Compression Of An Ideal Gas With Temperature Dependent Specific Heat Capacities

The compression of gas in a steady-state, steady-flow (SSSF) compressor is an important topic that is addressed in virtually all engineering thermodynamics courses. A typical situation encountered is when the gas inlet conditions, temperature and pressure, are known and the compressor discharge pressure is specified. The traditional instructional approach is to make certain assumptions about the compression process and about the gas itself. For example, a special case often considered is that the compression process is reversible and adiabatic, i.e. isentropic. The gas is usually considered to be ideal, i.e. applies, with either constant or temperature-dependent specific heat capacities. The constant specific heat capacity assumption allows for direct computation of the discharge temperature, while the temperature-dependent specific heat assumption does not.