Overview
This course develops the principles and analytical methods of engineering thermodynamics for evaluating thermal systems and energy-conversion devices. Topics include thermodynamic systems and control volumes, properties and state postulates, equilibrium, processes, pure substances, ideal gases, mixtures, equations of state, property tables, heat, work, and the first law of thermodynamics.
Students apply mass and energy conservation to closed systems and steady-flow devices, including turbines, compressors, pumps, nozzles, heat exchangers, throttling devices, and combustion-related systems. The course introduces the second law, reversible and irreversible processes, entropy, entropy generation, isentropic efficiencies, and exergy.
Applications include vapor-power, gas-power, refrigeration, and heat-pump cycles. Emphasis is placed on comparing ideal and actual performance, accounting for environmental and practical constraints, interpreting property data, using computational tools, and making technically supported recommendations for thermal-system design.
Learning Outcomes
- Define thermodynamic systems, control volumes, states, processes, and equilibrium conditions using appropriate engineering terminology and units.
- Interpret property tables, equations of state, phase diagrams, and computational property data to determine thermodynamic state variables.
- Apply mass, energy, and entropy balances to closed systems and steady-flow control volumes.
- Calculate heat and work transfers and evaluate the performance of turbines, compressors, pumps, nozzles, heat exchangers, and throttling devices.
- Analyze reversible and irreversible processes using entropy, entropy generation, and isentropic efficiency concepts.
- Compare ideal and actual vapor-power, gas-power, refrigeration, and heat-pump cycles using efficiency and coefficient-of-performance measures.
- Evaluate exergy or availability and diagnose sources of thermodynamic inefficiency in practical energy-conversion systems.
- Use spreadsheet or simulation tools to model thermal systems, verify analytical results, and communicate technically supported design recommendations.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Lab | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | Second term |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Thermodynamic properties and first-law analysis assignments (3 × 5%) | 15.00% |
| Quiz | Foundational concepts and calculations quizzes (5 × 2%) | 10.00% |
| Test | Mid-semester test on properties, conservation laws, and steady-flow analysis | 20.00% |
| Deliverable | Computational thermal-system modelling report | 15.00% |
| Tutorial | Tutorial problem-solving portfolio | 10.00% |
| Exam | Final examination covering thermodynamic analysis and cycle performance | 30.00% |
Prerequisites
- ENGR102 Programming for Engineers
- Requirement One university-level course in differential calculus and integral calculus
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
