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An introduction to concepts and principles in chemical and process thermodynamics. This course includes the 1st and 2nd Laws, equilibrium and reversibility, ideal gas process calculations and refrigeration and heat pump cycles.
Thermodynamics is a core subject for chemical and process engineering. Its principles are used in fluid mechanics, reaction engineering, heat and mass transfer, separation processes and process energy balances. This course emphasizes the development of these general principles including the 1st and 2nd Laws and the application of these to energy balances. This course will also reinforce mathematical concepts (such as partial derivatives) by linking them to physical phenomenon related to thermodynamics. Topics:• Revision of the fundamentals of mass and energy balances• Internal energy, heat, work, state functions and the 1st law of thermodynamics• Properties of Ideal gases and PVT behavior of fluids• Application of partial derivatives and integral calculus to thermodynamics• Reversibility and equilibrium• Ideal gas processes• Phase diagrams and the phase rule• Enthalpy and its use in energy balances including reactions and phase changes• Steam tables and other sources of thermodynamic data• Entropy and the 2nd Law• Heat engines• Heat pumps and refrigeration• Rankine power turbines• Gibbs energy
• Have the mass and energy balance competency needed to analyse a system as an engineer• Understand the concept of energy storage and energy transfer• Knowledge of the 1st Law of thermodynamics and its limits• Be capable in using and describing partial derivatives in thermodynamics• Able to perform ideal gas process calculations and understand the limits of application• Be able to describe reversibility and equilibrium• Understand phase diagrams, the phase rule and phase transition• Able to use and apply energy balances to complex systems, accounting for the 2nd Law• Understand reference states and be capable of obtaining thermodynamic data • Knowledge of the 2nd Law of thermodynamics and basic understanding of entropy• Capable of performing heat engine, refrigeration and steam turbine calculations
Subject to the approval of the Dean of Engineering and Forestry.
Students must attend one activity from each section.
The course will generally consist of three lectures per week, and a fortnightly tutorial and quiz for revision. Extra tutorial sessions may be scheduled to give additional help where they are needed. Attendance at all lectures is highly encouraged.Lectures (36h): Lectures provide context and a different perspective to the course materials. Tutorials (9h): The fortnightly tutorials are an opportunity to work on problems in small groups using pen and paper, asking for help when needed. Tutorial attendance is compulsory, and attendance will be taken during each session. Quizzes (9h): Each fortnight, a new online quiz will be made available to reinforce the course content. Some quiz questions will be based on concepts, while others will be calculation based. Self-study (36h): It is recommended to commit at least three hours per week to review the lecture material and practice the problems. Assignments (30h): A self-assessed assignment for your own practice will be given out in Term 3. The Term 4 assignment will be formally marked. Teamwork is an important skill to develop in engineering.Final Revision (30h): Focus on understanding the content and being able to articulate your ideas. Total: 150 hoursAlthough this course contains a lot of theory, it is only in solving actual problems that understanding will be built. Some problems will be gone through in class, but it is highly recommended that you solve the problems contained in the Course Reader, any additional problems given out, and look through the textbooks for extra practice problems.
Ben Reynolds
Çengel, Y.A., Boles, M.A., Kanoglu, M; Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach ; McGraw-Hill Education.
Smith, J.M., Van Ness, H.C., Abbott, M.M; Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics ; McGraw-Hill.
The course reader by Professor Aaron Marshall is available on Learn
All information about academic policies (e.g. special consideration, dishonest practice) can be found on the ENCH Learn page
This is a compulsory course for Chemical and Process Engineering and a prerequisite for ENCH392.A minimum mark of 40% on the Final Exam must be attained in order to achieve a passing grade for this course.
A minimum mark of 40% on the Final Exam must be attained in order to achieve a passing grade for this course.
Students may obtain the general policies of the University on matters such as the applications for special consideration, appeals procedures, reconsideration of grades and special provision for students with disabilities from the University Calendar.
See the course coordinator.
Domestic fee $1,190.00
International fee $6,488.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Chemical and Process Engineering .