B59EJ Mechanical Engineering Science 10

Thermodynamics
Assignment 1
The following questions will form the basis of an in-class test on Tuesday ## The test
contributes 10 marks (5%) to the overall grade for the course B59Ej.
For the assessment, one question (worth 7 marks) from those below plus a guest
question (worth 3 marks) will be used.
Q1

Figure Q1 shows a scale drawing of the temperature profile through a composite

plane wall.
(i)
(ii)

Identify the layer with the largest thermal conductivity,

Identify the layer that provides the greatest resistance to the flow of heat.

State any assumptions made and explain your answers.

T1

k1

k2

k3

x1

x2

x3

T2
T3
T4

Figure Q1:

(1)
(i) &
(ii)

Temperature profile through a composite plane wall

Heat flow is constant through each layer; area is constant

Q constant
A constant
k
T
Q A T Q
x
R

where

x
kA

Least gradient (T/x) must have greatest thermal conductivity = layer 2

Largest T must also have the greatest resistance = layer 3
Quantitative solution,
Let

1unit
Q

and

A 1unit

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

k1
1
1 k1 1; R1
1
1
1 1
k
2
layer 2 : 1 2 1 k 2 2; R2
1
2
2 1
k
2
layer 3 : 1 3 1.5 k 3 1.33; R3
1.5
2
1.33 1
layer 1 : 1

T1
T2
Layer2
Layer 3

T3

Layer 1

T4

x1

x2

x3

(2)

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

(2)

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

Q2.

0.5 kg of Nitrogen (N2) and 0.05 kg of Helium (He2) are separated by a partition in a
vessel. The Nitrogen is at 3 bar and 100 oC and the Helium at 1.5 bar and 50 oC. The
partition is removed and the gases are allowed to mix.

Find,
(1) the mass fraction, mole fraction and mean molecular weight of the mixture,
(2) the temperature and pressure after mixing,
(3) the entropy change in the mixing process.
The cv values for Nitrogen and Helium are 0.743 kJ/kgK and 3.116 kJ/kgK respectively.
(N2 has a molecular weight of 28; He has a molecular weight of 4).
The following equation may be used without proof.

T
V

S i mi R i ln i c v i ln

V
T
ib
ib

Where b refers to the constituent gas state before mixing.

mi
0.5
0.05
0.55
kg

N2
He2

(2)

mmw

ni
0.0178
0.0125
0.0303
kmol

yi
0.587
0.413
=1

Ri
0.297
2.079

ymi
0.909
0.091
=1

m
0.55

18.15 kg / kmol
n 0.0303

By mole
nR T
VN 2
p

nR T
p

VHe2

mwi
28
4

N2

He

0.0178 8.314 373.2

0.185 m 3
300
0.0125 8.314 323.2
0.224 m 3
150

Vtotal 0.185 0.224 0.409 m 3

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

c v c v mw
N2

c v 0.743 28 20.804

He

c v 3.116 4 12.464

Tmix

n c T
n c
V

0.0178 20.804 373.2 0.0125 12.464 323.2

0.0178 20.804 0.0125 12.464

Tmix 358.2 K

p mixV n mix R Tmix

p mix
pN 2

0.0178 0.0125 8.314 358.2 220.6 kN / m 2

0.297
0.587 220.6 129.5kN / m 2

( 2.41 bar )

pHe 0.413 241.2 91.1 kN / m 2

Entropy change

V
T
S n i R ln 2 c v i ln 2
V1
T1

0.409
358.2

S 0.0178 8.314 ln
20.804 ln

0.185
373.2

0.409
358.2

0.0125 8.314 ln
12.464 ln

0.224
323.2

S 0.181 kJ / K
or

T
p
S n i c p i ln 2 R ln 2
T1
p1

358.2
129.5

S 0.0178 20.804 8.314 ln

8.314 ln

373.2
300

358.2
91.1

0.00625 12.464 8.314 ln

8.314 ln

323.2
150

S 0.181 kJ / K
By mass

VN 2

VHe2

m RT

p

m RT

p

N2

He

0. 5

8.314
373.2
28
0.185 m 3
300

0.05

8.314
323.2
8
0.224 m 3
150

Vtotal 0.185 0.224 0.409 m 3

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

Tmix

m c T
m c
V

0.5 0.743 373.2 0.05 3.116 323.2

0.5 0.743 0.05 3.66

Tmix 358.2 K

p mixV m mix R mix Tmix

18.15
220.6 kN / m 2
0.409
0.587 220.6 129.5 kN / m 2

p mix
pN 2

0.5 0.05 8.314 358.2

( 2.21bar )

pHe 0.417 220.6 91.1 kN / m 2

Entropy change

V
T
S m i R ln 2 c v i ln 2
V1
T1

0.409
358.2
8.314
S 0.5
ln
0.743 ln

0.185
373.2
28
0.409
358.2
8.314
0.05
ln
3.116 ln

4
0.224
323.2

S 0.181 kJ / K
Q3

Stephen D Houston
February 2011

Stephen D Houston
February 2011