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An insulated 0.08 m³ tank contains Helium at 2 MPa and 80 °C. A valve is now opened, allowing some helium to escape. The valve is closed when half of the initial mass is escaped. Determine the final temperature and pressure of the helium in the tank. Assume helium as an ideal gas with Cp=5.19 kJ/kg.K.

User Nsane
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Final answer:

After half the initial mass of helium escapes the tank, the final pressure is halved to 1 MPa due to the reduction of mass while maintaining the same volume. The final temperature remains the same as the initial temperature, which is 80°C, based on the assumption of the isochoric process for the remaining gas.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the final temperature and pressure of helium in the tank after half of its initial mass has escaped, we can utilize the ideal gas law and the principle of conservation of energy. As no heat is transferred due to the tank being insulated, the process is adiabatic for the escaping helium.

However, since we are only interested in the final condition inside the tank, and we assume the remaining helium is not doing work on its surroundings, we can consider this part of the process to be isochoric (constant volume).

Initially, we have a certain mass of helium 'm' at a pressure 'P1', volume 'V1', and temperature 'T1'. After half of the mass escapes, the new mass is 'm/2'.

We can assume the process to be isochoric for the gas remaining in the tank. The ideal gas law is given by:

PV = nRT

For the initial state, we can write:

P1V1 = (m/M)RT1

Where 'M' is the molar mass of helium. For the final state (with 'P2' being the final pressure, 'V2 = V1' due to constant volume, and 'T2' being the final temperature):

P2V2 = ((m/2)/M)RT2

Since V1 = V2 and m/M is constant, we can deduce that:

P2/P1 = (m/2)/m * T2/T1 = 1/2 * T2/T1

So, T2 = 2 * P2/P1 * T1

Given the initial conditions (P1 = 2 MPa, T1 = 80°C + 273.15 = 353.15K), we can find T2 once we determine P2. P2 can be found from the ideal gas law, considering the final mass is m/2, we have:

P2 = P1 * (m/2) / m = P1 / 2 = 1 MPa

Now knowing P2, we can determine T2:

T2 = 2 * (1 MPa/2 MPa) * 353.15K

T2 = 353.15 K

So the final temperature remains the same as the initial temperature, which is 80°C. The final pressure is halved to 1 MPa.

User Jfcorugedo
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