About this Course

This introductory course is designed to explore the vast field of thermal-fluids engineering, focusing on the interplay between thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics within various practical applications like energy conversion and computer cooling. The comprehensive approach adopted in this curriculum facilitates a deeper understanding and ability to design effective thermal-fluid systems.

Course Description

Understanding the fundamentals such as the first and second laws of thermodynamics, hydrostatics, and the ideal gas model forms the foundation of this course. Initially modeled on MIT's class 2.005, this part educates on the critical principles that govern thermal fluid systems' behavior and performance in engineering.

What Students Will Learn

• First and second law of thermodynamics for closed systems.
• Entropy and its implications for engineering systems.
• Behavior and use of the ideal gas model in engineering applications.
• Detailed analysis of thermodynamic cycles.
• Fundamentals of hydrostatics and fluid dynamics under rigid body motion.

Prerequisites

Students should have a robust understanding of undergraduate-level physics, especially classical mechanics, and should be comfortable with multivariable calculus, including differentiation and integration.

Course Coverage

• Thermodynamics laws and applications.
• Entropy management in engineering systems.
• Application of the ideal gas model.
• Analysis and optimization of thermodynamic cycles.
• Understanding hydrostatics and motion in fluids.

Who This Course is For

The course is essential for undergraduate students in fields like mechanical, nuclear, aerospace, and chemical engineering, as well as professionals in these areas looking to enhance or refresh their knowledge base.

Real-World Application

Skills acquired from this course can be directly applied in designing and improving systems in energy sectors, automotive and aerospace engineering, and environmental management, among others.

Syllabus

1. Basic Principles of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics
2. Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
3. The Ideal Gas Model and Idealized Devices
4. Thermodynamic Analysis of Cycles
5. Hydrostatics and Rigid Body Motion of a Fluid