BEng Mechanical Engineering

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Prime movers are of central importance to industrial economies. This unit covers refined analytical methods that allow the analyses of important current power plant and air-conditioning applications.
Looking to the future without hydrocarbon fuel energy systems, the unit discusses and analyses potential systems involving the use of gases such as CO2, liquefied gases such as N2 and the production and use of low-carbon chemical steam systems.

To familiarise students with advanced steam power systems (i.e. ground based vapour power turbines) and reciprocating engines and their thermodynamic cycle analyses.
To teach the theory and application of air conditioning systems.
To analyse potential future thermodynamic systems, e.g. the use of CO2 in refrigeration and power plant, applications of cryogenic power systems and chemical steam systems.
 

Steam Power Cycles: Analysis of Carnot and superheated Rankine cycles, effects of irreversibilities. Extensions to reheat and regenerative cycles. Including supercritical systems.
Psychrometry: Absolute and relative humidity, mass and energy balances, as applied to air conditioning.
Advanced IC Engine Analyses: Effects of friction and valve timings, Atkinson/Miller cycle.
Carbon dioxide fuelled plant: Refrigeration systems, requiring transcritical cycle analyses.
Cryogenic Power systems: The use of liquefied gases such as nitrogen to power niche application devices.
Chemical Steam: Production of high temperature and pressure steam/CO2 mixtures with low CO2 content to run steam plant, reciprocating engines and ‘gas’ turbine plant.

EBL on Steam Power Plant Design: Use of an in-house MATLAB code to examine effects of input parameters on cycle efficiencies and net work output of a variety of subcritical steam power plant designs.

Written feedback provided on the group reports and coursework. Feedback provided according to school deadlines. Refer to section 8 for feedback relating to EBL activity.