Analysis of Thermal Systems

This course covers the philosophy, theory, and applications of the analysis, modeling and optimization of thermal systems. More specifically, vapor compression, absorption, advanced heat pumping and refrigeration cycles, and not-in-kind cooling technologies are studied in detail. Students combine the use of thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and numerical methods to develop and apply mathematical models for the analysis and optimization of specific cycles and their equipment for real applications

ME51800

Credit Hours:

3

Learning Objective:

  1. To provide fundamentals of thermal system analysis and modeling
  2. To develop an in-depth understanding of vapor compression systems and their equipment, sorption systems, advanced heat pumping technologies, and not-in-kind colling technologies as well as thermal storage systems

Description:

This course covers the philosophy, theory, and applications of the analysis, modeling and optimization of thermal systems. More specifically, vapor compression, absorption, advanced heat pumping and refrigeration cycles, and not-in-kind cooling technologies are studied in detail. Students combine the use of thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and numerical methods to develop and apply mathematical models for the analysis and optimization of specific cycles and their equipment for real applications. Topics are treated in depth, and students should leave ME 51800 with an extensive understanding of thermal systems.

Topics Covered:

  • Vapor Compression Equipment
    • Thermodynamics
    • Refrigerants and Properties
    • Compressors
    • Heat Exchangers
    • Expansion Devices
    • System Modeling and Optimizaition
    • System Improvements
  • Sorption Equipment
    • Thermodynamic of Mixtures
    • Heat Driven Cycles and Sorption Cycles
    • Absorption Cycle Fundamentals
    • Ammonia/Water and Water/LiBr Systems
  • Advanced Systems
    • Transcritical CO2-Cycles
    • Gas Cycles, Stirling and Ericsson Cycles, Cryogenics
    • Non-Vapor Compression Cycles
    • Novel Heat Pumping Technologies
    • Thermal Energy Storage
    • Desiccant Cooling
    • Heat Recovery and Upgrade

Prerequisites:

Undergraduate Thermodynamics (ME 20000 or equivalent) and Undergraduate Heat and Mass Transfer (ME 31500 or equivalent)

Applied / Theory:

70/30

Web Address:

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/
Homework:
The course has 12 homework problems designed to help with the semester project.

Projects:

A semester project will be assigned on topics related to thermal systems that are covered in class with practical implications (e.g., residential heat pumps, industrial heat pumps, thermal management of EVs, refrigeration systems, supermarket applications, etc.).

Exams:

No exams

Textbooks:

This course covers a wide variety of topics and multiple references are available. Several textbooks are suggested for reviewing fundamentals of thermodynamics and thermal system applications. However, all necessary materials will be made available via Brightspace (e.g., lecture notes, scientific papers, book chapters, etc.) and files will be posted online throughout the course.
  • Fundamentals of Thermodynamics and Heat/Mass Transfer
    • Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, M.J. Moran, H.N. Shapiro, D.D. Boettner, and M.B. Bailey, Ed. 8th and above, John Wiley and Sons
    • Thermodynamics - An Engineering Approach, Y.A. Cengel and M.A. Boles, Any Edition, McGraw-Hill
    • Thermodynamics, Klein, S.A., Nellis, G.F., Cambridge University Press, 2012
    • Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer. Incropera, Dewitt, Bergman T., Lavine, A.S., ED 7th and above, John Wiley and Sons
    • Exergy - Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, Dincer, I., Rosen, M.A., Elsevier, 2007
    • Multiparameter Equations of State - An Accurate Source of Thermodynamic Poperty Data, Span, R., Springer, 2000 ISBN 978-3-642-08671-7
  • HVAC&R systems and their components
    • [Highly Recommended; uses EES], Mitchell, J.W., Braun, J.E., Principles of Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning in Buildings Wiley, 2012 ISBN 978-0-470-62457-9
    • [Uses EES] Herold, K.E., Radermacher, R., Klein, S., Absorption Chillers and Heat Pumps, 2nd Edition, CRC Press - Taylor & Francis Group, 2016 ISBN 978-1-498-71434-1
    • Boman, D.B., Raymond, A.W., Garimella, S., Adsorption Heat Pumps - Fundamentals and Applications, Springer, 2021
    • Radermacher, R., Hwang, Y., Vapor Compression Heat Pumps with Refrigerant Mixtures, CRC Press - Taylor & Francis Group, 2005 ISBN 978-1-4200-3757-9
    • ASHRAE Handbooks: Refrigeration, Fundamentals, HVAC Systems and Equipment, HVAC Applications
    • "Compressors for Air Conditioning and Refrigeration" JSRAE Technical Book Series (English vers.), 2018 ISBN 978-4-88967-136-0 Link
    • Herrick Laboratories Conferences: Purdue e-Pubs (open-source conference papers)
    • Kakac, S. Liu, H., Heat Exchangers - Selection, Ratings, and Thermal Designs, CRC Press, 2nd Ed., 2002
    • Kuppan Thulukkanam, Heat Exchanger Design Handbook, CRC Press Taylor & Francis, 2nd Ed, 2013
    • Stanford III, H.W., Spach A.F., Analysis and Design of Heating Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems, 2nd Ed. CRC Press Taylor &Francis Group, 2019
    • Zhang, X-R, Yamagushi, H., Transcritical CO2 Heat Pumps: Fundamentals and Applications, John Wiley and Sons, 2021
  • Organic Rankine Cycles
    • Macchi, E. Astolfi, M., Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Power Systems - Technologies and Applications, Woodhead Publishing, 2017 ISBN 978-0-08-100511-8

Computer Requirements:

  • A non-linear equation solver with built-in thermodynamic properties will be used in this course. This computer program, called Engineering Equation Solver (EES), was developed by F-Chart Software and is available to Purdue students in labs and remotely. Instruction for using the EES program will be given in class. A Users Manual for the program is also available for further reference here. You can access EES in two ways:
    • Students can access EES from ITAP's software remote
      • Purdue VPN (Cisco AnyConnect) could be necessary if accessing GoRemote from outside Purdue networks
    • EES is installed on all ME lab machines and thy can be accessed remotely by following the instructions listed here

Anaconda/Python or MATLAB can also be used as an alternative for most of the course. CoolProp (open source) can be used as a thermophysical property library.

Instructor(s)

Davide Ziviani

Email
dziviani@purdue.edu