Reciprocating Compressor Experiment.

[SherlockOhms]

So, I've recently carried out an experiment to find the volumetric efficiency of a singular reciprocating compressor. During the experiment, there are sub questions asking you to find the value of n and then whether the process is isothermal, poly tropic or adiabatic. Well, n is found to be very close to 1 so the process is isothermal. However, the temperature in the receiver (where the compressed gas is stored) does change by about 3K from t= 0s until t = 180s (when the compressor switches off). Why is that? And, is this therefore not an isothermal process? Or, am I just not properly understanding what's happening? Thanks.

 

[haruspex]

From the information posted, it is not possible to tell whether the temperature change observed is small enough to be consistent with the measured difference between n and 1. You could try to compute that.

 

[SherlockOhms]

From the information posted, it is not possible to tell whether the temperature change observed is small enough to be consistent with the measured difference between n (η?) and 1. You could try to compute that.

The difference between n and 1? Well, the average value of n was found to be 1.034. So, the difference between n and 1 is 0.034. Is this what you're asking? I may have misunderstood.

 

[haruspex]

The difference between n and 1? Well, the average value of n was found to be 1.034. So, the difference between n and 1 is 0.034. Is this what you're asking? I may have misunderstood.

Yes, that's what I was asking, but the next step is to determine whether the observed rise in temperature is within the range consistent with that n.

 

[SherlockOhms]

Yes, that's what I was asking, but the next step is to determine whether the observed rise in temperature is within the range consistent with that n.

How do I go about doing that? Only just began this module 3 weeks back so apologies if I'm catching on a bit slowly.

 

[haruspex]

How do I go about doing that? Only just began this module 3 weeks back so apologies if I'm catching on a bit slowly.

Not my area, I'm afraid. I was just pointing out a possible explanation.

 

[SherlockOhms]

No problem. Thanks for the help.