Thermodynamics Fundamentals

This chapter reviews the first and second laws of thermodynamics and their implications in mechanical engineering. It reviews the analytical aspects (the formulas) of engineering thermodynamics primarily in terms of the behavior of a pure substance, as would be the case of the working fluid in a heat engine or in a refrigeration machine. The analytical forms of the first and second laws of thermodynamics contain properties such as internal energy, enthalpy, and entropy, which cannot be measured directly. The values of these properties are derived from measurements that can be carried out in the laboratory (e.g., pressure, volume, temperature, specific heat); the formulas connecting the derived properties to the measurable properties. It contains a summary of the equations obtained by applying the first and second laws of thermodynamics to the components encountered in most engineering systems, such as power cycles and refrigeration cycles.

Duke Scholars

Author Adrian Bejan Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...