Metallurgical Thermodynamics

First Long Examination

11 January 2014
DIRECTIONS:
1. Make sure that each page has your name and student number at
the top portion of the paper.
2. Use only blue or black ink.
3. Show your complete solution (working equation, substitution of
values with units, sub-steps and final answer). Intermediate values
that must be solved but are not explicitly asked for may only be
underlined twice. Express your final answers up to three decimal
places and enclose in a box.
4. Write clearly and legibly. Illegible and messy solutions will not be
given partial points.
5. Start each exam section on a new page. You may write on the
back pages.
6. Mobile phones and other electronic devices must be put to silent
mode or turned off, and left inside your bag.
7. Only the proctor or instructor may be asked if you have questions
or clarifications.
8. Any student caught cheating will be given a grade of zero for this
exam, and will be reported to the Deans Office and the Student
Disciplinary Tribunal.
Section 1 - EASY: Answer the following problems. Any points obtained
beyond 25 will be considered bonus points for this exam.
1. Derive the universal gas constant from the combinations of the
equations of state of ideal gases. (5 points)
2. Show that at relatively low temperatures, the enthalpy of formation
of pyrite (FeS2) is higher that that of gold by using the Dulong-Petit
and Kopp-Neumann methods of estimation. (10 points)
3. Given that constant temperature processes do not have a change
in internal energy, derive from the first law of thermodynamics the
equation that governs the behaviour of gases under

SURNAME: ________________________

Isothermal conditions (5 points)

Isochoric conditions(5 points)
4. Demonstrate that work is path dependent. (5 points)
Section 2 - MODERATE PROBLEM
A particular pressure filter, shown in the diagram below, dewaters pulp
by using an elevated pressure to push water through a settled bed of
solids and the filter paper. It is operated thus:
Pulp (a mixture of water and solids) is poured into the cylinder
A leak proof lid with gasket is fitted on top of the cylinder
Compressed gas is fed into the
cylinder until a certain pressure is
reached, after which the valve is
closed, cutting off the gas inside the
cylinder from the compressed gas
source and the surroundings.
Water is forced through the settled
bed of solids and filter paper, exits
through the water outlet, eventually
leaving behind a significantly
dewatered layer of solids called a
filter cake.
Consider a cylinder with an inside
diameter of 24 cm and a height of 36
cm, set in a laboratory at 30. Pulp
is poured into the cylinder until 8 cm is left between the pulp surface
and the brim. The lid is fitted and latched. Compressed diatomic, ideal
gas is pumped into the cylinder until a pressure of 5.155 atm is
reached. The valve is closed. It was observed that water was
discharged at a constant rate of 0.013572 L per second.
1. Express the volume occupied by the ideal diatomic gas as a
function of time t in seconds.

2nd Semester AY 13-14. MAFabro. MetE 17 First Long Exam

2. Express the pressure (atm) of the ideal diatomic gas as a function

of time t in seconds.
3. Assume that there is no heat transfer between the gas and the
pulp. Find the pressure and temperature of the gas after 15
minutes, the work done by/on the gas, heat flow and change in
internal energy of the gas for the following conditions:
1. The cylinder, lid and base is made of a strong metal; and
2. The cylinder, lid and base is made of Aerogel, a perfectly
insulating material.
4. Assume now that thermodynamic equilibrium is allowed to exist
between the remaining pulp and the gas. Which pressure filter is
more convenient (or less problematic) to use, the one made of
metal, or Aerogel? Why?
Section 3 - DIFFICULT PROBLEM
Octane is an alkane with a chemical formula C8H18. Octane and its
many isomers are very flammable and are components of gasoline.
A combustion chamber, lined with insulating refractory bricks, is filled
with 0.3 mole of octane and stoichiometric air. If the combustion of
octane is allowed to proceed at 500 K,
1. How much energy is produced when the octane supplied is
completely consumed?
2. How much dry air must be provided for the octane to combust
completely?
3. How much of each gas is present in the chamber after octane is
consumed?
4. A 5.23272 kg of solid Zn specimen was placed in a refractory
container, left inside the combustion chamber and was in thermal
equilibrium with the gases in the combustion chamber. The
combustion of octane cause the entire contents of the chamber to
reach 809.52 K, including the zinc sample, which was found to be
completely molten. Determine the melting point of zinc.
5. What is the minimum amount of excess air (expressed in
percentage relative to stoichiometric amount) must be supplied to
keep the zinc sample from melting?

SURNAME: ________________________

Hf298 (C8H18) = -250.3 kJ/mol

Boiling point of C8H18 : 398.75 K
Latent heat of vaporisation of octane: 8137.83 cal/mol
Cp (C8H18)(l) = 61.10752 cal/mol-K
Cp (C8H18)(g) = -1.7459 x 10-4 T2 + 0.5567 T + 51.38225 J/mol-K
Latent heat of fusion of Zn: 1766 cal/mol
R = 0.082057 L-atm/mol-k or 8.314 J/mol-K
1 joule = 0.239 calories
C : 12.01
H : 1.01
O : 16
N : 14.01
Zn : 65.41

2nd Semester AY 13-14. MAFabro. MetE 17 First Long Exam