ME 43: APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS

QUESTION BANK
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Chapter 1: Availability and Irreversibility
Syllabus: Maximum work, Maximum useful work for a system and a control volume; Availability of a
system and a steady flowing system, irreversibility, second law efficiency; Numerical problems. (1Q)

THEORY QUESTIONS

1. Explain a) Availability b) Available energy c) Second law efficiency d) Lost work. [Jan-05] [8]

2. Define and briefly explain a) Dead state of a system b) Availability of a system c) Availability of a steadily
flowing stream and d) Irreversibility and entropy generation.
[July-04] [12]

3. Define and explain briefly the following for a system undergoing a non-cyclic process: a) actual work,
b) maximum work c) maximum useful work and d) irreversibility. [Model QP1] [12]

4. Briefly describe the following in light of ‘availability’ concept: a) Available and unavailable energy
b) Irreversibility . [Model QP2] [5]

5. Show that the available energy decreases with heat transfer over finite temperature range. [Model QP2] [5]

6. What is meant by second law efficiency and explain its significance. [July-05] [6]

7. Differentiate between available energy and availability of a system. [July-05] [6]

8. Distinguish between I law efficiency and II law efficiency. Illustrate it taking the example of a power plant.
[Jan-06] [4]

9. Write the expression for availability for a steady flow system which interacts with the surroundings only.
[Jan-06] [4]

10. Explain the term ‘availability ’ and show that the availability (f ) of a closed system in a given state 1 is given
by φ1 = (U 1 − U 0) − T0 ( S1 − S 0 ) + P0 (V1 − V0 ) where suffix ‘0’ refers to the dead state.[July-06] [8]

11. Explain ‘Thermodynamic dead state’. [Jan-07] [2]

12. Show that Second law efficiency is equal to the ratio of first law efficiency to the Carnot efficiency. [Jan-07] [5]

NUMERICAL PROBLEMS

1. A system at 500K receives 7200kJ/min from a source at 1000K. The temperature of atmosphere is 300K.
Assuming that the temperatures of system and source remain constant during heat transfer, find out a) the entropy
produced during heat transfer b) the decrease in available energy after heat transfer.

2. 8kg of air at 650K and 5.5bar pressure is enclosed in a closed system. If the atmosphere temperature and
pressure are 300K and 1bar respectively, determine a) the availability if the system goes through the ideal work
producing process b) the availability and effectiveness if the air is cooled at constant pressure to atmospheric
temperature without bringing it to complete dead state. Take Cv=0.718kJ/kg K and Cp=1.005kJ/kg K.

3. In a power station, the saturated steam is generated at 2000C by transferring the heat from hot gases in a
steam boiler. Find the increase in total entropy of combined system of gas and water and increase in unavailable
energy due to irreversible heat transfer. The gases are cooled from 10000C to 5000C and all the heat from gases
goes to water. Assume water enters the boiler at saturated condition and leaves as saturated steam. Take Cps(for

Compiled by S. K. Jagadeesh, Selection Grade Lecturer, Dept. of Mech. Engg. Dr. AIT, Bangalore-560056
 ME 43: APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS
QUESTION BANK
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Chapter 1: Availability and Irreversibility

gas)=1kJ/kg K, hfg(latent heat for steam at 2000C)=1940.7kJ/kg, Atmospheric temperature=200C. Obtain the
results on the basis of 1kg of water.
4. 3kg of gas (Cv=0.81kJ/kg K) initially at 2.5bar and 400K receives 600kJ of heat from an infinite source at
1200K. If the surrounding temperature is 290K, find the loss in available energy due to above heat transfer.

5. 15kg of water is heated in an insulated tank by a churning process from 300K to 340K. If the surrounding
temperature is 300K, find the loss in availability for the process.

6. Calculate the decrease in available energy when 20kg of water at 900C, mix with 30kg of water at 300C, the
pressure being constant and the temperature of the surroundings is 100C. Take Cp of water as 4.18kJ/kg K

7. 1kg of ice at 00C is mixed with 12kg of water at 270C. Assuming the surrounding temperature as 150C,
calculate the net increase in entropy and unavailable energy when the system reaches common temperature.
Take Cp for water as 4.18kJ/kg K, Cp for ice as 2.1kJ/kg K and enthalpy of fusion of ice as 333.5kJ/kg.

8. In a turbine the air expands from 7bar, 6000C to 1bar, 2500C. During expansion 9kJ/kg of heat is lost to the
surroundings which is at 1bar, 150C. Neglecting kinetic energy and potential energy changes, determine per kg of
air: a) the decrease in availability b) the maximum work c) the irreversibility.

