Description
Overview:
This module consists of two thematic and overlapping areas: thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. The purpose of the module is to combine what students have been taught in years 1 and 2 on fluid mechanics and thermodynamics and apply them to real and practical problems. The fluid mechanical element to this course is built wholly around the fascinating and important area of compressible flows. This is a problem which is highly nonlinear but still tractable analytically and using graphical solutions because the flow adjustment is either through shocks or isentropic adjustments.
Topics covered:
The topics that will be taught include:
Thermodynamics
- Combustion Theory
- Reactions and fuels
- Flames - deflagration
- Flames - detonation
- Heat transfer (radiative and conductive)
- Thermodynamics cycles for gas turbines and rockets (exergy analysis)
Fluid Mechanics
- Normal shock analysis, discussion of T-s and p-rho diagrams
- Oblique shock analysis and link to normal shock analysis
- Expansion fans and Prandtl-Meyer expansion
- Linearised expansions to study lifting aerofoil
- Inlets or diffusers for supersonic aircraft
- Duct flow – influence of changes in cross-sectional area
- Nozzle and exit flows
Learning outcomes:
Upon completion of this module students will be able to:
- Understand and be able to work with advanced applications in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
- Have an appreciation of practical limits and constrains pertinent to thermodynamics and fluid mechanic applications.
- Identify and define the requirements, constraints and design parameters of a project that involve a thermodynamics/fluid component.
- Generate concepts, exercise critical thinking, implement a methodology to compare ideas and use engineering judgment to choose a viable solution in this context.
- Gain knowledge and apply the design process, mathematics and engineering analysis to the development and creation of integrated engineering solutions within the remit of the course and through the use of combined disciplines or sub-disciplines as required.
- Understand the wide use and important of mechanics of fluids and thermodynamics in their future professional lives.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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