Thermodynamics- Second Law Flashcards
Uses of the 2nd law of thermodynamics
Identify the direction of the process. Determine degree of degradation of energy during a process. Determine theoretical limits for the performance of systems. Predicting the degree of completion of chemical reactions.
What does quality of energy refer to?
How useful the energy is. For example some energy is easier to transfer than others.
What is degree of degradation of energy to do with?
Where not all energy is used in the way we want
What is a thermal energy reservoir?
A hypothetical body with a relatively large thermal energy capacity (mass x specific heat) that can supply finite amounts of heat without undergoing any change in temperature.
Can work always be converted to heat directly and completely?
Yes but the reverse is not true
How do heat engines work?
They receive heat from a high temperature source. They convert part of this heat to work (usually in the form of a rotating shaft). They reject the remaining waste heat to a low temperature sink (eg atmosphere or river). They operate on a cycle.
What is a working fluid?
The fluid involved in cyclic devices to and from which heat is transferred.
Why does internal energy not change in a heat engine?
It is a cyclic process so the temperature at the start equals the temperature at the end and Δu=cv Δt.
Therefore the q(net in) = W(net out)
What is thermal efficiency η?
W(net out) over total heat input (Qh). W(net out)=Qh-Ql so
η=1-Ql/Qh
Ql is heat rejected to low temperature reservoir
Typical values of thermal efficiency
25-50%
What is the Kelvin-Planck statement?
It is impossible for any device that operates on a cycle to receive heat from a single reservoir and produce a net amount of work.
What do refrigerators do?
They transfer heat from a low-temperature medium to a high temperature one. They are cyclic devices
How does a vapour-compression refrigeration cycle work?
Has 4 components of a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator. The working fluid is called a refrigerant. The refrigerant enters the compressor as vapour and is condensed to the condenser pressure so its temperature increases. As it flows through the coils of the condenser, it cools by rejecting heat to the surrounding medium. Then enters expansion valve where temperature and pressure drop dramatically. It then evaporated in the evaporator by absorbing heat from the refrigerated space the enters compressor again.
What are air conditioners?
Basically refrigerators whose refrigerated space is a room or building instead of the food compartment.
What is the coefficient of performance?
The desired output over the required input. A measure of the efficiency of the heat pump or refrigerator.
What is the difference between a refrigerator and a heat pump?
They operate on the same cycle but the objective of a heat pump is to maintain a heated space at a high temperature by supplying heat to it from a low-temperature source, whereas the objective of a refrigerator is to maintain the refrigerated space at a low temperature by removing heat from it.
Formulae for coefficient of performance (COP) of refrigerator
Ql/Wnet,in
Ql is heat removed from refrigerated space
But Wnet,in is Qh-Ql
So COP=Ql/(Qh-Ql)
Can the COP of a refrigerator be greater than 1?
Yes because the heat removed from the refrigerated space can be greater than the work input
Formulae for coefficient of performance of heat pumps
Qh/Wnet,in
Where Qh is heat supplied to heated space
But Wnet,in is Qh-Ql
So COP=Qh/(Qh-Ql)
Can a heat pump have a COP less than 1?
No because it equals the COP for a refrigerator +1 and the COP for a refrigerator is always positive.
What is the Clausius statement?
It is impossible to construct a device that operates in a cycle and produces no effect other than the transfer of heat from a lower-temperature body to a higher-temperature body.
What is a perpetual motion machine?
Any device that violates either the first or second law of thermodynamics. PMM1 violates the first law (by creating energy). PMM2 violates the second law.
What is a reversible process?
A process that can be reversed without leaving any trace on the surroundings. So the system and the surroundings are returned to their initial states at the need of the reverse process. It involves no irreversibilities within the system or its surroundings.
What is an irreversible process?
A process that is not reversible. Even though the system can be restored to its initial state following a process, the surroundings do some work on the system for this to happen.
