THE IDEAL-GAS EQUATION OF STATE

Obtaining properties of pure substances :

1. Property tables :
Accurate
Bulky
Not practical to use

It would be nice to
have some simple
relations (equations)
among the properties

2. Equations of state
Relates the P, T and v of a substance.
There are several equations of state.
One of them is ideal-gas equation of state.
Ideal-Gas Equation of State
Best-known
Simplest
Only valid for the substances in the gas-phase
(superheated vapor region)

GAS vs VAPOR
GAS
The vapor phase of a substance is
customarily called a gas when it is
above the critical point temperature.
VAPOR
Vapor implies that the gas that is
not far from state of
condensation.

THE IDEAL-GAS EQUATION OF STATE

Pv=RT
GAS CONSTANT

kJ/(kgK), kPa.m3/(kgK)

R=Ru/M
Ru= Universal gas constant
= 8.314 kJ/(kmolK)
= 8.314 kPa.m3/(kmolK)
M= Molar mass (kg/kmol)

v=V/m

PV=mRT

mR=(MN)R=NRu

PV=NRuT

Mole number

Substance

Air
Helium
Argon
Nitrogen

R
kJ/(kgK)

0.287
2.0769
0.2081
0.2968

THE IDEAL-GAS EQUATION OF STATE

Pv=RT

PV=mRT

Both for Open & Closed Systems :

At state 1: P1v1=RT1
At state 2: P2v2=RT2
or
At state 1: P1V1=m1RT1
At state 2: P2V2=m2RT2
For a Fixed Mass (Closed System) :

P1v1 P2 v 2
R

T1
T2
P1V1
P2V2

R
m1T1 m 2T2

m1=m2

THE IDEAL-GAS EQUATION OF STATE

An ideal gas is an imaginary substance that obeys the relation
Pv=RT.
However, ideal-gas relation can be used with a small amount of
error for real gases at low densities.

P
T
In the range of practical interests, many gases (such as air, nitrogen,
oxygen, hydrogen, helium, argon, neon, krypton, CO2, ....) can be
treated as an ideal gas with an error of less than 1%.
For dense gases (such as water vapor in steam power plants and
refrigerant vapor in refrigerators) can not be treated as in ideal gas.
Instead, the property tables should be used.

Example 2.11 : Determine the mass of the air in a room whose

dimensions are 4mX5mX6m at 100 kPa and 25 C
Input

Dimensions = 4x5x6 m
P=100 kPa
T=25 oC

V=4x5x6=120 m3
PV=mRT

PV
100 x120
m

140.3 kg
RT 0.287 x 298

IS WATER VAPOR AN IDEAL GAS ?

In air-conditioning
applications, the water
vapor in the air can be
treated as an ideal gas with
essentially no error.
Because the partial
pressure of water vapor
inside the air is very low.
In steam power plant
applications, the pressures
involved rae usually very
high. Therefore, ideal-gas
relations should not be
used.

COMPRESSIBILITY FACTOR
The ideal-gas equation
is very simple
But, real gases deviate from it significantly at
states near the saturation region and the critical
point.
This deviation can be accounted for by
introducing a correction factor called
compressibility factor.

Compressibility Factor (Z)

Pv=RT

Pv=ZRT
Z=1

ideal gas

Z>1
Z=1
Z<1

real gases

COMPRESSIBILITY FACTOR
Reduced pressure

PR=P/Pcr
Reduced temper.

TR=T/Tcr
CONCLUSIONS
@ PR
ideal gas,
regardless of T.
@ TR
ideal gas,
regardless of P.
@ vicinity of cp
Deviation from
ideal gas, is
greatest.

Example 2.12 : Determine the specific volume of R134a at 1 MPa and 50

C, using
a) The ideal-gas equation of state
b) The generalized compressibility chart
c) Compare the values obtained to the actual value of 0.02171 m 3/kg and
determine the error involved in each case.

Input

P=1 Mpa
T=50 oC

R=0.0815 kPa.m3/(kg.K)
Pcr=4.067 MPa
Tcr=374.3 K

a) v

RT 0.815 x 323

0.02632 m 3 /kg
P
1000

b) PR

P
1

0.246
Pcr 4.067

T
323
TR

0.863
Tcr 374.3

(Table A-1)
vactual=0.02171 m3/kg
v= 0.02632 m3/kg

=21.2%

Z=0.84

vactual=0.02171 m3/kg
ZRT 0.84 x 0.815 x 323
3
v

0.02211 m /kg
v= 0.02211 m3/kg
P
1000

<2%

OTHER EQUATIONS OF STATE

The ideal-gas equation
is very simple
But, its range of applicability is limited (only low density region)
It is desirable to have equations of state that can be used accurately
over a larger region with no limitations.
Several equations are proposed.
These equations are more complicated than the ideal-gas equation.
Name

Equation

Van der Waals

BeattieBridgeman

a
v b RT
v2

RuT
2

c
A
v

2
vT 3
v

BenedictWebb-Rubin
Viral

RT a (T ) b(T ) c (T )
P
2 3 4 .....
v
v
v
v

# of const.

Accurate

over a limited
range

0.8 cr

2.5 cr

may vary

Depends on #
of const.