436-409 Power Generation Systems

436-403 Thermofluids or equivalent

Upon completion, students should be able to analyse and design a range of energy processes or utilisation equipment and to appreciate the directions in which the technology will evolve for improved performance and/or operating economics.

The contents of this course will comprise selections from steam turbines, boiler design and control characteristics; cycle optimisation; economics of plant operation; gas turbines; cycle performance; stationary and aircraft gas turbines; working fluids in open and closed cycles; component matching and off-design operation; engines; ideal air and fuel-air cycles; effect of fuel composition, dissociation and heat transfer on efficiency; characteristics of spark ignition and diesel engines; advanced engine simulation; abnormal combustion; solar energy; absorptivity and transmissivity, selective surfaces and surface treatment; thermal performance of collectors; cost analyses; unsteady gas dynamics; isentropic and non-isentropic wave propagation; one-dimensional unsteady compressible flow; pressure exchangers and exhaust systems; generalised thermodynamic property relations; Maxwell's equations, Gibbs free energy and fugacity; estimation of plant performance using rare working fluids; turbocharging; compressor and turbine characteristics; turbine performance; and turbo-charger/engine matching.

One 2-hour examination (65%), assignments and laboratory reports not exceeding 15 pages including computations, diagrams, tables and computer output (35%). Students will be notified of the weighting of the non-examination assessment components at the beginning of semester.