First Law of

Thermodynamics
for an Open System
 3-10 First Law of Thermodynamics for an Open System
Conservation of Mass
• In addition to the heat and work crossing the system boundaries,
mass carries energy with it as it crosses the system boundaries.
• Thus the mass and energy content of the open system may change
when mass enters or leaves the control volume.
• Mass, like energy, is a conserved property, and it cannot be created
or destroyed during a process.
• However, mass (m) and energy (E) can be converted to each other
according to the well-known formula proposed by Albert Einstein.

𝐸 = 𝑚𝐶 2 𝐶 = 2.9979 ∗ 108 𝑚/𝑠(light of speed in vacuum)

• It suggests that the mass of a system changes when its energy

changes
3-10 First Law of Thermodynamics for an Open System
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Mass Flow Rate
• The amount of mass flowing through a cross section per unit time
m
• Denoted, (time rate of change)

General Analysis
• The mass flow rate through a differential
area dAc is
 m = Vn dAc
•  → density of fluid
Vn → velocity of fluid normal to the
cross-sectional area
• Mass flow rate through entire cross-
sectional area
m =  Vn dAc
Ac
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
• In a general compressible flow, both ρ and Vn vary across the pipe.

• In many practical applications, however, the density is essentially

uniform over the pipe cross section.

• Velocity, however, is never uniform over a cross section of a pipe

because of the fluid sticking to the surface and thus having zero
velocity at the wall (the no-slip condition).

• Rather, the velocity varies from zero at the walls to some maximum
value at or near the centerline of the pipe.

a) actual
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Uniform Flow
• In many practical applications, we can
make the following approximations:
1. One-dimensional flow
2. All properties are uniform at any cross-
section normal to the flow direction
3. Properties have the bulk average values
over the cross-section

• These assumptions lead to

m = Vavg Ac
•  → density of fluid
Vavg → mean velocity of fluid normal to the cross-sectional area
Ac → cross-sectional area normal to flow direction
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Volumetric Flow Rate
• The volume of a fluid flowing through a cross-sectional area per unit
time is

V =  Vn dAc
Ac

V = Vavg Ac
• The mass and volume flow rates are related by

m = V
V
m=
v
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Conservation of Mass Principle
• One of the most fundamental principles in nature
• The net mass transfer to or from a control volume (CV) during a
process is equal to the net change (increase or decrease) in the total
mass of the control volume during that process

Or min − mout = mCV

d
• In rate form min − mout = mCV
dt
• These expressions are referred to as mass balances
• The expressions are valid for any system undergoing any process
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Mass Balance Expressions for Multiple Inlets and Outlets

 m −  m = m
in out
CV

d

in
m −  m = mCV
out dt
• When the properties at the inlets and exits as well as within the
control volume are not uniform, the mass flow rate can be expressed
in the differential form

 m = Vn dAc
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Mass Balance for Steady Flow Processes
▪ Steady flow; is the total amount of mass entering a CV is equal to the
total amount of mass leaving CV.
▪ During steady flow process the total amount of mass contained in the
control volume does not change with time.
✓ For a steady flow process, mCV = constant
▪ The conservation of mass principle simplifies to

m = m
in out
For multiple inlets and outlets
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Many engineering devices such as nozzles, diffusers, turbines,
compressors, and pumps involve a single stream (only one inlet and
one outlet).
For these cases, it is denoted that inlet state by the subscript 1 and
the outlet state by the subscript 2, and drop the summation signs. for
single-stream steady-flow systems:

Incompressible Flow ( = constant)

For an incompressible fluid, the conservation of mass principle
simplifies to
in
V =  V
out
For single-stream steady-flow systems it becomes:
 3-10 Conservation of Mass
Example:

A garden hose attached with a nozzle is used to fill a 10-gal bucket.

The inner diameter of the hose is 2 cm, and it reduces to 0.8 cm at
the nozzle exit as shown the figure below. If it takes 50 s to fill the
bucket with water, determine:
(a) the volume and mass flow rates of water through the hose, and
(b) the average velocity of water at the nozzle exit.
1 gal = 3.8 L
3-10 Conservation of Mass
 3-11 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid
Flow Work/Flow Energy
• The work required to push a mass into or out of a control volume
• Necessary for maintaining a continuous flow through a control
volume

