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Efficiency-and-Sankey-Diagrams

The document discusses the principle of conservation of energy, emphasizing that energy cannot be created or destroyed but only transferred. It explains efficiency in energy conversion systems, providing formulas and examples to illustrate how to calculate it, as well as the use of Sankey diagrams to visually represent energy transfers. The document highlights the importance of understanding efficiency and energy loss in various systems, such as motors and car engines.

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Derek Stone
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20 views10 pages

Efficiency-and-Sankey-Diagrams

The document discusses the principle of conservation of energy, emphasizing that energy cannot be created or destroyed but only transferred. It explains efficiency in energy conversion systems, providing formulas and examples to illustrate how to calculate it, as well as the use of Sankey diagrams to visually represent energy transfers. The document highlights the importance of understanding efficiency and energy loss in various systems, such as motors and car engines.

Uploaded by

Derek Stone
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IGCSE Energy & Energy Resources

Topic

Efficiency and Sankey Diagrams


Principle of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed in


any process

It is just transferred from one store to


another
Efficiency
Whenever we consider an energy transfer we need to remember
that a proportion of the energy input is wasted.

Wasted means transferred into stores other than the useful store.

All input energy must be output ​otherwise it would be destroyed


and we know ​this cannot happen. We would like as much as
possible of the output energy to be in the store that we want.

When calculating efficiency we compare how ​much of the total


input energy is changed into ​the wanted or useful store.
Efficiency

Efficiency of an energy conversion system is defined as

efficiency = useful energy output x 100%


total energy input

Efficiency does not have a unit because it is a ratio

It can be shown as a fraction of the energy output that is in the


wanted or useful store. This fraction will always be less than one
Efficiency
Example: a 60W motor uses 60J of energy per second. 45J is
transferred to kinetic energy. What is its efficiency?

efficiency = useful energy output x 100%


total energy input
efficiency = 45J x 100% = 75%
60J

15J is wasted – this will end up as thermal energy in the


surroundings.
Efficiency
Example: a car engine has an efficiency of 29%.
For each 100J of chemical energy stored in the fuel 62J are
transferred to thermal energy in the surroundings. How much
energy will be transferred as sound?

The 29% efficiency shows the proportion that is transferred to the


useful output energy store – in the case of a car that will be kinetic
energy.

For each100J input, 29J is output as kinetic and 62J as heat


Therefore the energy output as sound = 100 – (29 + 62) = 9J
Efficiency
Example: a motor lifts a mass increasing its gravitational potential energy.
If the motor has an efficiency of 54% and the total input energy is 74J how
much potential energy does the mass gain?

efficiency = useful energy output x 100%


total energy input
Rearrange the equation
Efficiency x total energy input = useful energy output
100
54 x 74 = 39.36 = 40J
100
Sankey Diagrams
Energy transfer diagrams show the energy input (contribution), the
energy transfer process and the energy output (production).

Energy transfer diagram for an arrow being fired from a bow


energy input process energy output
mechanical work stretching bow and kinetic energy of
stretching string releasing arrow the moving arrow
and bow
Sankey Diagrams
Sankey diagrams are a simple clear way of showing what happens
to the energy input to a system.

The energy flow is shown by arrows whose width is proportional to


the amount of energy involved
Sankey Diagrams
You may need to draw a Sankey diagram, you will certainly need to be able to
interpret them – i.e. read off values and assess efficiency

Bulb 1 Bulb 2

These two diagrams for different types of light bulb show clearly that bulb 1is much
more efficient than bulb 2. Even if the numbers were not included it is clear as the
width of the arrow for the light energy is much wider and the arrow for the energy
wasted as heat is narrower.
Reading off the values bulb 1 has an efficiency of 75%, bulb 2 only 10%

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