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Second Law of Thermodynamics - Heat Engines - Refrigerators - Carnot Cycle Efficiency
Second Law of Thermodynamics - Heat Engines - Refrigerators - Carnot Cycle Efficiency
a system is undergoing interaction with its surroundings. Therefore, the process can be reversed without leaving any trace on its surroundings. Both system and the surroundings are returned to their initial states. It is an ideal process that can not happen in reality. However, if the irreversibilities are small enough, some processes can be approximated as reversible. Ex: a frictionless pendulum, quasi-equilibrium expansion and compression of gas in a cylinder/piston assembly (in an idealized Carnot cycle) Irreversibilities: friction, sudden expansion and compression, heat transfer between two bodies with finite temperature difference.
Process 1-2, TH = Constant Process 2-3, Tempt. Drops from TH to TL Process 3-4, TL = Constant Process 4-1, Tempt. rises from TL to TH
Reversible Isothermal Expansion Reversible Adiabatic Expansion Reversible Isothermal Compression Reversible Adiabatic Compression
Carnot Efficiency