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Thermodynamiccycle
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Athermodynamiccycleconsistsofalinkedsequenceofthermodynamicprocessesthatinvolvetransferofheatandworkintoandoutofthesystem,
whilevaryingpressure,temperature,andotherstatevariableswithinthesystem,andthateventuallyreturnsthesystemtoitsinitialstate.[1]Inthe
processofpassingthroughacycle,theworkingfluid(system)mayconvertheatfromawarmsourceintousefulwork,anddisposeoftheremaining
heattoacoldsink,therebyactingasaheatengine.Conversely,thecyclemaybereversedanduseworktomoveheatfromacoldsourceandtransfer
ittoawarmsinktherebyactingasaheatpump.
Duringaclosedcycle,thesystemreturnstoitsoriginalthermodynamicstateoftemperatureandpressure.Processquantities(orpathquantities),such
asheatandworkareprocessdependent.Foracycleforwhichthesystemreturnstoitsinitialstatethefirstlawofthermodynamicsapplies:

Theabovestatesthatthereisnochangeoftheenergyofthesystemoverthecycle.EinmightbetheworkandheatinputduringthecycleandEout
wouldbetheworkandheatoutputduringthecycle.Thefirstlawofthermodynamicsalsodictatesthatthenetheatinputisequaltothenetwork
outputoveracycle(weaccountforheat,Qin,aspositiveandQoutasnegative).Therepeatingnatureoftheprocesspathallowsforcontinuous
operation,makingthecycleanimportantconceptinthermodynamics.Thermodynamiccyclesareoftenrepresentedmathematicallyasquasistatic
processesinthemodelingoftheworkingsofanactualdevice.

Contents
1 Heatandwork
1.1 Relationshiptowork
1.2 EachPointintheCycle
1.3 Powercycles
1.4 Heatpumpcycles
2 Modellingrealsystems
3 Wellknownthermodynamiccycles
3.1 Idealcycle
3.2 Carnotcycle
3.3 Stirlingcycle
4 Statefunctionsandentropy
5 Seealso
6 References
7 Furtherreading
8 Externallinks

Heatandwork
Twoprimaryclassesofthermodynamiccyclesarepowercyclesandheatpumpcycles.Powercyclesarecycleswhichconvertsomeheatinputintoa
mechanicalworkoutput,whileheatpumpcyclestransferheatfromlowtohightemperaturesbyusingmechanicalworkastheinput.Cycles
composedentirelyofquasistaticprocessescanoperateaspowerorheatpumpcyclesbycontrollingtheprocessdirection.Onapressurevolume(PV)
diagramortemperatureentropydiagram,theclockwiseandcounterclockwisedirectionsindicatepowerandheatpumpcycles,respectively.

Relationshiptowork
Becausethenetvariationinstatepropertiesduringathermodynamiccycleiszero,itformsaclosedlooponaPVdiagram.
APVdiagram'sYaxisshowspressure(P)andXaxisshowsvolume(V).Theareaenclosedbytheloopisthework(W)
donebytheprocess:

Thisworkisequaltothebalanceofheat(Q)transferredintothesystem:

Equation(2)makesacyclicprocesssimilartoanisothermalprocess:eventhoughtheinternalenergychangesduringthe
courseofthecyclicprocess,whenthecyclicprocessfinishesthesystem'senergyisthesameastheenergyithadwhenthe
processbegan.
Ifthecyclicprocessmovesclockwisearoundtheloop,thenWwillbepositive,anditrepresentsaheatengine.Ifitmoves
counterclockwise,thenWwillbenegative,anditrepresentsaheatpump.

Thenetworkequalsthe
areainsidebecauseitis
(a)theRiemannsumof
workdoneonthe
substancedueto
expansion,minus(b)the
workdonetore
compress.

