ME - 351
ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS
SPRING-2014
Text:
Interactive Thermodynamics by Bhattacharjee (Preliminary Custom Edition published by
Pearson).
Class Time: F: 5:30 PM; Location: NE-60
Prereqs: ME-350 (will be enforced at the end of the semester)
Important Dates:
1. Final Test: Friday, May 9, 1800-2000 in room NE-060.
2. Quizzes: Log on to classta.net and check the calendar/blog. But the best way is to come
to the class regularly. I always announce the quiz ahead of time in the class.
Instructor:
Dr. S. Bhattacharjee Office: E-323K
Personal Email: prof.bhattacharjee@gmail.com
Use of Email: If you have a concept question or a suggestion, please use the blog. If your
question involves personal information, do write to me. Although I answer most (but not
all) emails, I do read every email carefully.
Office hours:
12:00-1:00PM W; 5-6 PM W;
Course Management Software - ClassTA (www.ClassTA.net):
You should preferably use Chrome or Firefox browser to access this web-based tool. Like
Blackboard,
it will allow you to check your grade, analyze your score, compare yourself with your
peers at any given time, download or read any shared file, take online tests, submit quiz
results, and participate in the discussion blog.
To get started go to www.ClassTA.net, sign up as a student (Use an email address that
you regularly use because all communications about the class will be sent to you at that
address. If you have a multi-part last name, say, May Newman, please use MayNewman),
check your mailbox (including the spam or bulk email folder) for your password, then
sign in to ClassTA, change your password by using the Settings link, and then add the
class.
Thermodynamics Courseware: TEST (www.thermofluids.net ):
We will be heavily using this web based application, a life-long learning tool for
thermodynamics, for homework, class lectures, property evaluation, system simulation,
and much more. Create a student account at www.thermofluids.net as soon as possible
and go through the Tutorial section. While access is completely free from inside the
campus, it costs about $6 for a semester’s subscription to access it from anywhere.
Course Description:
1. Revision of first and second law of thermodynamics and their application to closed
processes and open-steady devices (ch 4, 5)
2. Reciprocating Cycles (ch 7)
3. Gas Turbines (ch 8)
4. Vapor Power Cycles (ch 9)
5. Refrigeration (ch 10)
6. Mixtures (ch 11)
7. Air Conditioning (ch 12)
8. Combustion (ch 13)
9. Chemical Equilibrium (use of software)
Course Objectives: (you will know after five years if these objectives were met or not)
1. To apply thermodynamic principles to practical applications such as heat engines,
refrigerators, air-conditioning, combustion and equilibrium. To be able to analyze and
predict the performance of devices as well as understand parametric behavior.
Student Learning Outcomes: (At the end of the semester you will know if these outcomes were
met or not. Your grade, hopefully, will reflect how well you meet these outcomes).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
To be able to analyze reciprocating cycles such as Otto, Diesel, and Stirling cycles.
To be able to analyze Brayton cycle and its modifications.
To be able to analyze Rankine cycle and its modifications.
To be able to analyze vapor compression and reversed Brayton cycles and their
modifications.
To be able to evaluate mixture properties.
To be able to analyze psychrometric processes.
To be able to analyze combustion processes.
To be able to use software to analyze chemical equilibrium.
To be able to use software to verify manual solution and pursue what-if studies.
Program Outcomes: ( This course should meet the following specific outcomes, which are part of
Mechanical Engineering outcomes at SDSU.)
1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineeering problems.
11. An ability to use the technique, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice.
Grading:
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


Homework assignments 7%
Online Tests 60%
Final 40% (unless you fail). After the first quiz, at least five students, when presented
with the evidence, confessed to have cheated. That indicates there must be many more
who did not get caught. Some of the cheaters are so brazen (they must be doing it for a
while) that there is no hope that I can influence their behavior. Therefore, the finals will
be designed to catch those who are getting high scores in quizzes without doing any work
themselves. If anyone fails the final, he or she will fail the class. If you are doing
homework and quizzes honestly, you need not worry at all.
Participation 3% (use of blog, participation in the class, helping classmates to solve
homework)
(p.s. The weight of the final will be variable: if you do exceptionally well, it will pull up your
grade disproportionately.)