• Force applied on the fluid element by the imaginary piston

F = PA
 3-11 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid

• To push the entire fluid element into the control volume, this force
must act through a distance L
• The work done in pushing the fluid element across the boundary
(flow work) is then
Wflow = FL = PAL = PV
• The flow work per unit mass is then
wflow = Pv
• The flow work is the same whether the fluid is pushed into or out of
the control volume
 3-11 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid
Flow Work

• Unlike other work quantities, flow work is expressed in terms of

properties

• For this reason, flow work can be viewed as a combination property,

convected energy, or transport energy

• As a result, the flow energy can be considered part of the energy of a

flowing fluid

• This greatly simplifies energy analysis of control volumes

 3-11 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid
Total Energy of a Flowing Fluid on a unit mass basis
• The total energy of a simple compressible system consists of three
parts: internal, kinetic, and potential energies for closed system
1 2
e = u + ke + pe = u + V + gz non flowing fluid
2
• A fluid entering or leaving a control volume possesses an
additional form of energy, the flow energy, Pv
• The total energy of a flowing fluid is then,

 = Pv + e = Pv + u + ke + pe
• This expression can be simplified by recalling that the enthalpy h
is given by h = u + Pv
1 2
 = h + ke + pe = h + V + gz flowing fluid
2
 3-11 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid
Total Energy of a Flowing Fluid (cont.)
• By using the enthalpy instead of the internal energy to represent
the energy of a flowing fluid, one does not need to be concerned
about the flow work
• The energy associated with pushing the fluid into or out of a
control volume is automatically taken care of by the enthalpy
 3-12 The First Law of Thermodynamics
Energy Balance

Ein − Eout = Esystem

• This relation is referred to as

the energy balance
• The relationship is valid for
any system undergoing any
process
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Steady-flow process
• A process during which a fluid flows through a control volume
steadily
• No intensive or extensive properties within the control volume
change with time
• The total volume V, the mass m, and the total energy content E of
the control volume remain constant

Wb = 0

Q = constant

W = constant
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Mass Balance for Steady-Flow Systems

m = m
in out

 VA =  VA
in out

For a single stream (one inlet and one outlet),

m1 = m2
1V1 A1 = 2V2 A2
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Conservation of Energy for General Control Volume
▪ The conservation of energy principle for the control volume or open
system has the same word definition as the first law for the closed
system.
▪ Expressing the energy transfers on a rate basis, the control volume
first law is:

▪ OR

Where the time rate change of the energy

of the control volume
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Conservation of Energy for General Control Volume
▪ Considering that:
✓ Energy flows into and from the CV with the mass,
✓ Energy enters because net heat is transferred to the CV
✓ Energy leaves because the CV does net work on its
surroundings, the open system, or CV, the first law becomes:
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Steady-flow process (cont.)
• The boundary work is zero for steady flow systems (VCV = const.)
• The total mass or energy entering the control volume must be
equal to the total mass or energy leaving it (since, mCV = const. and
ECV = const.)
• The heat and work interactions between a steady-flow system and
its surroundings do not change with time

Wb = 0

Q = constant

W = constant
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems

• During a steady-flow process, the total energy content of a control

volume remains constant, and thus ECV = 0
• Therefore, the total amount of energy entering a control volume must
be equal to the amount of energy leaving it

Ein − Eout = ECV = 0

E in = E out
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Qin + Win +  m = Qout + Wout +  m
in out

 = h + ke + pe
Qin + Win +  m ( h + 12 V 2 + gz ) = Qout + Wout +  m ( h + 12 V 2 + gz )
in out

Using the formal sign convention,

Q − W =  m ( h + 12 V 2 + gz ) −  m ( h + 12 V 2 + gz )
out in

For a single stream (one inlet (1) and one outlet (2)),
 V22 − V12 
Q − W = m  h2 − h1 + + g ( z2 − z1 ) 
 2 
 3-12 Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems
Energy Balance for Steady-Flow Systems (cont.)

