Related Course/s:

Aims & Objectives:

The aim of this unit is to introduce engineering students to the basic principles of work and energy and their influence on systems in every day life. During the unit we aim:

• To develop a basic understanding of thermodynamics
• To develop an appreciation of the design principles in thermo-fluid systems
• To develop the ability to analyse existing thermo-fluid systems and contribute to new designs

After successfully completing this unit, the student should be able to:       

• Solve thermodynamics problems by applying fundamental principles of science and engineering
• Apply knowledge of thermodynamics principles to engineering applications
• Critically analyse the design principles of thermo-fluid systems in engineering applications  and contribute to new designs
• Work in a team of diverse, multi-disciplinary tutorial environment
• Discuss thermodynamics-related ideas and topics with your peers

Teaching Methods:

Assessment:

Final Examination (55%-70%), Lab Reports (10%-20%), Quiz (5%-15%), Assignments (10%-20%)

Generic Skills Outcomes:

• Ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals
• Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large
• Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution
• Ability to function effectively as an individual and in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member

Content:

Introduction and Basic Concept of Thermodynamics (5%)

• Basic concepts and terms associated with thermodynamics (e.g. system, state, state postulate, equilibrium, process and cycle), review of units (SI and English), temperature, and pressure

General Energy Analysis (10%)

• Concept of energy (forms and sources including renewable energy), internal energy, control volume and control surface, transfer of energy by heat, work and mass, mechanism of heat transfer, energy conversion and efficiency

• Solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, wind and bio-energy

Working fluid (8%)

• Liquid, vapour, gas, property tables, equations of state, ideal and non-ideal gasses, compressibility factor

The First Law of Thermodynamics (16%)

• Mass and energy balances in closed and open systems, moving boundary work, polytropic process, specific heat at constant pressure and volume, incompressible substances, steady and non-steady control volumes, flow work, steady flow devices: nozzles, compressors, turbines, throttling valves, mixers, heaters, heat exchangers

The Second Law of Thermodynamics (16%)

• The second law of thermodynamics, thermal energy reservoirs, reversible and irreversible processes, introduction to heat engines, refrigerators and heat pumps, Kelvin-Planck and Clausius statements, Carnot cycle, idealised Carnot heat engines, refrigerators and heat pumps, efficiency and coefficient of performance.

Concept of Entropy (16%)

• Application of the second law to processes, increase in entropy principle, entropy changes suring processes (pure and incompressible substances, ideal gasses), reversible steady-flow work, isentropic efficiency, entropy balance

Gas Power Cycles (14%)

• Closed and open gas power cycles, reciprocating internal combustion engines, Otto, Diesel, Stirling and Ericsson cycles, Brayton cycle, jet propulsion cycles

Vapour and Combined Power Cycles (8%)

• Vapour power cycles, cogeneration, Rankine cycle, modified Rankine cycle, reheat and regenerative cycles, combined and binary cycles

Refrigeration Cycles (7%)

• Refrigerators and heat pumps, performances, ideal and actual vapor-compression refrigeration cycles, absorption-refrigeration systems.

Textbooks:

References: