THERMODYNAMICS – II

MEng-123n
EXERGY

Energy is conserved in every device or process. It cannot

be destroyed. Energy entering a system with fuel,
electricity, flowing streams of matter, and so on can be
accounted for in the products and by-products. However,
the energy conservation idea alone is inadequate for
depicting some important aspects of resource utilization.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

Lesson 1.1: Introduction

Energy is conserved in every device or process. It cannot be destroyed. Energy entering a system with fuel, electricity,
flowing streams of matter, and so on can be accounted for in the products and by-products. However, the energy
conservation idea alone is inadequate for depicting some important aspects of resource utilization.

Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate understanding of key concepts related to exergy analysis including the exergy reference environment, the
dead state, exergy transfer, and exergy destruction.
2. Evaluate exergy at a state and exergy change between two states, using appropriate property data.
3. Apply exergy balances to closed systems and to control volumes at steady state.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

INTRODUCTION
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

INTRODUCTION
Figure a shows an isolated system
consisting initially of a small
container of fuel surrounded by air in
abundance. Suppose the fuel burns (Fig.
b) so that finally there is a slightly
warm mixture of combustion products
and air as shown in Fig. c. The total
quantity of energy associated with the
system is constant because no energy
transfers take place across the
boundary of an isolated system.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

INTRODUCTION
Still, the initial fuel–air
combination is intrinsically more
useful than the final warm mixture.
For instance, the fuel might be used
in some device to generate
electricity or produce superheated
steam, whereas the uses of the final
slightly warm mixture are far more
limited in scope.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

INTRODUCTION
We can say that the system has a
greater potential for use initially
than it has finally. Since nothing
but a final warm mixture is
achieved in the process, this
potential is largely wasted. More
precisely, the initial potential is
largely destroyed because of the
irreversible nature of the process.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
The conceptual idea behind the concept of exergy can
be connected to the second law of thermodynamics.
This conditions gives the idea that:
A. A potential for developing work exists whenever
two systems at different states are brought into
communication, and
B. Work can be developed as the two systems are
allowed to come into equilibrium.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
In the figure, for example, a body initially at an
elevated temperature Ti placed in contact with the
atmosphere at temperature T0 cools spontaneously.
The potential to do work, therefore, is greatly wasted
in this system.

Several systems in the universe experience such

processes wherein energy is dissipated into the
vastness of space instead of being utilized for work.

(well, philosophically, one could argue that only life itself gives meaning to work
as a result of energy imbalance. And that the spontaneity of the universe is its
main tendency.)
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
To conceptualize how work might
be developed in this case, see Fig.
7.2. The figure shows an overall
system with three elements: the
body, a power cycle, and the
atmosphere at T0 and p0. The
atmosphere is presumed to be
large enough that its temperature
and pressure remain constant. Wc
denotes the work of the overall
system.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
Instead of the body cooling
spontaneously Fig. 7.2 shows that
if the heat transfer Q during
cooling is passed to the power
cycle, work Wc can be developed,
while Q0 is discharged to the
atmosphere. These are the only
energy transfers.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
At equilibrium, the body and
atmosphere each possess
energy, but there no longer
is any potential for
developing work from the
two because no further
interaction can occur
between them.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
Note that work Wc also could
be developed by the system if
the initial temperature of the
body were less than that of
the atmosphere: Ti , T0. In
such a case, the directions of
the heat transfers Q and Q0
would each reverse. Work
could be developed as the
body warms to equilibrium
with the atmosphere.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

CONCEPTUALIZATION
Since there is no net change of
state for the power cycle, we
conclude that the work Wc is
realized solely because the initial
state of the body differs from
that of the atmosphere. Exergy is
the maximum theoretical value of
such work..
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

DEAD STATE
When a system of interest is at T0 and p0 and at
rest relative to the environment, we say the
system is at the dead state. At the dead state
there can be no interaction between system and
environment, and thus no potential for
developing work.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

EXERGY ASPECTS
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

EXERGY ASPECTS
1. Exergy is a measure of the departure of the state of a system from that of the environment.
It is therefore an attribute of the system and environment together
2. The value of exergy cannot be negative. If a system were at any state other than the dead
state, the system would be able to change its condition spontaneously toward the dead state;
this tendency would cease when the dead state was reached.
3. Exergy is not conserved but is destroyed by irreversibilities. A limiting case is when exergy is
completely destroyed, as would occur if a system were permitted to undergo a spontaneous
change to the dead state with no provision to obtain work.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

EXERGY ASPECTS
4. Exergy has been viewed thus far as the maximum theoretical work obtainable from an overall
system of system plus environment as the system passes from a given state to the dead
state.
5. When a system is at the dead state, it is in thermal and mechanical equilibrium with the
environment, and the value of exergy is zero. More precisely, the thermomechanical
contribution to exergy is zero.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

DEFINING EXERGY
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

EXERGY OF A SYSTEM
The exergy of a system, E, at a specified state is given by the expression:

where U, KE, PE, V, and S denote, respectively, internal energy, kinetic energy, potential energy,
volume, and entropy of the system at the specified state. U0, V0, and S0 denote internal energy,
volume, and entropy, respectively, of the system when at the dead state.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

EXERGY OF A SYSTEM

kinetic and potential energy are evaluated relative to the environment. Thus, when the system is
at the dead state, it is at rest relative the environment and the values of its kinetic and potential
energies are zero: KE0 = PE0 = 0.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

SPECIFIC EXERGY
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

SPECIFIC EXERGY
Although exergy is an extensive property, it is often convenient to work with it on a unit mass
or molar basis. Expressing the exergy equation on a unit mass basis, the specific exergy, e, is:

where u, v, s, V2/2, and gz are the specific internal energy, volume, entropy, kinetic energy, and
potential energy, respectively, at the state of interest; u0, y0, and s0 are specific properties at
the dead state: at T0, p0.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

SPECIFIC EXERGY
Example:
Determine the specific exergy of saturated
water vapor at 120C, having a velocity of
30 m/s and an elevation of 6 m, each
relative to an exergy reference
environment where T0 = 298 K (25C), p0 =
1 atm, and g = 9.8 m/s2.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

SPECIFIC EXERGY
SOLUTION:
For water as saturated vapor at 120C, Table A-2 gives v = 0.8919 m3/kg, u =
2529.3 kJ/kg, s = 7.1296 kJ/kg-K. At the dead state, where T0 =298 K (25C) and
p0 = 1 atm, water is a liquid.
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY
SPECIFIC EXERGY
SOLUTION:

E = [(2529.3 - 104.88)kJ/kg] +
[(1.01325 x 105 N/m2)(0.8919 - 1.0029 x 10-3)m3/kg][1kJ/103 N.m]
-[(298K)(7.1296-0.3674)kJ/kg-K]
+ [(0.5)(30m/s)2 + (9.8 m/s2)(6m)][1/1kg-m/s2][1kJ/103 N.m]

e = (2424.42 + 90.27 - 2015.14 + 0.45 + 0.06)kJ/kg

e = 500 kJ/kg
MEng – 123n |Thermodynamics 2| Lesson 1.1: EXERGY

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