Solution Set Part 1 – Review of Thermodynamics 1 

1) Write the general 1st and 2nd law balances for a control mass. What do reversible, adiabatic,
isentropic, and steady processes do to these balances? Do this again for a control volume.

2) On a T-s diagram (Fig A-9), identify the ideal gas region using the general compressibility
rules-of-thumb (i.e. T > 2 Tcrit or P << Pcrit). What can you say about h in this region?

3) It is safe to use specific heats for processes that fall in certain regions of the phase diagram.
How many regions? What regions? What characteristic do u and h have in these regions
that allow the use of Cv and Cp ?

4) Start with the form of the Gibbs equation that was developed in lectures and derive three
forms of the same equation that can be applied to an ideal gas (i.e., s2-s1 = … ). Take note of
the additional relations that were used and the corresponding restrictions.

5) Start with the form of the Gibbs equation that was developed in lectures and derive an
equation that can be applied to an incompressible liquid or solid (i.e., s2-s1 = … ). Take note
of the additional relations that were used and the corresponding restrictions.

6) An adiabatic pump is used to move water at the rate of 10 kg/sec. At the inlet P1=10 kPa
and T1=20°C. At the outlet P2=3 MPa. The isentropic efficiency of the pump is s=0.8.
Determine the shaft power required to drive the pump. Also find the outlet temperature, T2.

7) Consider a rigid insulated tank. Initially it is divided in half by a partition with 6 kg of an

ideal gas, at T = 50°C and P = 800 kPa, in one part and a vacuum in the other part.
Determine the final temperature and pressure in the tank after the partition is removed and
the gas has had sufficient time to re-establish equilibrium.

8) A mass of air, m=15 kg, is maintained at P = 300 kPa in a piston-cylinder device. The air is
heated from T1 = 25°C to T2 = 77°C using an electrical resistance heater. A heat loss of Q =
60 kJ takes place during the process. How much electrical energy was supplied to the heater?

9) Consider a gas turbine. Air enters the compressor section at ambient conditions, T1 = 25°C
and P1 = 100 kPa, and with very low velocity. At the outlet of the compressor the air has a
velocity of 90 m/sec with T2 = 347°C and P2 = 1 MPa. Cooling is provided at the rate of 25
kW and shaft work is supplied at the rate of 250 kW. Determine the rate at which air flows
through the compressor.

10) Consider a rigid insulated cylinder that is divided into two compartments by a free-floating
piston. Initially a quantity of gas is held in each chamber. One chamber contains 1 m3 of N2
at 500 kPa and 80°C while the other chamber contains 1 m3 of He at 500 kPa and 25°C.
Then heat transfer is allowed to take place through the piston until thermal equilibrium is
established. Determine the final temperature in the cylinder using constant specific heats
evaluated at room temperature. Rework the problem with a piston that is not free to move.
Solution Set Part 1 – Review of Thermodynamics 1 

11) An egg, recently taken from the refrigerator, is initially at a uniform temperature of T1 = 8°C.
It is dropped into water that is boiling at Tw = 97°C. The egg can be approximated as a
sphere with D = 55 mm, ρ = 1020 kg/m3 and Cp = 3.32 kJ/kg°C. Determine how much heat
must be transferred to the egg to bring its temperature to T2 = Tw. How much entropy
generation is associated with (a) the change of thermodynamic state of the egg, and (b) the
heat transfer process?

12) A 1000 Watt iron is left on a table with its heated surface exposed to the room air. The
temperature of the air is Ta = 20°C. The surface temperature of the iron is Ts = 400°C.
Determine the rate at which entropy is generated by this process. What is the ratio of
external/internal entropy generation? How would this ratio change if the power is reduced
to 500 Watts and the surface temperature changes to Ts = 210°C ?

13) Steam flows through a turbine at a rate of 25,000 kg/hr. The steam enters at T1 = 450°C and
P1 = 8 MPa. The steam is saturated at the outlet with P2 = 50 kPa. The turbine produces 4
MW of shaft power. Determine the rate at which entropy is generated in this process if the
turbine operates in an environment at Tenv = 25°C.