ISENTROPIC PROCESSES
A process during which the entropy remains constant is called an
isentropic process.
Pumps, turbines, nozzles, and diffusers are essentially adiabatic in their
operation, and they perform best when the irreversibilities, such as the friction
associated with the process, are minimized.
Isentropic process can serve as an appropriate model for actual processes.
Also, isentropic processes define efficiencies for processes to compare the
actual performance of these devices to the performance under idealized
conditions.
PROPERTY DIAGRAMS INVOLVING ENTROPY
The total heat transfer during an internally
reversible process is determined by integration:
the area under the process curve on a T-S
diagram.
The area under the process curve on a T-S dia- gram
represents heat transfer during an internally reversible
process.
One special case for which these
integrations can be performed easily
is the internally reversible isothermal
process. It yields
The isentropic process appears as a
vertical line segment on a T-s diagram.
The T-S diagram of a Carnot cycle
ENTROPY CHANGE OF LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS
liquids and solids can be approximated as incompressible substances since their
specific volumes remain nearly constant during a process. Thus, dv = 0 for liquids
and solids,
since cp = cv = c and du = c dT for incompressible substances. Then
the entropy change during a process is determined by integration:
A relation for isentropic processes of liquids and solids is obtained by
setting the entropy change relation above equal to zero. It gives
The temperature of a incompressible substance remains constant during an
isentropic process. Therefore, the isentropic process of an incompressible
substance is also isothermal. This behavior is closely approximated by liquids
and solids.
THE ENTROPY CHANGE OF IDEAL GASES
The specific heats of ideal gases, with the exception of
monatomic gases, depend on temperature.
Constant Specific Heats (Approximate Analysis)
For ideal gases whose specific heats vary almost linearly in the temperature
range of interest, the possible error is minimized by using specific heat values
evaluated at the average temperature. The results obtained in this way usually
are sufficiently accurate if the temperature range is not greater than a few
hundred degrees.
Variable Specific Heats (Exact Analysis)
When the temperature change during a process is large and the
specific heats of the ideal gas vary nonlinearly within the
temperature range, the assumption of constant specific heats may
lead to considerable errors in entropy-change calculations.
Absolute zero as the reference tempera-ure and define a function
s0 as
s0 is a function of temperature alone, and its value is zero at absolute
zero temperature.
The values of s0 are calculated at various tem- peratures, and the results
are tabulated in the table as a function of temperature for air.
Isentropic Processes of Ideal Gases
Constant Specific Heats (Approximate Analysis)
When the constant-specific-heat assumption is valid, the isentropic
relations for ideal gases are obtained
R=cp - cv, k=cp/cv,and Thus R/cv = k-1.
Variable Specific Heats (Exact Analysis)
Relative Pressure and Relative Specific Volume