EachPointintheCycle
OttoCycle:
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12:IsentropicExpansion:Constantentropy(s),Decreaseinpressure(P),Increaseinvolume(v),Decreasein
temperature(T)
23:IsochoricCooling:Constantvolume(v),Decreaseinpressure(P),Decreaseinentropy(S),Decreasein
temperature(T)
34:IsentropicCompression:Constantentropy(s),Increaseinpressure(P),Decreaseinvolume(v),Increasein
temperature(T)
41:IsochoricHeating:Constantvolume(v),Increaseinpressure(P),Increaseinentropy(S),Increasein
temperature(T)
Descriptionofeachpointinthe
thermodynamiccycles.

AListofThermodynamicProcesses:
Adiabatic:Noenergytransferasheat(Q)duringthatpartofthecyclewouldamounttoQ=0.Thisdoesnotexcludeenergytransferaswork.
Isothermal:Theprocessisataconstanttemperatureduringthatpartofthecycle(T=constant,T=0).Thisdoesnotexcludeenergytransferasheator
work.
Isobaric:Pressureinthatpartofthecyclewillremainconstant.(P=constant,P=0).Thisdoesnotexcludeenergytransferasheatorwork.
Isochoric:Theprocessisconstantvolume(V=constant,V=0).Thisdoesnotexcludeenergytransferasheatorwork.
Isentropic:Theprocessisoneofconstantentropy(S=constant,S=0).Thisexcludesthetransferofheatbutnotwork.

Powercycles
Thermodynamicpowercyclesarethebasisfortheoperationofheatengines,whichsupplymostoftheworld's
electricpowerandrunthevastmajorityofmotorvehicles.Powercyclescanbeorganizedintotwocategories:
realcyclesandidealcycles.Cyclesencounteredinrealworlddevices(realcycles)aredifficulttoanalyzebecause
ofthepresenceofcomplicatingeffects(friction),andtheabsenceofsufficienttimefortheestablishmentof
equilibriumconditions.Forthepurposeofanalysisanddesign,idealizedmodels(idealcycles)arecreatedthese
idealmodelsallowengineerstostudytheeffectsofmajorparametersthatdominatethecyclewithouthavingto
spendsignificanttimeworkingoutintricatedetailspresentintherealcyclemodel.

Heatenginediagram.

Powercyclescanalsobedividedaccordingtothetypeofheatenginetheyseektomodel.Themostcommoncyclesusedtomodelinternal
combustionenginesaretheOttocycle,whichmodelsgasolineengines,andtheDieselcycle,whichmodelsdieselengines.Cyclesthatmodelexternal
combustionenginesincludetheBraytoncycle,whichmodelsgasturbines,theRankinecycle,whichmodelssteamturbines,theStirlingcycle,which
modelshotairengines,andtheEricssoncycle,whichalsomodelshotairengines.
Forexample,thepressurevolumemechanicalworkoutputfromtheheatenginecycle(networkout),consisting
of4thermodynamicprocesses,is:

Ifnovolumechangehappensinprocess41and23,equation(3)simplifiesto:

Theclockwisethermodynamic
cycleindicatedbythearrows
showsthatthecyclerepresentsa
heatengine.Thecycleconsistsof
fourstates(thepointshownby
crosses)andfourthermodynamic
processes(lines).

Heatpumpcycles
Thermodynamicheatpumpcyclesarethemodelsforhouseholdheatpumpsandrefrigerators.Thereisnodifferencebetweenthetwoexceptthe
purposeoftherefrigeratoristocoolaverysmallspacewhilethehouseholdheatpumpisintendedtowarmahouse.Bothworkbymovingheatfrom
acoldspacetoawarmspace.Themostcommonrefrigerationcycleisthevaporcompressioncycle,whichmodelssystemsusingrefrigerantsthat
changephase.Theabsorptionrefrigerationcycleisanalternativethatabsorbstherefrigerantinaliquidsolutionratherthanevaporatingit.Gas
refrigerationcyclesincludethereversedBraytoncycleandtheHampsonLindecycle.Multiplecompressionandexpansioncyclesallowgas
refrigerationsystemstoliquifygases.

