MEC162   Engineering Solids, Liquids and Gases   (20 credits)

Description

The first part of this course provides an overview of the fundamental principles of the behaviour of solids, liquids and gases that are essential to an engineer. The broad areas introduced are thermodynamics, fluid flow and mechanics, and students will encounter the physical basis of important properties, their evaluation and application to practical examples. The course then teaches the inter-relationship between pressure, flow and temperature and how this effects the design, performance and energy terms of engineering components and systems. Irreversibility, both from the point of friction and entropy change will be examined both qualitatively and quantitively. Finally, examples of energy conversion in the form of power cycles will be provided. The laboratory based aspects of this course aim to introduce the basic techniques that are required by Engineering students in running and analysing laboratory experiments. The course gives an introduction to the most important basic laboratory techniques required in Engineering, covering mechanics, materials, fluids and structures. This module is a mixture of hands-on practical laboratory work, programming, problem solving and experimental design assignments. The practical laboratory sessions support the teaching in other modules in the year. It will introduce students to methodologies for interpreting engineering problems, analysing data, interpreting and presenting results. Development of written communication skills will also be included.

Reading List