ENGG1050

Engineering Thermodynamics

Introduction to the course

Matt Hardin (Chemical Engineering)
Anton Rayner (Physics)

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Why bother about thermodynamics?

Enschede fireworks warehouse Shoulder rocket launcher in

explosion in The Netherlands the USA

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

1
 Where did the energy go?

Motion

Noise
Blast energy (pressure wave)
Chemical Energy Combustion (reaction)
Light
Heat
Friction

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

What about climate change issues?

Earthguide.ucsd.edu

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

2
 What about climate change issues?

Earthguide.ucsd.edu

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

What about climate change issues?

Earthguide.ucsd.edu

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

3
 What about climate change issues?

Earthguide.ucsd.edu

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Challenge Problem
You have recently been assigned by Engineers Without
Borders (EWB) to a small Indian Ocean island to construct a
barrier against potential tsunami events. The key issue is the
tsunami velocity which will be important in determining the
required barrier strength.
You have your basic calculator with you and your brain! You
know the size of the anticipated ocean floor uplift that
generates the tsunami and some details about open ocean wave
height and wavelength. You are 1000km from the origin.
Can you get a reasonable estimate using ENGG1050
principles?

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

4
 Asian Tsunami

Courtesy of Royal Navy and Hydrographic Office (2005)

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Can thermodynamics help?

Uplift of the ocean floor: How much energy was released?

Approximate by potential energy, PE = mass*gravity*height change = m.g.z

Mass of ocean floor = 1200km*100km*0.02km*density (2600kg/m3) *(103m/km)3

PE 1018 Joules

Tsunami wave: Assume it takes up all the energy released

Approximate by kinetic energy, KE = mass of wave*velocity2/2 = mw.u2/2 = PE

At 2.0 hours, wave is 2000km in diameter; wave length is 140km and height is 0.4m;
Hence, wave velocity estimate is u = (2.PE/mw)0.5 = 84 m/s
The recorded satellite data value is ~100 - 130m/s (360-470km/h)

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

5
ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Satellite images

NOAA (USA), 2005

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

6
 Thermo + Dynamics

Thermo heat/hot

+
Dynamic power/motion

The study of the flow and conversion of energy

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics everywhere !
Power generation and transmission
Electrical Micro-electronics manufacture
Engineering
Compressor, pump designs
Mechanical Air conditioning systems
Jet propulsion systems
Engineering
Separation processes
Chemical
Risk management
Engineering
Nano-technology
Civil
Geotechnical systems
Engineering
Composite structures
Environmental Hydraulic systems
Engineering Climate change
Environmental impact assessment
ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

7
 Who is this guy ?

William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) 1828-1907

Contributions to:
Second Law of thermodynamics
Electromagnetic theory
Hydrodynamics
Absolute temperature
Submarine telegraphy

AND his buddies: Joule, Carnot, Clausius, Maxwell, Rayleigh, Gibbs, Helmholtz,

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

A real engineering issue

CO2 emissions from cars
average car emits 20 tonnes of CO2 per year
~107 cars in Australia 200 million tonnes of CO2 per year!
significant environmental impact through the Greenhouse
effect
The challenge
Brainstorm approaches to reduce CO2 emissions to the
atmosphere from cars in Australia

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

8
 Options ?

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Approaches to reduce emissions

lighter cars
green fuels
taxes to raise public transport use
better public transport
hybrid vehicles
more efficient engines

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

9
 One approach

Replace steel in cars with light weight magnesium

alloys, therefore use less fuel
Australia has major magnesite deposits
BUT - it takes enormous amounts of electrical
energy to turn magnesite into magnesium
So, is this a real solution?

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Magnesium alloy solution?

How much fuel does the Thermodynamics

car use?
How much CO2 generated
for each litre of fuel?
How much energy to
make Mg alloy?
How much CO2 generated
during power generation?
provides the basis to
answer these questions.
Thermodynamics is a
key tool in most
engineering disciplines.
Emphasis in this course
on developing
engineering problem
solving skills.

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

10
 Course structure
Overview Assessment
3 lectures per week plus a 2 mid semester quiz in week 7 :
hour problem solving tutorial 20%
Lectures will build on text book problem solving exercises in
Attendance at tutorials is very tutorials: 20%
important final exam:
Tutors are your best friends! 60%
(register via SI-net)
Blackboard site

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Study approaches

Look at the resources available

lecture notes and summaries
tutorial problems
text book
past examination papers
your tutor and lecturers

Study actively through thinking, problem solving,

summarising, etc. Dont be passive get involved !
Spend around 8-10hs per week on ENGG1050,
it is 25% of the semester load.

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

11
 Importance of Tutorials I
7

5
FInal Grade

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Tutorials submitted

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

Importance of Tutorials II
60

50

40

1
Number of Students

2
3
30 4
5
6
7
20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No of Tutorials comple te d

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

12
 Sommerfield on Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is a funny subject. The first time you go

through the subject, you don't understand it at all. The
second time you go through it, you think you understand it,
except for one or two small points. The third time you go
through it, you know you don't understand it, but by that
time you are so used to the subject that it doesnt bother
you any more.
- Arnold Sommerfeld
(see http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Sommerfeld.html for a
biography)

ENGG1050 Engineering Thermodynamics

13