Thermofluids: Energy & Design

Nearly every product, service and system consumes energy in its production, implementation and end of life. Design Engineers can consider these factors at the design stage, taking deliberate decisions on the magnitude and impact of the energy concerned. These decisions can have substantial energy efficiency impact.
This module introduces the topic of energy within a design context and the associated engineering sciences of fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics. The topics covered range from physical models to real-world practical applications and design principles.

            

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students will be better able to:

• Compose order of magnitude quantification of energy required for the assessment of diverse design engineering applications
• Quantify pressure loss for a range of pipeline system designs
• Estimate the drag for a range of vehicle designs and interpret the results
• Apply Bernoulli’s equation to a range of design applications
• Estimate the heat transfer for a range of simple design applications and interpret the results          

Description of Content

Basic concepts:
  Temperature, pressure, states, equilibrium, different forms of energy

Embedded energy:
  Energy audits
  Product energy analysis

Fluid mechanics:
  Fluid statics
  Conservation equations, Bernoulli’s equation
  Real flows, drag, vehicle aerodynamic design principles
  Pressure loss in pipes and fittings, pipeline design

Modes of heat transfer:
  Introduction to conduction, convection and radiation
  One-dimensional heat conduction
  Fourier’s law of heat conduction
  Newton’s law of cooling
  Planck’s law, Introduction to black body radiation, grey bodies

1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics:
  Efficiency and types of work
  Reversible and irreversible processes
  Heat pumps and refrigerators
  Introduction to the Carnot cycle

Engines and turbines:
  Introduction to nozzles, compressors, and turbines
  Engine cycles and efficiency
  Combined cycle