Carnot Cycle
1: A → B 2: B → C
Isothermal Adiabatic
expansion expansion
at Th from Th to Tc
Additional qh
is supplied
3: C → D
4: D →A Isothermal
Adiabatic compression
compression at Tc
from Tc to Th Residual qc
is released
Carnot Cycle
1: A → B 2: B → C
Entropy gain No entropy
q h qc
∆S = qh / Th ∫ dS = +
Th Tc
change
3: C → D
4: D →A
No entropy Entropy loss
change
∆S = qc / Tc
Carnot Cycle (Justification)
For isothermal processes (q = −w)
V V
q h = nRTh ln B , q c = nRTc ln D
VA VC
For adiabatic processes
VATh = VDTc and VCTc = VBTh
c c c c
multiplication of both relations gives,
VAVCTh Tc = VBVDTh Tc
c c c c
∴VAVC = VBVD
VA VD qh T
= =− h
VB VC qc Tc
for a perfect gas
Efficiency of Engine
work perfomed w
efficiency ε= =
heat absorbed qh
q h + qc q
ε= = 1+ c
qh qh
Tc
ε rev = 1 − Carnot efficiency
Th
Efficiency of Engine
Second law of thermodynamics implies that all reversible
engines have the same efficiency regardless of their construction
if ε engine A > ε engine B
Contrary to Kelvin’s
statement of the 2nd law
General Cycle & Carnot Cycles
Reversible cycle can be
approximated as a collection
of Carnot cycles
qrev qrev
∑
all T
= ∑
perimeter T
=0