Thermodynamics Review for CFD: Compressible Flow Essentials

This lecture provides a comprehensive review of thermodynamics concepts essential for understanding compressible flows in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The session covers key differences between compressible and incompressible flows, fundamental gas properties, and thermodynamic laws relevant to CFD simulations. For a broader recap of these foundations, you can review Complete Thermodynamics & Thermochemistry Concepts Explained.

Compressibility and Flow Classification

Gases are significantly more compressible than liquids, with isothermal compressibility values around 10−5 m2/N for ideal gases versus approximately 10−10 m2/N for water. A change in density (Δρ/ρ) greater than 5% defines a compressible flow. A deeper dive into these principles is available in Understanding Thermodynamics: A Comprehensive Overview.

Speed and Pressure Change Analysis

  • Low-speed flows (e.g., 25-50 m/s): Pressure changes are minimal (ΔP/P ≈ 0.93%), allowing approximation as incompressible
  • High-speed flows (e.g., 400-500 m/s): Significant density changes occur, requiring compressible flow treatment
  • Mach number relevance: As flow speed approaches or exceeds the speed of sound (≈330 m/s at sea level), density variations become critical

Compressibility Types

  • Isothermal compressibility (κt): Defined as -1/V(∂V/∂P)t, for ideal gases equals 1/P
  • Isentropic compressibility (κs): Relevant for flows outside boundary layers where adiabatic and reversible conditions prevail

Calorically Perfect Gas Relations

For typical atmospheric conditions (temperature <1000 K), gases can be treated as calorically perfect:

  • Internal energy: e = CvT
  • Enthalpy: h = CpT
  • Cp - Cv = R (gas constant)
  • Ratio of specific heats: γ = Cp/Cv

Degrees of Freedom and Gamma Values

  • Monatomic gases (3 degrees): γ = 5/3 = 1.66 (e.g., helium)
  • Diatomic gases (5 degrees): γ = 7/5 = 1.4 (e.g., N2, O2, air)
  • Triatomic gases (7 degrees): γ = 9/7 = 1.33 (e.g., CO2)

First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics

  • First law (energy conservation): δQ = de + PdV (for reversible systems)
  • Second law (entropy definition): ds = δQ/T + dsirr, where dsirr ≥ 0
  • Isentropic process: Adiabatic (δQ=0) and reversible (dsirr=0), resulting in constant entropy (S2 = S1)

Entropy Relations for Perfect Gases

Entropy depends on both temperature and pressure (or volume), unlike internal energy and enthalpy which are functions of a single variable for calorically perfect gases.

Practical CFD Implications

  • Gas constant (R) changes with molecular mass: R = Ru/M (Ru = 8.314 J/(mol·K))
  • Gamma depends on molecular structure, not the specific gas for the same molecular type
  • For air simulations (diatomic gas): use γ = 1.4, R = 287 J/(kg·K)
  • Changing from N2 to O2 requires modifying R but gamma remains 1.4 (both diatomic)
  • Changing to helium requires modifying both R and gamma (1.66)

Next lecture will continue with isentropic system relations and their applications. For a complete revision of related mechanical engineering topics, see Complete One-Shot Revision: RGPV BTech Mechanical Engineering Unit 4.

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