THERMODYNAMICS - CASE STUDY
|
|
|
Introduction
|
A Seller's Call
|
|
A spot cooler is a device which can produce hot and cold streams
of air from a single stream of air at an intermediate
temperature without any work or heat transfer. This product can be used
for emergency cooling or short-term cooling. A seller called
Kay and said his spot cooler can work at normal atmospheric
pressure and cost nothing to cool the air. Can Kay trust the salesperson?
What is known:
- The ambient air enters the spot cooler at a temperature of 36oC and a pressure of 1 atm.
- 25% of the air exits as cooled air at 24oC and a pressure of 1 atm.
- 75% of the air exits as hot air at 40oC and a pressure of 1 atm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Question
|
|
|
Is the salesperson telling the truth?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Approach
|
|
|
If the product satisfies both the first and
the second law of thermodynamics, it can work. To verify if it satisfies
the first law, check the energy balance of the system. To verify if it satisfies the second law, check
the entropy change of the entire process. |
|
|
|