FLUID MECHANICS & THERMODYNAMICS 2 - 2025/6

Module Overview

The FHEQ Level 5 treatment of thermofluids builds on the material taught at FHEQ Level 4. It is presented in three linked sections: Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer and Fluid Mechanics.

The Thermodynamics section introduces the second law of thermodynamics, entropy and associated concepts. These are used in understanding cycles and processes, and consideration of common engine cycles.

The Heat Transfer section gives a solid grounding in aspects of heat transfer that are essential for engineers. It covers fundamental transfer mechanisms for steady state problems. Heat transfer coefficient evaluation and pipe flow problems are considered. Heat exchanger design and simple radiation exchange problems are introduced.

The Fluid Mechanics section considers incompressible, inviscid and viscous flow, and introduces compressible flow. Boundary layer theory is related to external flow around streamlined bodies, such as cars and aeroplanes in high Reynolds number flows. Bluff bodies with flow separation are also considered. Compressible flow theory is related to aerospace and other applications where flow velocities are high and fluid density changes become significant.

Module provider

Mechanical Engineering Sciences

Module Leader

CHEW John (Mech Eng Sci)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

n/a

Module content

 

Indicative content includes:

Fundamentals: Further treatment of Laws of Thermodynamics, principally the second law, and its corollaries.  Irreversibility.   Perfect gases and perfect gas processes.

Reciprocating Engine Cycles: Analysis of air standard cycles for reciprocating engines: Otto, Diesel, dual.  Cycle efficiency.

Gas Turbine Cycles: Cycles of steady flow processes - gas turbine cycle, jet engine.  Thermal efficiency, net specific work output and work ratio.

Heat Transfer: Introduction to heat transfer, temperature driving force, overall and film heat transfer coefficients, log mean temperature, and thermal resistance;  double pipe and more complex heat exchangers; steady state heat conduction; convection mechanisms, thermal boundary layers, dimensionless numbers and HTC correlations; radiation mechanisms, total enclosure, basic radiation exchange calculations.

External viscous and inviscid flow (incompressible): Streamlines, pressure drag and viscous drag, boundary layer flow for a flat plate, reference to continuity and Navier-Stokes equations as exact equations, boundary conditions.

Compressible inviscid flow: general description of sub and supersonic flow; Bernoulli's equation, stagnation pressure, energy and stagnation temperature; isentropic flow in convergent and divergent ducts, and choking; description of over and under-expansion, and shock waves.

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

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Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate understanding of scientific principles, methodologies and mathematics methods as well as the ability to describe particular systems and processes. The unseen examination includes a range of questions testing the learning outcomes described above.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Examination                                             Learning outcomes 1,2,3                                                           


• In-semester test                                       Learning outcomes 1,2,3 


• Laboratory demonstrations                      Learning outcome 2                         

• Formative verbal feedback is given in tutorials.


• Written feedback is given on the class test.

Module aims

• Illustrate the need for a thorough understanding of thermodynamics and heat transfer in overcoming problems associated with global warming and energy supply
• Develop understanding of the second law of thermodynamics and its application to internal combustion gas power cycles
• Familiarise students with the mechanisms of heat transfer and with the basic approach to solving steady state heat transfer problems and design calculation methods for a range of heat exchanger types.
• Provide students with the ability to calculate the drag and heat transfer for flow over a flat plate
• Introduce compressible flow behaviour in converging and diverging nozzles.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Introduce thermo-fluid principles through theory with worked examples. This is delivered through lectures, tutorial classes and practical laboratory demonstrations. Tutorial questions complement the lecture material with students expected to attempt the tutorial questions following the lecture and obtain help and feedback during the tutorial sessions.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures


• Tutorials 


• Independant study
   
  

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENG2089

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.