Course detail
Applied Thermodynamics
FSI-IAT-A Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester
Basic state variables. Ideal gas equation. The mixture of ideal gases. The first law of thermodynamics – heat, work, internal energy, enthalpy. The second law of thermodynamics, entropy. Reversible and irreversible processes of gases. Thermal cycles. Vapor thermodynamics, steam tables, diagrams. Clausius – Clapeyron equation. Thermodynamic processes in vapors. Thermodynamics of humid air. Determining quantities, tables, diagrams. Isobaric air treatment, evaporation from the free surface. Thermodynamics of gas and vapor flow. Adiabatic flow through nozzles. Cycles of gas and steam heat machines. Compressors. Cycles of refrigeration equipment and heat pumps.
Language of instruction
English
Number of ECTS credits
7
Supervisor
Department
Entry knowledge
Mathematics, Physics at the level of the general bachelor's program in mechanical engineering.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
Written (or oral) exam, part of the evaluation is 30% of the exercises. The written part of the exam is solving examples and theoretical questions (or test), evaluation of both of these parts has the same weight.
Controlled participation in lessons, in case of excused absence, calculation of alternative examples. Elaborate a test during the semester.
Aims
The ability to perform technical calculations in the field of thermodynamics. Apply theoretical knowledge in the design and technology fields.
Ability to perform technical calculations in the field of thermodynamics: Calculation of thermal machines and cooling equipment. Heat balance of material and machinery systems and equipment. Calculation or modeling of thermodynamics in mechanical systems, gases, vapors, buildings, technological processes.
The study programmes with the given course
Programme N-ENG-A: Mechanical Engineering, Master's, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
39 hours, optionally
Syllabus
1) Basic concepts. Basic laws and equation of state of the ideal gas. Thermal expansion of materials and their use in technical practice. Heat capacity. Measurement of thermodynamic quantities. Ideal gas mixtures, Dalton's law, state equation of mixture and its components. Semi-perfect and real gases. Van der Waals equation of state. Determination of real gas properties, data interpolation.
2) The first law of thermodynamics and its two mathematical forms. Heat, volumetric and technical work, internal energy, enthalpy. Entropy and general equations of entropy changes.
3) Reversible processes of ideal gases, change of state variables, calculation of heat, internal energy, enthalpy, volumetric and technical work and representation in p-v and T-s diagram. Irreversible processes and their importance for practice. Gas throttling, used for flow velocity measurement.
4) The first law of thermodynamics for open system and its equations. Continuity equations. Control volume method based on energy and mass conservation law. Practical applications.
5) Thermal cycles, thermal efficiency, work. Carnot cycle. 2nd law of thermodynamics. Representation of reversible processes and Carnot cycle in the T-s diagram. Reversed and irreversible Carnot cycle.
6) Compressors. Cycles of internal combustion engines, supercharging of internal combustion engines. Combustion turbines.
7) Methods of solving 0D and 1D simulations of working cycles of thermal machines. Real cycles of thermal machines, Matlab / Simulink.
8) Thermodynamics of vapors, p-v, T-s and h-s diagrams and tables of vapors. Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Thermodynamic processes in vapors, change of state variables, calculation of heat, internal energy, enthalpy, volume, and technical work.
9) Thermal power plants. Rankin – Clausius cycle. Cycles of refrigeration equipment and heat pumps.
10) Combustion of fuels. Calorific value, gross calorific value. Stoichiometric combustion equations. Stoichiometric ratio, excess air coefficient.
11) Thermodynamics of humid air. Definition of humidity and enthalpy of humid air, enthalpy-specific humidity diagram. Cooling, heating, mixing and dampening of air, adiabatic evaporation from the free surface. Psychrometer.
12) Continuity equation, Bernoulli, Prandtl tube, speed of sound, Mach number. The adiabatic flow of ideal gas and steam through the tapered orifice and Laval nozzle. Procedure for their calculation. The operation of the Laval nozzle under various inlet conditions and the influence of the back pressure on its operation. Reaction engines, jet, rocket.
13) Jet and rocket engines. Shock waves. Basics of compressible fluid flow modeling.
Exercise
26 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
Calculations:
1) State quantities of an ideal gas and ideal gas mixtures. Calorimetric balance calculations.
2) Reversible changes of an ideal gas – state variables, heat, work, changes of internal energy, entropy.
3) Carnot cycle, thermal efficiency, entropy changes. I. Open System Law (Control Volume Method)
4) Compressors, multistage compressors.
5) Cycles of internal combustion engines and gas turbines.
6) 0D and 1D simulations of working cycles of thermal machines. Real cycles of thermal machines, Matlab / Simulink.
7) Thermodynamic processes in vapor – state variables, heat, work, changes in internal energy, entropy.
8) Rankin-Clausius cycle, cycles of thermal power plants including nuclear.
9) Basic parameters of moist air and its treatment (heating, cooling, mixing, dampening).
10) Solving combustion equations. Air consumption calculations. Calculation of calorific value of fuels and mixtures.
11) Adiabatic flow through the tapered orifice or Laval nozzle. Design of its main dimensions.
12) Cycles of combustion turbines, jet and rocket engines.
13) Credit test.