MECH9260: Thermal Engineering and Environment

This unit aims to develop an understanding of the principles of thermodynamics - energy, entropy and exergy balances, and the principles of heat transfer - conductive, convective and radiative heat transfer, and the application of these principles to analysis of engineering and environmental systems. Course content includes: 1) Thermodynamics - energy, entropy and exergy balances for closed and steady flow systems involving pure substances and mixtures, mixing and separation, psychrometry and air-conditioning, and chemically reacting systems, 2) Heat Transfer - thermal circuits, steady state and transient conduction, heat exchangers, forced and natural convection, boiling and radiation. At the end of this unit students will have the ability to apply the principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer to solve a wide range of problems that commonly occur in thermal engineering practice. This will include: 1) thermodynamic analysis of devices such as compressors, turbines, heat exchangers, nozzles and combustors, engines and fuel cells, mixing and separation of gaseous and liquid mixtures and heating, air conditioning and ventilation, and 2) heat transfer analysis of devices such as heat exchangers, fins and solar collectors, industrial processes such as quenching and annealing, buildings and Earth's energy budget. Students will also gain an appreciation for the importance of designing with an aim to reduce energy intensity and minimise emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, in order reduce the impact of engineering projects on the environment.