UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP SYSTEM LAGUNA

College of Engineering and Tech. Voc.

ISENTROPIC AND POLYTROPIC PROCESS

Homework No. 1 (FINALS)

EARVIN PAUL B. ARQUIZA

E3M/BSME

Engr. Jimmy Teodoro

POLYTROPIC PROCESS:
1. Air (ideal gas with = 1.4) at 1 bar and 300K is compressed till the final
volume is one-sixteenth of the original volume, following a polytropic process
Pv1.25 = const. Calculate (a) the final pressure and temperature of the air, (b) the
work done and (c) the energy transferred as heat per mole of the air.
SOLUTIONS:
(a) P1v11.25 = P2v21.25
P2 = P1(v1/v2)1.25 = 1(16)1.25 = 32 bar
T2 = (T1P2v2)/(P1v1) = (300 x 32 x 1)/(1x16) = 600K
(b) w = (P1v1- P2v2)/(n-1)
= Ru(T1 T2)/(n-1)
= 8.314 (300 600)/(1.25-1) = -9.977 kJ/mol
(c) q = w.{ ( -n)/( -1)}
= - 9.977 (1.4 1.25)/(1.4-1)
= - 3.742 kJ/mol.
2. The work of a polytropic (n = 1.21) compression of air (Cp/Cv = 1.40) in a
system with moving boundary from P1 = 15kpa, V1 = 1.0 cubic meter to P2 =
150kpa, V2 = 0.15 cubic meter.
SOLUTIONS:
W = P2V2 P1V1 / 1-n
= [150(0.15) 15(1.0)] / 1 1.21
= 35.7kj

3. A rigid and insulated container of 2m3 capacity is divided into two equal
compartments by a membrane. One compartment contains helium at 200kPa and
127oC while the second compartment contains nitrogen at 400kPa and 227oC.
The membrane is punctured and the gases are allowed to mix. Determine the
temperature and pressure after equilibrium has been established. Consider helium
and nitrogen as perfect gases with their Cv as 3R/2 and 5R/2 respectively.
SOLUTIONS:
Considering the gases contained in both the compartments as the system, W= 0
and Q = 0. Therefore, U = 0 (U2 = U1)
Amount of helium = NHe = PAVA/RuTA
= 200 x 103 x 1/(8.314 x400)
= 60.14 mol.
Amount of nitrogen = NN2 = PBVB/RuTB
= 400 x 103 x 1/(8.314x500)
= 96.22 mol.
Let Tf be the final temperature after equilibrium has been established. Then,
[NCv(Tf-400)]He + [NCv(Tf -500)]N2 = 0
Ru[60.14(Tf-400)3 + 96.22(Tf-500)5 ] /2 = 0
Or, Tf = 472.73 K
The final pressure of the mixture can be obtained by applying the equation of
state:
PfVf = (NHe + NN2)Ru Tf
2Pf = (60.14 + 96.22) 8.314 (472.73)

or, Pf = 307.27 kPa

4. A piston-cylinder device with a set of stops contains steam at a specified state.

Now, the steam is cooled. The compression work for two cases and the final
temperature are to be determined.
SOLUTIONS:
(a) The specific volumes for the initial and final states are
P1 = 1MPa
P2 = 1MPa
o
T1 = 400 C
T2 = 250oC
V1 = 0.30661 m3 /kg
v2 = 0.23275 m3 /kg
Nothing that pressure is constant during the process, the boundary work is
determined from:
Wb = mP(v1 v2) = (0.3 kg)(1000kPa)(0.30661 0.23275)m3/kg = 22.16 kJ
(b) The volume of the cylinder at the final state is 60% of initial volume. Then,
the boundary work becomes:
Wb = mP(v1 0.60v1) = (0.3 kg)(1000 kPa)(0.30661 0.60 0.30661)m3/kg
= 36.79 kJ
The temperature at the final state is:
P2 = 0.5MPa
V2 = (0.60 x 0.30661)m3/kg
T2 = 151.8C

5. 30g of gas inside a cylinder fitted with a piston has a temperature of 15oC. The
piston is moved with a mean force of 200 N so that that it moves 60 mm and
compresses the gas. The temperature rises to 21oC as a result. Calculate the heat
transfer given cv = 718 J/kg-K.
SOLUTIONS:
This is a non-flow system so the law applying is Q + W = U
The change in internal energy is U = mcvT = 0.03 x 718 x (21 - 15)
U = 129.24 J
The work is transferred into the system because the volume shrinks.
W = (force) (distance moved)
= 200 x 0.06
= 12 J
Q = U W
= 117.24 J

ISENTROPIC PROCESS:
1. Steam enters an adiabatic turbine at 350C and 2MPa. The exit from the
turbine is a saturated vapor at 50kPa. Determine the isentropic efficiency of the
turbine.
SOLUTIONS:

2. Steam at 500C, 3MPa pressure enters an adiabatic turbine at the rate of m =

10 kg/s. The exit pressure is 500kPa, and the isentropic efficiency is nT = 0.8.
Determine the power output and the actual exit temperature of the steam.
SOLUTIONS:

3. Steam enters an adiabatic turbine at 400C, 2MPa pressure. The turbine has an
isentropic efficiency of 0.9. The exit pressure is set so that the actual work output
from the turbine is wa = 700 kJ/kg. Determine the required exit pressure and the
actual exit temperature and quality, if saturated.
SOLUTIONS:

4. Air enters an adiabatic compressor at 300 K, 1atm pressure. The work input to
the compressor is 350 kJ per kg of air flowing through the compressor. Given
that the compressor has an isentropic efficiency of 0.85, calculate the actual exit
temperature and pressure of the compressor. Use the constant specific heat
relations for this problem:
SOLUTIONS:

5. Air enters an adiabatic turbine at 1200 K and 8atm pressure. The exit pressure
is 1 atm. The turbine has an isentropic efficiency of 0.85. Determine the actual
exit temperature and the work per unit mass. Use the air tables to solve this
problem.
SOLUTIONS: