MEng Aerospace Engineering / Course details

This unit introduces Fluid Mechanics and fluid motion to 1st year students.  Fluid Mechanics is one of the core and key sciences in most Engineering disciplines, including Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Advances in aerodynamic performance, the performance of power producing systems such as gas-turbines, steam turbines and internal combustion engines, the performance of cooling, heating and many other engineering systems rely on a sound understanding and analysis of the flow processes present. This unit provides an introduction to the Fluid Mechanics, focusing on the topics that are relevant to Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering applications. Intended learning outcomes are, understanding of the basics of flow behaviour in engineering systems, awareness of the physical laws that govern fluid motion and development of analytical skills for simple flow systems.

To give students an introductory understanding of the motion of fluids and its relevance to Engineering.
To introduce students to continuum mechanics
To introduce students to fluid flow
To introduce students to the equations of fluid mechanics
 

1) Basic features of fluid behaviour

2) Hydrostatics. Variation of pressure in stationary fluids and manometry applications.

Calculation of hydrostatic forces on plane surfaces. Buoyancy.

3) Fluid Dynamics. The mass-continuity, the force-momentum and their application

within the control volume analysis. Momentum along a streamline (Bernoulli’s

equation) and normal to a streamline (rotational motion).

4) Viscous flow applications. Qualitative discussion of the development of boundary

layer, recirculating, impinging, aerofoil and internal flows and the phenomenon of

turbulence. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of drag and lift forces.statements.

Other: Assessed tutorial work 15% and 5% assessed laboratory

Feedback on the Assessed tutorial work both class-wide and individual