How to Calculate Energy and Work in a Stirling Cycle?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating energy and work in a Stirling cycle involving 282 moles of a monatomic ideal gas. The initial conditions include a volume of 0.81 m³ and a temperature of 574 K, with the gas undergoing a quasi-static cycle between hot and cold reservoirs at 1365 K and 574 K, respectively. Key calculations include the pressure of the gas at initial conditions (1661921.138 Pa) and the maximum Carnot efficiency (0.579487). Participants seek assistance in calculating energy transferred into and out of the gas, work done by the gas, and overall efficiency.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Stirling cycle and its thermodynamic processes
  • Familiarity with the ideal gas law and related equations
  • Knowledge of monatomic ideal gas properties, including specific heat capacity (C_V)
  • Ability to apply logarithmic functions in thermodynamic work calculations
NEXT STEPS
  • Calculate energy transferred into the gas using Q_H = C_v(T_H - T_C) + W
  • Determine energy transferred out of the gas into the cold reservoir using Q_C = Q_H - W
  • Compute work done by the gas during the isothermal expansion using W = nKT_H * ln(V_f/V_i)
  • Evaluate the efficiency of the Stirling cycle using the formula η = W/Q_H
USEFUL FOR

Students studying thermodynamics, mechanical engineers, and anyone interested in the principles of heat engines and energy transfer in thermodynamic cycles.

mathpialpha
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Homework Statement


Suppose that 282 moles of a monatomic ideal gas is initially contained in a piston with a volume of 0.81 m^3 at a temperature of 574 K. The piston is connected to a hot reservoir with a temperature of 1365 K and a cold reservoir with a temperature of 574 K. The gas undergoes a quasi-static Stirling cycle with the following steps:

1. The temperature of the gas is increased to 1365 K while maintaining a constant volume.
2. The volume of the gas is increased to 3.13 m^3 while maintaining a constant temperature.
3. The temperature of the gas is decreased to 574 K while maintaining a constant volume.
4. The volume of the gas is decreased to 0.81 m^3 while maintaining a constant temperature.

It may help you to recall that C_V = 12.47 J/K/mole for a monatomic ideal gas, and that the number of gas molecules is equal to Avagadros number (6.022 × 10^23) times the number of moles of the gas.

1) What is the pressure of the gas under its initial conditions?
I got this question correct and it is 1661921.138 Pa

2) How much energy is transferred into the gas from the hot reservoir?

3) How much energy is transferred out of the gas into the cold reservoir?

4) How much work is done by the gas during this cycle?

5) What is the efficiency of this Stirling cycle?

6) What is the maximum (Carnot) efficiency of a heat engine running between these two reservoirs?
I got this question correct and it is 0.579487

I need help with questions #2-5

Homework Equations


Q_H = Q_C + W_(By Engine)
PV =NKT
work = NK*T_H*ln(Vbig/Vsmall)
Q_H = C_v(T_H - T_C) + work

The Attempt at a Solution


I got questions #1 and #6 correct. I tried using the equations above for the other problems but I cannot get the correct answer[/B]
 
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You should write your attempts at solving the problem else it's difficult to understand your mistake and point you in the right direction. Also your equation for work in an isothermic is wrong. ##W=Q=nKTln\frac{V_f}{V_i}##, where ##V_f## and ##V_i## are final and initial volumes of the isothermic.
 
Gianmarco said:
You should write your attempts at solving the problem else it's difficult to understand your mistake and point you in the right direction. Also your equation for work in an isothermic is wrong. ##W=Q=nKTln\frac{V_f}{V_i}##, where ##V_f## and ##V_i## are final and initial volumes of the isothermic.

For Question 2, I used Q_H = C_v(T_H-T_C) + NkT_H*ln(Vbig/Vsmall) and got 4337132.48 J
 
mathpialpha said:
For Question 2, I used Q_H = C_v(T_H-T_C) +...
You're not accounting for the number of moles in your expression for the change of internal energy of the system
 

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