Q − W =  m ( h + 12 V 2 + gz ) −  m ( h + 12 V 2 + gz )
out in

• Q → Rate of heat transfer between the control volume and its

surroundings
negative → CV is losing heat
adiabatic → Q = 0
• W → Power
positive → CV is doing work on surroundings
• h → Enthalpy of flowing fluid
2
• 12 V → Kinetic energy of flowing fluid
• gz → Potential energy of flowing fluid
 3-12 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid

#1. Example
Steam is leaving a 4-L pressure cooker whose operating pressure is
150 kPa . It is observed that the amount of liquid in the cooker has
decreased by 0.6 L in 40 min after the steady operating conditions
are established, and the cross-sectional area of the exit opening is 8
mm2.
Determine (a) the mass flow rate of the steam and the exit velocity
(b) the total and flow energies of the steam per unit mass
(c) the rate at which energy leaves the cooker by steam.
3-12 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid
3-12 Flow Work and the Energy of a Flowing Fluid
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
Nozzles
• Devices that increase the
velocity of a fluid at the
expense of pressure

Diffusers
• Devices that increase the
pressure of a fluid by
decreasing its velocity

General Characteristics
• Typically, W = 0
• Usually, Q  0 , pe  0
• Large changes in velocity
ke  0
 Example

#2.Example
Steam at 0.4 MPa, 300oC, enters an adiabatic nozzle with a low
velocity and leaves at 10 kPa with a quality of 90%. Find the exit
velocity, in m/s.
Control Volume: The nozzle
Property Relation: Steam tables
Process: Assume adiabatic, steady-flow
Example
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
Turbine
• In gas, steam, or hydroelectric power plants, the
device that drives the electric generator
• A turbine produces work, W  0

Compressors, Pumps, and Fans

• Devices used to increase the pressure of a fluid
• Work is supplied to these devices, 
W 0
Fan
• Increases the pressure of a gas slightly
• Mainly used to mobilize a gas
Compressor
• Capable of compressing a gas to very high pressures
Pumps
• Like compressors except that they handle liquids
instead of gases
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
General Characteristics of Turbines and Compressors
• Usually, Q  0 , pe  0

• Often, ke ≈ 0, except turbines and fans, however often

|h| >> |ke| in turbines and fans making ke negligible
 Example
#3.Example
Argon gas enters an adiabatic turbine steadily at 900 kPa and
450°C with a velocity of 80 m/s and leaves at 150 kPa with a
velocity of 150 m/s. The inlet area of the turbine is 60 cm2. If
the power output of the turbine is 250 kW, determine the exit
temperature of the argon.
Example
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
Throttling Valves
• Any kind of flow-restricting device that causes a significant
pressure drop in the fluid
• The pressure drop is often accompanied by a large drop in
temperature
• The following assumptions can often be made,
q ≈ 0, w ≈ 0, pe ≈ 0, ke ≈ 0
• Based on these assumptions, the conservation of energy equation
for a single-stream steady-flow device reduces to
h2 ≈ h1
• For this reason, a throttling valve is sometimes called an
isenthalpic device
 Example
#4. Example
One way to determine the quality of saturated steam is to throttle the
steam to a low enough pressure that it exists as a superheated
vapor. Saturated steam at 0.4 MPa is throttled to 0.1 MPa, 100oC.
Determine the quality of the steam at 0.4 MPa.
Process: Steady-state, steady-flow, no work, no heat transfer, neglect
kinetic and potential energies, one entrance, one exit
Problem 5
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
Mixing Chamber
• The section where a mixing process takes place
• The following assumptions can often be made,
q ≈ 0, w ≈ 0, pe ≈ 0, ke ≈ 0
 Example
#5. Example
Steam at 0.2 MPa, 300oC, enters a mixing chamber and is mixed
with cold water at 20oC, 0.2 MPa, to produce 20 kg/s of saturated
liquid water at 0.2 MPa. What are the required steam and cold water
flow rates?
Process: Assume steady-flow, adiabatic mixing, with no work
Example
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
Heat Exchangers
• Devices where two moving fluid streams exchange heat without
mixing
• Typical characteristics of heat exchangers,
w ≈ 0, pe ≈ 0, ke ≈ 0

Double Shell (tube and shell)

•Composed of two concentric pipes of different diameters
 Example
#6. Example
Air is heated in a heat exchanger by hot water. The water enters
the heat exchanger at 45oC and experiences a 20oC drop in
temperature. As the air passes through the heat exchanger, its
temperature is increased by 25oC.
Determine the ratio of mass flow rate of the air to mass flow rate of
the water.
Example
 3-13 Some Steady-Flow Engineering Devices
Pipe and Duct Flow

Used for the transport of liquids or gases

Pipe or duct flow may involve more than one form of work at the
same time

The energy balance may be depend on the given criterias.

 Example
#7. Example
In a simple steam power plant, steam leaves a boiler at 3 MPa, 600oC,
and enters a turbine at 2 MPa, 500oC. Determine the in-line heat
transfer from the steam per kilogram mass flowing in the pipe
between the boiler and the turbine.
Process: Steady-flow