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THERMODYNAMICS - CASE STUDY SOLUTION


Phase Change Process

 



Heat, Temperature and Time Relation

A student heats 1 kg of water of 20 oC in an experiment to learn the phase change of water. Temperature needs to be recorded for each phase.

Assumptions:

  • The pressure in the pan stays at 1 atm during the process and thus the saturated temperature is 100 oC.
  • No water or vapor leaks from the pan. So the system is a closed system.

If the time when the water becomes saturated liquid and saturated vapor are known, then the recording time schedule can be determined.

Qwater is the energy needed to heat the water from subcooled liquid (room temperature) to saturated liquid (saturated temperature).

      

where
      ΔTwater = T saturated - Troom
       = The power of the electric heater, is given
                as 2.0 kW

Qvapor is the total energy needed to heat the room temperature water to saturated vapor.

      

Using known values,

      ΔTwater = 100 - 20 = 80 oC

      tsaturated liquid = (1.0) (4.184) (80)/2.0 = 167.36 s

      tsaturated vapor = 2257.0/2.0 + 167.36 = 1295.86 s

The time range for each phase is shown in the table.

 
 
States Subcooled Liquid Saturated Liquid Saturated Liquid Saturated vapor Superheated Vapor
Time (s) 0.0 ~ 167.36 167.36 167.36 ~ 1295.86 1295.86 > 1295.86