Fundamentals of Engineering: Thermofluids I (Engineering)Enrol

Briefly speaking, Thermofluids deals with energy and the transfer, transport, and conversion of energy that usually involves a fluid as the medium. Energy keeps things going. All activities in nature involve some use and transfer of energy; thus it is hard to imagine an area that does not relate to thermofluids.

Thermofluids is essential to our modern way of living. For example, many ordinary household utensils and appliances are designed, in whole or in part, by using the principles of thermofluids. To name a few, the air-conditioning system, the refrigerator, the water heater, the coffee maker, and even the computer and the TV. A refrigerator is designed based on thermofluids principles to shift heat energy from inside the fridge to its warmer surroundings. The fan of your computer is also designed after careful thermofluids analyses to efficiently disperse the excess heat. On a larger scale, thermofluids plays a critical role in the design and analyses of engines, from engines of cars and ships to engines of airplanes and rockets. For example, the design of a car engine requires thermofluids principles and analyses to answer important questions such as how to convert heat energy from burning fuel to kinetic energy of car wheels, what is the highest pressure and temperature during operation, and what is the engine efficiency and how to improve it. Other important industrial applications of thermofluids include design of power stations that generate electricity, transportation of water, crude oil, and natural gas, and the water distribution systems in cities. Since its application is crucial for our modern society, thermofluids has been made a core module of all engineering curricula.

Thermofluids is actually the blend of two subjects, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. Both thermodynamics and fluid mechanics are governed by the same laws and, in real engineering situations, it is difficult to separate the two.

In this course, we will start with an introduction of the basic concepts and principles of the two subjects, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. We will then proceed to apply these principles to solve some simple engineering problems in the later part of the course.

This module includes the following 15 lessons or topics:

• Lesson 1 Basic Fluid Properties
• Lesson 2 Pressure in a Stationary Fluid
• Lesson 3 Buoyancy and Archimedes' Principle
• Lesson 4 Pressure in a Moving Fluid
• Lesson 5 Pressure Measurement
• Lesson 6 Flow Rate and the Continuity Equation
• Lesson 7 Thermodynamic Systems
• Lesson 8 Thermodynamic Processes and Properties
• Lesson 9 First Law of Thermodynamics
• Lesson 10 Basic Ideal Gas Equations and Laws
• Lesson 11 Ideal Gas Processes Part 1
• Lesson 12 Ideal Gas Processes Part 2
• Lesson 13 Phases and Properties of Steam
• Lesson 14 Using the Steam Tables
• Lesson 15 Steam Processes