Introduction to Compressible Flow – Introduction – Reynolds Transport Theory &

Thermodynamics Review
Please box your answers with units.
Copyright S. A. E. Miller 2021.

Name:

1. Concisely describe the differences between a perfect gas, calorically perfect gas, thermally perfect gas,
and chemically reacting gas. Generally, what are the temperature ranges for these flows at standard
pressure for air for use within aeronautical engineering?
2. State the laws of thermodynamics (including the zeroth law). It is expected that you have memorized
these.
3. Define the following thermodynamic terms:
• State
• Property
• Process
• Cycle
4. For a perfect gas the relation between pressure and density in an isentropic process is given by

p/ργ = constant, (1)

where p is pressure, ρ is density, and γ is the ratio of specific heats (assume constant here). Place the
equation into a logarithmic form, differentiate, and use the perfect gas assumption. Show that
• ln p − γ ln ρ = constant,
dp
• = γ dρ
p ρ , and
( )
∂p
• ∂ρ = γp/ρ = γRT .
s
√ √ √
You will find the happy outcome of c = γp/ρ = γRT = γRT /W , where W is the molecular weight.
5. When a substance obeys the perfect gas law there is a simple relation between cp , cv , and R. From the
definitions of cp and h, the perfect gas law, and the knowledge that h depends on T alone, we form
( )
∂h dh d du d
cp ≡ = = (u + pv) = + RT = cv + R. (2)
∂T p dT dT dT dT

Show analytically using the definition of γ (ratio of specific heats) that

γ
cp = R (3)
γ−1
and
R
cv = . (4)
γ−1

6. Applying the special relations of a perfect gas to the general relation between s, u, and v, we can obtain
du pdv dT dv
ds = + = cv +R (5)
T T T v
 • Show via integration that you can obtain
( )( )γ−1
T2 v2 T2 v2
s2 − s1 = cv ln + R ln = cv ln (6)
T1 v1 T1 v1

• Using the ideal gas law and via elimination of T and/or v show analytically that
( ) ( )γ
p2 v2 p2 v2
s2 − s1 = cv ln + cp ln = cv ln (7)
p1 v1 p1 v1

• Using the ideal gas law and via elimination of T and/or v show analytically that
( )γ ( )−(γ−1)
T2 p2 T2 p2
s2 − s1 = cp ln − R ln = cv ln (8)
T1 p1 T1 p1

7. Air is stored in a pressurized tank at 120 kPa (gage) and a temperature of 27 deg. C. The tank volume is
1 m3 . Atmospheric pressure is p∞ = 101 kPa. The local acceleration of gravity is 9.81 m s−2 . Determine
(a) the density and weight of the air in the tank, and (b) the density and weight of the air if the tank
were located on the moon, where the acceleration of gravity is one sixth that on the earth.
8. A large plenum that stores air is used for a small university scale wind tunnel. The initial pressure in
the tank is 850 kPa The final pressure in the tank is 800 kPa. The volume of the tank is V = 40.0 m3 .
Assume that the tank and system operates isothermally (T is constant), T = 293.000 K. The mass flow
rate from the tank is measured as ṁ = 1.50 kg/s. Use Reynolds transport theory to find the run time
of the wind tunnel, ∆t in seconds. The fluid is a perfect gas with properties cp = 1.00450 kJ kg−1 K−1 ,
cv = 0.71750 kJ kg−1 K−1 , R = 287.000 J kg−1 K−1 , and γ = 1.40000.
9. A gas flows steadily in a 2.0 cm diameter circular tube with uniform velocity of 0.01 ms−1 . The density
of the fluid at this position
[ is ρo . At ]a cross-section downstream from the test section the streamwise
velocity varies as u = u0 1 − (r/R)2 , where r is the cross-stream direction and R is the maximum
radius. Find u0 assuming the gas density to be ρ = ρo [1 + (r/R)2 ].
10. An aircraft has a jet engine mounted on a pylon. The flight velocity is u∞ = 300 m s−1 . The fully
expanded velocity of the jet exhaust1 is uj = 800 m s−1 . The mass flow rate through the engine is
10 kg s−1 (neglecting the combustion products). The static pressure at the nozzle exit is 80 kPa. The
static pressure at the inlet is 20 kPa. Ambient pressure is p∞ = 20 kPa. The nozzle exit area is 4.0 m2 .
Determine the thrust via Reynolds transport theory. You must draw a control volume and eliminate
terms from Reynold’s theory.
11. Nitrogen is expanded isentropically by a nozzle. The plenum pressure is 2 MPa with temperature 1000
K. The nitrogen expands to a pressure of 101 kPa. The fluid has a mean molecular mass of 28.0 and
ratio of specific heats of γ = 1.4. The mass flow rate through the nozzle is ṁ = 0.5 kg s−1 . Assume
the fluid acts as a perfect gas. The nitrogen enters the nozzle with a negligible velocity and resides in a
plenum.2 Determine the nozzle exit area, Ae . Why does Reynolds transport theory fail to ascertain the
solution?
12. A tank is used to store hydrogen with initial mass m1 . Measurements indicate that the tank has a
pressure of 1 MPa and temperature of 30 deg. C. The hydrogen vents through a valve. The pressure is
then measured at 200 kPa. The ratio of specific heats is γ = 1.4, and the gas constant is 4.124 kJ K
kg−1 . The total volume of the tank is V = 2 m3 . Determine the mass of hydrogen left in the tank, m2 ,
in kg. Assume that the venting of hydrogen is isentropic.

1 For now, you can assume fully-expanded jet velocity is the exit velocity of the gas from the nozzle.
2 Assume a plenum has approximate initial velocity of zero.

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13. In an experiment to determine drag, a circular cylinder of diameter d was immersed in a steady, two-
dimensional, incompressible flow. Measurements of velocity and pressure were made at the boundaries
of the control surface shown. The pressure was found to be uniform over the entire control surface. The
x component of velocity at the control surface boundary was approximately as indicated by the sketch.
From the measured data, calculate the drag coefficient of the cylinder, based on the projected area and
on the free stream dynamic head, 12 ρVo2 . Note

Drag Force per Unit Length

CD = 1 2
(9)
2 ρVo d

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