Does Air Compressor Volume Affect Mass Conservation?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between air compressor volume and mass conservation, specifically whether the mass of air at the inlet equals the mass at the outlet when applying the ideal gas law. It is established that while the ideal gas law can yield different masses at the inlet and outlet due to changes in temperature and pressure, the principle of mass conservation holds true unless there are leaks in the system. The conversation also highlights the importance of calculating changes in entropy (S(out) - S(in)) to understand the thermodynamic behavior of the compressor.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the ideal gas law and its application to gases.
  • Knowledge of thermodynamic principles, particularly mass conservation.
  • Familiarity with entropy calculations in thermodynamics.
  • Basic concepts of air compressor operation and potential leak detection.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the ideal gas law in detail, focusing on its implications for compressible fluids.
  • Learn about entropy and its calculation in thermodynamic systems.
  • Research methods for detecting leaks in air compressors to ensure accurate mass measurements.
  • Explore the effects of compression on gas volume and how it relates to pressure and temperature changes.
USEFUL FOR

Engineers, thermodynamics students, and professionals working with air compressors or gas systems who need to understand mass conservation and entropy in compressible fluids.

ampzor
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Hey Guys,

Say you have an air compressor with a constant volume. And were given the temperature and pressure at the inlet. And also, the temperature and pressure at the outlet. Would the mass of the air at the inlet equal the mass at the outlet? When applying the ideal gas law to the inlet and outlet (assuming air behaves as an ideal gas), is it possible get two different masses? It seems as though that would conflict with the conservation of mass principle.
 
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Yes, mass in = mass out. Note that air compressors may 'leak' so if you're actually measuring a compressor and finding a discrepency, you may want to look for leaks.
 
Actually, I was told to find the change in entropy for the compressor. Ie., S(out) - S(in). So I would have to multiply the specific entropy by the mass of the air. That's why I asked if mass is conserved. That way I could just find the mass of the air at the inlet and multiply that by the specific entropy. Unfortunantly, by using the IG law, both masses were not equal so that is why I asked the question. So maybe I am thinking that the volume of the air at the inlet was not the volume at the outlet? Because it is being compressed, it would have a smaller volume at the outlet.
 

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