Thermodynamics for the Practicing Engineer

Louis Theodore, Francesco Ricci, Timothy Vanvliet

• Publisher: Wiley-AIChE
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN: 9780470444689
• eBook ISBN: 9781118216316
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Enables you to easily advance from thermodynamics principles to applications

Thermodynamics for the Practicing Engineer, as the title suggests, is written for all practicing engineers and anyone studying to become one. Its focus therefore is on applications of thermodynamics, addressing both technical and pragmatic problems in the field. Readers are provided a solid base in thermodynamics theory; however, the text is mostly dedicated to demonstrating how theory is applied to solve real-world problems.

This text's four parts enable readers to easily gain a foundation in basic principles and then learn how to apply them in practice:

• Part One: Introduction. Sets forth the basic principles of thermodynamics, reviewing such topics as units and dimensions, conservation laws, gas laws, and the second law of thermodynamics.

• Part Two: Enthalpy Effects. Examines sensible, latent, chemical reaction, and mixing enthalpy effects.
  
  

• Part Three: Equilibrium Thermodynamics. Addresses both principles and calculations for phase, vapor-liquid, and chemical reaction equilibrium.
  
  

• Part Four: Other Topics. Reviews such important issues as economics, numerical methods, open-ended problems, environmental concerns, health and safety management, ethics, and exergy.
  
  

Throughout the text, detailed illustrative examples demonstrate how all the principles, procedures, and equations are put into practice. Additional practice problems enable readers to solve real-world problems similar to the ones that they will encounter on the job.

Readers will gain a solid working knowledge of thermodynamics principles and applications upon successful completion of this text. Moreover, they will be better prepared when approaching/addressing advanced material and more complex problems.

Part I

Introduction

Nicolò Machiavelli [1469–1527]

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

—The Prince. Chap. 6

Part I serves as the introductory section to this book. It reviews engineering and science fundamentals that are an integral part of the field of thermodynamics. It consists of six chapters, as noted below:

1 Basic Calculations

2 Process Variables

3 Gas Laws

4 Conservation Laws

5 Stoichiometry

6 The Second Law of Thermodynamics

Those individuals with a strong background in the above area(s) may choose to bypass this Part.

Chapter 1

Basic Calculations

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe [1749–1832]

The sum which two married people owe to one another defies calculation. It is an infinite debt, which can only be discharged through all eternity.

—Elective Affinities [1808]. Book I, Chap. 9

INTRODUCTION

This first chapter provides a review of basic calculations and the fundamentals of measurement. Four topics receive treatment:

1 Units and Dimensions

2 Conversion of Units

3 The Gravitational Constant, gc

4 Significant Figures and Scientific Notation

The reader is directed to the literature in the reference section of this chapter if additional information on these four topics is deemed necessary.(1–3)

UNITS AND DIMENSIONS

The units used in this text are consistent with those adopted by the engineering profession in the United States. For engineering work, SI (Système International) and English units are most often employed; in the United States, the English engineering units are generally used, although efforts are still underway to obtain universal adoption of SI units for all engineering and science applications. The SI units have the advantage of being based on the decimal system, which allows for more convenient conversion of units within the system.

There are other systems of units. Some of the more common of these are shown in Table 1.1; however, English engineering units are primarily used in this text. Tables 1.2 and 1.3 present units for both the English and SI systems, respectively.

Table 1.1 Common Systems of Units

Table 1.2 English Engineering Units

Physical quantity	Name of unit	Symbol for unit
Length	foot	ft
Time	second	s
Mass	pound (mass)	lb
Temperature	degree Rankine	°R
Temperature (alternative)	degree Fahrenheit	°F
Moles	pound · mole	lbmol
Energy	British thermal unit	Btu
Energy (alternative)	horsepower · hour	hp · h
Force	pound (force)	lbf
Acceleration	foot per second square	ft/s2
Velocity	foot per second	ft/s
Volume	cubic foot	ft3
Area	square foot	ft2
Frequency	cycles per second, hertz	cycles/s, Hz
Power	horsepower, Btu per second	hp, Btu/s
Heat capacity	British thermal unit per (pound mass · degree Rankine)	Btu/lb · °R
Density	pound (mass) per cubic foot	lb/ft3
Pressure	pound (force) per square inch	psi
	pound (force...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title page
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Dedication
• Preface
• Part I: Introduction
• Part II: Enthalpy Effects
• Part III: Equilibrium Thermodynamics
• Part IV: Other Topics
• Appendix
• Index