Thermodynamics (AME 20231)
Course Description
Of the problems to be encountered by today’s engineering students throughout their careers, none is more important than that of shaping a sustainable energy future. The supply of nonrenewable fossil fuels, which currently provides more than 80% of the world’s primary energy, is being depleted, and it is problematic whether other sources, such as nuclear and renewable energy, can be developed at scales sufficient to meet growing world demand. The challenge is great, but it can be met through engineering innovation, large capital investments, and reexamination of consumption patterns commensurate with achieving an acceptable standard of living.
The subject of thermodynamics is central to the study of energy conversion and utilization, as well as to the development of related technologies. In fact, the subject itself evolved from efforts to understand the essence of energy and the laws of nature that govern the use of energy. This course therefore provides an essential foundation for dealing with energy conversion processes and systems. It does so by introducing the thermodynamic properties of matter used to characterize energy systems and by developing a theoretical framework for predicting system performance.
Learning Objectives
Students completing this course are expected to:
- understand the nature and role of the following thermodynamic properties of matter: internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, temperature, pressure and specific volume;
- be able to access thermodynamic property data from appropriate sources;
- be able to chart thermodynamic processes on appropriate thermodynamic diagrams, such as a temperature-entropy or pressure-volume diagrams;
- be able to represent a thermodynamic system by a control mass or control volume, distinguish the system from its surroundings, and identify work and/or heat interactions between the system and surroundings;
- recognize and understand the different forms of energy and restrictions imposed by the First Law of Thermodynamics on conversion from one form to another;
- be able to apply the First Law to a control mass or control volume at an instant of time or over a time interval;
- understand implications of the Second Law of Thermodynamics and limitations placed by the Second Law on the performance of thermodynamic systems;
- be able to use isentropic processes to represent the ideal behavior of a system;
- be able to quantify the behavior of power plants based on the Rankine cycle, including the effect of enhancements such as superheat, reheat and regeneration;
- be able to quantify the performance of power plants and turbojet engines based on the Brayton cycle, including the effects of enhancements such as reheat, regeneration and intercooling;
- be able to quantify the performance of refrigeration and heat pump systems;
- understand the basic principles of combustion and be able to apply conservation of mass and the First Law to combustion processes;
- understand the nature and role of advanced power production options such as ultra supercritical pulverized coal (USCPC), combined heat and power (CHP), oxy-fuel combustion (OFC), combined cycle (CC), and integrated gasification and combined cycle (IGCC) systems.
Textbook
Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, 7th Edition, by M.J. Moran, H. N. Shapiro, D.D. Boettner and M.B. Bailey. John Wiley and Sons, 2011.
Student Evaluation
Grades will be based on the following point distribution:
- homework problems and quizzes (15),
- three, hour-long examinations (50), and
- final examination (30).