Problem 47
A Carnot engine operates between two heat reservoirs at temperatures \(T_H\) and \(T_C\) . An inventor proposes to increase the efficiency by running one engine between \(T_H\) and an intermediate temperature \(T'\) and a second engine between \(T'\) and \(T_C\) , using as input the heat expelled by the first engine. Compute the efficiency of this composite system, and compare it to that of the original engine.
Problem 48
A typical coal-fired power plant generates 1000 MW of usable power at an overall thermal efficiency of 40%. (a) What is the rate of heat input to the plant? (b) The plant burns anthracite coal, which has a heat of combustion of 2.65 \(\times\) 10\(^7\) J/kg. How much coal does the plant use per day, if it operates continuously? (c) At what rate is heat ejected into the cool reservoir, which is the nearby river? (d) The river is at 18.0\(^\circ\)C before it reaches the power plant and 18.5\(^\circ\)C after it has received the plant's waste heat. Calculate the river's flow rate, in cubic meters per second. (e) By how much does the river's entropy increase each second?
Problem 50
An air conditioner operates on 800 W of power and has a performance coefficient of 2.80 with a room temperature of 21.0\(^\circ\)C and an outside temperature of 35.0\(^\circ\)C. (a) Calculate the rate of heat removal for this unit. (b) Calculate the rate at which heat is discharged to the outside air. (c) Calculate the total entropy change in the room if the air conditioner runs for 1 hour. Calculate the total entropy change in the outside air for the same time period. (d) What is the net change in entropy for the system (room + outside air) ?
Problem 52
A person with skin of surface area 1.85 m\(^2\) and temperature 30.0\(^\circ\)C is resting in an insulated room where the ambient air temperature is 20.0\(^\circ\)C. In this state, a person gets rid of excess heat by radiation. By how much does the person change the entropy of the air in this room each second? (Recall that the room radiates back into the person and that the emissivity of the skin is 1.00.)
Problem 53
An object of mass \(m_1\), specific heat \(c_1\), and temperature \(T_1\) is placed in contact with a second object of mass \(m_2\), specific heat \(c_2\), and temperature \(T_2\) > \(T_1\). As a result, the temperature of the first object increases to \(T\) and the temperature of the second object decreases to \(T'\). (a) Show that the entropy increase of the system is $$\Delta S = m_1c_1 ln {T \over T_1} + m_2c_2 ln {T' \over T_2}$$ and show that energy conservation requires that $$m_1c_1 (T - T_1) = m_2c_2 (T_2 - T')$$ (b) Show that the entropy change \(\Delta S\), considered as a function of \(T\), is a \(maximum\) if \(T = T'\), which is just the condition of thermodynamic equilibrium. (c) Discuss the result of part (b) in terms of the idea of entropy as a measure of randomness.
Problem 56
For a refrigerator or air conditioner, the coefficient of performance \(K\) (often denoted as COP) is, as in Eq. (20.9), the ratio of cooling output \(Q_C\) 0 to the required electrical energy input \(W\) , both in joules. The coefficient of performance is also expressed as a ratio of powers, $$K = {(Q_C ) /t \over (W) /t}$$ where \(Q_C /t\) is the cooling power and \(W /t\) is the electrical power input to the device, both in watts. The energy efficiency ratio (\(EER\)) is the same quantity expressed in units of Btu for \(Q_C\) and \(W \cdot h\) for \(W\) . (a) Derive a general relationship that expresses \(EER\) in terms of \(K\). (b) For a home air conditioner, \(EER\) is generally determined for a 95\(^\circ\)F outside temperature and an 80\(^\circ\)F return air temperature. Calculate \(EER\) for a Carnot device that operates between 95\(^\circ\)F and 80\(^\circ\)F. (c) You have an air conditioner with an \(EER\) of 10.9. Your home on average requires a total cooling output of \(Q_C = 1.9 \times 10^{10} J\) per year. If electricity costs you 15.3 cents per \(kW \cdot h\), how much do you spend per year, on average, to operate your air conditioner? (Assume that the unit's \(EER\) accurately represents the operation of your air conditioner. A \(seasonal\) \(energy\) \(efficiency\) \(ratio\) (\(SEER\)) is often used. The \(SEER\) is calculated over a range of outside temperatures to get a more accurate seasonal average.) (d) You are considering replacing your air conditioner with a more efficient one with an \(EER\) of 14.6. Based on the \(EER\), how much would that save you on electricity costs in an average year?
Problem 61
Compare the entropy change of the warmer water to that of the colder water during one cycle of the heat engine, assuming an ideal Carnot cycle. (a) The entropy does not change during one cycle in either case. (b) The entropy of both increases, but the entropy of the colder water increases by more because its initial temperature is lower. (c) The entropy of the warmer water decreases by more than the entropy of the colder water increases, because some of the heat removed from the warmer water goes to the work done by the engine. (d) The entropy of the warmer water decreases by the same amount that the entropy of the colder water increases.
Problem 62
If the proposed plant is built and produces 10 \(MW\) but the rate at which waste heat is exhausted to the cold water is 165 \(MW\), what is the plant's actual efficiency? (a) 5.7%; (b) 6.1%; (c) 6.5%; (d) 16.5%.
