Close systems can be defined as the systems that are capable of transmitting and receiving energy into and from the surroundings but prohibit the flow of any type of matter. In simple words, the mass of matter in an open system is fixed and cannot easily cross the boundaries of the system. Closed systems are also known as control mass systems, constant mass systems, or non-flow systems. The concept of open, closed, and isolated systems has been derived from the branch of science called thermodynamics. Thermodynamics mainly deals with the study of the flow of different physical and chemical quantities such as heat, mass, fluid, momentum, composition, equilibrium, etc. within or through a system that is operated and controlled with the help of thermodynamic forces. According to thermodynamics, the universe can be broadly divided into two parts, namely, the system and the surrounding. The part of the universe that is kept under observation or is being analysed at a particular moment of time is called the system, while all the objects present in the universe excluding the system are known as surroundings. The system is separated from the surroundings with the help of a system boundary that can be either fixed or moving by nature.
Examples of Closed System
There are a variety of daily use applications that tend to employ and demonstrate the concept of closed systems for their basic operations in real life. A few examples of such applications are given below:
1. Air Conditioners
An air conditioner is a device or a system that is used to remove the humidity and heat from the surroundings and maintain the temperature of the premises to a constant value. Air conditioners tend to form yet another example of the closed systems used in our real life. The internal system of air conditioners enables the transfer of energy from one form to another, but prohibits the exchange of matter between the system and surroundings so as to keep the premises immune from dust, smoke, contaminants, and other particles.
2. Boiling Soup in a Closed Lid Saucepan
Boiling soup in a saucepan is a great example that can be used to easily demonstrate the concept of an open system as well as a closed system in real life. This is because boiling soup in a pan forms a system that supports and allows flexible entry and exit of the matter particles as well as energy. One can easily convert the boiling soup in a saucepan system from an open system into a closed system by attaching a lid to the saucepan. The lid attached to the saucepan forbids the flow of matter from the system to the surroundings and vice versa.
3. Electric Hair Straightener
Electric hair straighteners are yet another example of devices that employ the concept of closed systems in real life for their basic operation. An electric straightener basically converts electrical energy into heat energy that can be further used to straighten the hair. An electric hair straightener does not have any concept of matter exchange between the system and the surroundings.
4. Sewing Machine
A sewing machine is a consumer electronic device or gadget that can be listed under the category of closed systems. This is because a sewing machine easily demonstrates the energy conversion from electrical form to mechanical form, but does not support the exchange of matter between the system and the surroundings.
5. Watches and Clocks
Watches and clocks tend to form a prominent example of closed systems as they allow the conversion of energy from one form to another, but prohibit the exchange of matter between the system and surroundings. Usually, watches and clocks work on the basis of the conversion of chemical energy contained by the battery or cells into mechanical energy that tends to power up and drives the display mechanism or other related features of the device.
6. Closed Lid Container
A closed lid container, partially or completely filled with a fixed amount of matter forms yet another example of a closed system as such a system easily communicates and couples energy to and fro between the system and the surroundings in various formats, but cannot exchange the matter particles. Closed lid containers, however, are not considered to be ideal closed systems as the exchange of nominal air molecules, dust, and other matter particles tend to take place even after the opening of the container is covered with the lid.
7. Piston Cylinder Arrangements without Valve
A piston-cylinder arrangement with valves is considered to be an open system as it supports the exchange of matter particles as well as energy between the system and the surroundings; however, if from such a system the valves are removed temporarily or permanently, such a system gets converted into a closed system. This is because the absence of valves in the piston-cylinder arrangement eliminates the flow of matter from the surroundings to the system and vice versa.
8. Rankine Cycle
The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that can be typically observed in thermal power generation plants. It typically converts the energy from thermal form to mechanical form. The engines and other applications that employ the Rankine cycle for their operation tend to reuse the fluid with the system and do not accept matter particles from the external environment. This means that the mass of the matter remains constant in a system and does not get altered throughout the process. The ability of the Rankine cycle-based systems to flexibly allow the exchange of energy between the system and surroundings and prohibit any sort of entry or exit of matter particles into or from the system respectively qualify them to be listed under the category of closed systems.
9. Incandescent Light Bulb
A number of electrical lightning devices such as tube lights, incandescent light bulbs, light-emitting diodes, etc. demonstrate and employ the concept of closed systems in real life for their operation. This is because the conversion of electrical energy into light energy can be observed easily by connecting such devices to an active power supply, but such devices and gadgets precisely do not allow any sort of exchange of matter between the system and surroundings.
10. Mixer or Blender
A mixer or blender is an electrical gadget or device that is usually used to dice or shred a whole piece of matter into smaller particles. For this purpose, the jar of the device is embedded with a sharp blade that is connected to a rotating mechanism. Generally, there are two types of mixer and blender devices available in the market, namely manual and automatic. Most automatic mixers and blenders rely on electrical energy for their operation, while manual blenders and mixers make use of muscular force applied to an arrangement of mechanical parts to activate the chopping mechanism of the device. The system of a mixer or blender device enables an easy transformation or conversion of electrical or muscular energy into mechanical energy and prohibits any sort of exchange of matter between the system and surroundings, hence such a system can be easily classified under the category of closed systems.
11. Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker is yet another example of a closed system that typically uses heat energy and temperature variations to build pressure inside the cooker container. The heat energy developed as a result can be further used to cook food.