9. 1kg of air undergoes polytropic compression from 1bar and 290K to 6bar and 400K. If the temperature and
pressure of the surroundings are 290K and 1bar respectively, determine the irreversibility and effectiveness. Take
for air: Cp=1.005kJ/kg K, Cv=0.718kJ/kg K, R=0.287kJ/kgK.

10. Air expands through a turbine from 500kPa, 5200C to 100kPa, 3000C. During expansion 10kJ/kg of heat is
left to the surroundings which is at 98kPa, 200C. Neglecting changes to kinetic and potential energies, determine
per unit mass of air a) decrease in availability and b) maximum work and c) irreversibility. For air take
Cp=1.005kJ/kg K and assume that air behaves as a perfect gas. [Jan-05] [12]

11. A mass of 5kg air in a rigid vessel at 2bar, 270C is heated to 3270C by bringing it in communication with a
reservoir at 7270C. The surroundings are at 1bar, 270C. Calculate the maximum useful work and irreversibility.
[July-04] [8]

12. Air enters an adiabatic rotary compressor steadily at 1.4bar, 370C, and 70m/s and leaves it at 3.5bar, 1470C,
and 110m/s. The surroundings are at 1bar and 270C. Calculate per kg air, a) the actual work b) the minimum
work and c) the irreversibility of the process. [Model QP1] [8]

13. Hot gas enters the heat recovery steam generator of a cogeneration unit at 5000C and 101.325kPa and
leaves at 1500C. Water enters steadily at 1000C and 2.0MPa and leaves as dry saturated steam at 2MPa. The hot
gas may be assumed as a perfect gas with Cp = 1.05kJ/kgK. For a flow rate of hot gas of 25000kg/h determine the
irreversibility for the process in kJ/h. Neglect the pressure drops, the changes in kinetic and potential energies of
the two streams and also the heat loss to the surroundings. [July-05] [8]

14. Hot flue gas in furnace supplies its heat to water and gets cooled from 10000C to 5000C. Water boils at
1800C in the pressurized condition, which has latent heat of 2018kJ/kg. Determine per kg of water, a) total
entropy increase of the universe b) the increase in unavailable energy referred to a surrounding temperature of
250C. [Model QP2] [10]

15. A piston cylinder device contains 0.05kg of steam at 1MPa and 3000C. The steam now expands to a final
state of 200kPa and 1500C doing work. Heat losses from the system to the surroundings are estimated to be 2kJ
during this process, Assuming the surroundings to be at T0 = 250C and P0 = 100kPa, determine i) the availability of
the steam at the initial and final states ii) the reversible work iii) the irreversibility and iv) the second law efficiency
for the process. The values of the properties of steam in the initial and final states and at the state of the
surroundings given in the accompanying table may be used. [Jan-06] [12]

Compiled by S. K. Jagadeesh, Selection Grade Lecturer, Dept. of Mech. Engg. Dr. AIT, Bangalore-560056
 ME 43: APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS
QUESTION BANK
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Chapter 1: Availability and Irreversibility

State P T u(kJ/kg) v(m3/kg) s(kJ/kgK)

1 P1 = T 1 = 3000C u1 = v 1 = 0.2579 s1 = 7.1229
1MPa 2793.2
2 P2 = T 2 = 1500C u2 = v 2 = 0.9596 s2 = 7.2795
200kP 2576.9
a
Surrounding P0 = T 0 = 250C u0 = v 0 = 0.001 s0 = 0.3674
Dead State 100kP 104.88
a

16. Steam enters a turbine steadily at 3MPa and 4500C at a rate of 8kg/s and exits at 0.2MPa and 1500C. The
steam is losing heat to the surrounding air at 100kPa and 250C at a rate of 300kW and the kinetic and
potential energy changes are negligible. Determine: i) the actual power output ii) the maximum possible
power output iii) the second law efficiency iv) the irreversibility . The values of the properties of steam at
turbine inlet and exit states and the dead state given in the accompanying table may be used. [July-06] [12]
State P T Enthalpy (h) kJ/kg Entropy (S) kJ/kg
Inlet State P1=3MPa T 1=4500C H1=3344.0 S1=7.0834
Exit State P2=0.2MPa T 2=1500C H2=2768.8 S2=7.2795
Dead State P0=100kPa T0=250C H0=104.89 S0=0.3674

17. An insulated tank contains 0.6kg of air initially at 200kPa, 200C. An impeller inside the tank is turned by an
external motor until the pressure is 230kPa. Ambient conditions are 95kPa, 200C. Determine the irreversibility
of the process. [Jan-07] [13]

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Compiled by S. K. Jagadeesh, Selection Grade Lecturer, Dept. of Mech. Engg. Dr. AIT, Bangalore-560056