Modellingrealsystems
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Exampleofarealsystemmodelledbyanidealizedprocess:PVandTSdiagramsofaBraytoncyclemappedtoactualprocessesof
agasturbineengine

Thermodynamiccyclesmaybeusedtomodelrealdevicesandsystems,typicallybymakingaseriesofassumptions.[2]simplifyingassumptionsare
oftennecessarytoreducetheproblemtoamoremanageableform.[2]Forexample,asshowninthefigure,devicessuchagasturbineorjetenginecan
bemodeledasaBraytoncycle.Theactualdeviceismadeupofaseriesofstages,eachofwhichisitselfmodeledasanidealizedthermodynamic
process.Althougheachstagewhichactsontheworkingfluidisacomplexrealdevice,theymaybemodelledasidealizedprocesseswhich
approximatetheirrealbehavior.Ifenergyisaddedbymeansotherthancombustion,thenafurtherassumptionisthattheexhaustgaseswouldbe
passedfromtheexhausttoaheatexchangerthatwouldsinkthewasteheattotheenvironmentandtheworkinggaswouldbereusedattheinletstage.
Thedifferencebetweenanidealizedcycleandactualperformancemaybesignificant.[2]Forexample,thefollowingimagesillustratethedifferences
inworkoutputpredictedbyanidealStirlingcycleandtheactualperformanceofaStirlingengine:

IdealStirlingcycle

Actualperformance

Actualandidealoverlaid,showingdifferenceinwork
output

Asthenetworkoutputforacycleisrepresentedbytheinteriorofthecycle,thereisasignificantdifferencebetweenthepredictedworkoutputofthe
idealcycleandtheactualworkoutputshownbyarealengine.Itmayalsobeobservedthattherealindividualprocessesdivergefromtheiridealized
counterpartse.g.,isochoricexpansion(process12)occurswithsomeactualvolumechange.

Wellknownthermodynamiccycles
Inpractice,simpleidealizedthermodynamiccyclesareusuallymadeoutoffourthermodynamicprocesses.Anythermodynamicprocessesmaybe
used.However,whenidealizedcyclesaremodeled,oftenprocesseswhereonestatevariableiskeptconstantareused,suchasanisothermalprocess
(constanttemperature),isobaricprocess(constantpressure),isochoricprocess(constantvolume),isentropicprocess(constantentropy),oran
isenthalpicprocess(constantenthalpy).Oftenadiabaticprocessesarealsoused,wherenoheatisexchanged.
Someexamplethermodynamiccyclesandtheirconstituentprocessesareasfollows:

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Cycle

Process12
(Compression)

Process23
Process41
Process34
(Heat
(Heat
(Expansion)
Addition)
Rejection)

Notes

Powercyclesnormallywithexternalcombustionorheatpumpcycles:
Bell
Coleman

adiabatic

isobaric

adiabatic

isobaric

AreversedBraytoncycle

Carnot

isentropic

isothermal

isentropic

isothermal

Carnotheatengine

Ericsson

isothermal

isobaric

isothermal

isobaric

thesecondEricssoncyclefrom1853

Rankine

adiabatic

isobaric

adiabatic

isobaric

Steamengine

Hygroscopic adiabatic

isobaric

adiabatic

isobaric

Hygroscopiccycle

adiabatic

isochoric

Scuderi

adiabatic

variable
pressure
andvolume

Stirling

isothermal

isochoric

isothermal

isochoric

adiabatic

isobaric

adiabatic

isobaric

Stoddard

Stirlingengine

Powercyclesnormallywithinternalcombustion:
Brayton

adiabatic

isobaric

adiabatic

isobaric

Jetengines
theexternalcombustionversionofthiscycleisknownasfirstEricsson
cyclefrom1833

Diesel

adiabatic

isobaric

adiabatic

isochoric

Dieselengine

Lenoir

isobaric

isochoric

adiabatic

Otto

adiabatic

isochoric

adiabatic

Pulsejets
(Note:Process12accomplishesboththeheatrejectionandthe
compression)
isochoric

Gasoline/petrolengines

Idealcycle
Anidealcycleisconstructedoutof:
1.TOPandBOTTOMoftheloop:apairofparallelisobaricprocesses
2.LEFTandRIGHToftheloop:apairofparallelisochoricprocesses
Internalenergyofaperfectgasundergoingdifferentportionsofacycle:
Isothermal:

Anillustrationofanidealcycleheatengine(arrows
clockwise).

