in which the temperature of the gas remains constant, while an adiabatic process is one in which no heat is exchanged between the gas and its surroundings. In a piston/cylinder system, an isothermal process can be achieved by allowing the gas to expand or contract slowly enough that it maintains a constant temperature, while an adiabatic process can be achieved by insulating the cylinder so that no heat is lost or gained by the gas during the process.

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