Isochoric:
Isobaric:

Carnotcycle
TheCarnotcycleisacyclecomposedofthetotallyreversibleprocessesofisentropiccompressionandexpansionandisothermalheatadditionand
rejection.ThethermalefficiencyofaCarnotcycledependsonlyontheabsolutetemperaturesofthetworeservoirsinwhichheattransfertakesplace,
andforapowercycleis:

where

isthelowestcycletemperatureand

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thehighest.ForCarnotpowercyclesthecoefficientofperformanceforaheatpumpis:

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andforarefrigeratorthecoefficientofperformanceis:

ThesecondlawofthermodynamicslimitstheefficiencyandCOPforallcyclicdevicestolevelsatorbelowtheCarnotefficiency.TheStirlingcycle
andEricssoncyclearetwootherreversiblecyclesthatuseregenerationtoobtainisothermalheattransfer.

Stirlingcycle
AStirlingcycleislikeanOttocycle,exceptthattheadiabatsarereplacedbyisotherms.ItisalsothesameasanEricssoncyclewiththeisobaric
processessubstitutedforconstantvolumeprocesses.
1.TOPandBOTTOMoftheloop:apairofquasiparallelisothermalprocesses
2.LEFTandRIGHTsidesoftheloop:apairofparallelisochoricprocesses
Heatflowsintotheloopthroughthetopisothermandtheleftisochore,andsomeofthisheatflowsbackoutthroughthebottomisothermandthe
rightisochore,butmostoftheheatflowisthroughthepairofisotherms.Thismakessensesincealltheworkdonebythecycleisdonebythepairof
isothermalprocesses,whicharedescribedbyQ=W.Thissuggeststhatallthenetheatcomesinthroughthetopisotherm.Infact,alloftheheatwhich
comesinthroughtheleftisochorecomesoutthroughtherightisochore:sincethetopisothermisallatthesamewarmertemperature andthe
bottomisothermisallatthesamecoolertemperature ,andsincechangeinenergyforanisochoreisproportionaltochangeintemperature,thenall
oftheheatcominginthroughtheleftisochoreiscancelledoutexactlybytheheatgoingouttherightisochore.

Statefunctionsandentropy
IfZisastatefunctionthenthebalanceofZremainsunchangedduringacyclicprocess:
.
Entropyisastatefunctionandisdefinedas

sothat
,
thenitisclearthatforanycyclicprocess,

meaningthatthenetentropychangeoveracycleis0.

Seealso
Entropy
Economizer

References
1.Cengel,YunusA.Boles,MichaelA.(2002).Thermodynamics:anengineeringapproach.Boston:McGrawHill.p.14.ISBN0072383321.
2.Cengel,YunusA.Boles,MichaelA.(2002).Thermodynamics:anengineeringapproach.Boston:McGrawHill.pp.452.ISBN0072383321.

Furtherreading
Halliday,Resnick&Walker.FundamentalsofPhysics,5thedition.JohnWiley&Sons,1997.Chapter21,EntropyandtheSecondLawof
Thermodynamics.
engel,YunusA.,andMichaelA.Boles.Thermodynamics:AnEngineeringApproach,7thed.NewYork:McGrawHill,2011.Print.
HillandPeterson."MechanicsandThermodynamicsofPropulsion",2nded.PrenticeHall,1991.760pp.

Externallinks
Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thermodynamic_cycle&oldid=687246415"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermodynamic_cycle

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