Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Rationale:

This course provides a rigorous foundation in classical thermodynamics, essential for addressing energy-related challenges in engineering and the physical sciences. The course provides core analytical tools for advanced study in energy systems, heat transfer, process design, and environmental control.

Focus:

The course begins with the fundamentals of thermodynamic systems, properties, and processes. Students define systems and surroundings, distinguish between path and state functions, and apply concepts such as equilibrium, quasi-static processes, and reversibility. A detailed study of the volumetric properties of pure substances follows, including property diagrams, saturation tables, and P-v-T behavior. Ideal and real gas behavior is analyzed through equations of state and compressibility factor correlations. Generalized charts and empirical equations support property estimation for non-ideal fluids across wide pressure and temperature ranges. The First Law of Thermodynamics is applied to closed and open systems, focusing on energy balances involving work, heat, and changes in internal energy and enthalpy. Students evaluate energy changes in physical and chemical processes and examine heat effects during phase transitions and reactions. The Second Law introduces entropy, irreversibility, and the Clausius inequality, enabling students to assess process directionality, efficiency, and lost work. Exergy analysis is presented to quantify available energy and pinpoint inefficiencies. The Third Law is discussed to define absolute entropy and its low-temperature implications. The course advances to thermodynamic cycle analysis. Power generation cycles, including Carnot, Rankine, reheat, regenerative, and combined cycles, are examined alongside refrigeration and liquefaction systems such as reversed Carnot, vapor-compression, absorption, and gas refrigeration cycles. Air-standard engine cycles including Brayton, Otto, and Diesel are evaluated in terms of work output, efficiency, and entropy generation. Students identify energy losses, assess performance under real and ideal conditions, and recommend improvements using thermodynamic reasoning.

Outcome:

By the end of the course, students will be able to apply the Thermodynamic Laws to evaluate thermal systems involving physical and chemical processes. They will be able to model ideal and real gases, interpret property data, and use equations of state to predict system behavior. They will be able to apply thermodynamic principles to guide energy system design and decision-making, with attention to performance, sustainability, and engineering constraints.

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of fundamental thermodynamic principles, including system properties, forms of energy, equilibrium, and the behavior of pure substances.

• Apply appropriate thermodynamic models to analyze pure substances and systems using ideal and real gas equations of state, correlations, phase diagrams, and thermodynamic tables.

• Evaluate energy balances in both closed and open systems by applying the Laws of Thermodynamics and assessing heat and work interactions in physical and chemical processes.

• Analyze  thermodynamic cycles such as power generation, refrigeration, and liquefaction to assess system performance and thermal efficiency.

1. Module 1: Introduction to Thermodynamics

2. Module 2: Volumetric Properties of Fluids

3. Module 3: First Law of Thermodynamics

4. Module 4: Heat Effects

5. Module 5: Second Law of Thermodynamics

6. Module 6: Gas and Power Cycles

7. Module 7: Production of Power from Heat

Please visit this link for the class recordings.

Please visit this link for the updated class schedule.

1. Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Smith (8th Edition)

2. Thermodynamics and its Applications by Tester and Modell (3rd Edition)

3. Thermodynamics - An Engineering Approach by Cengel (5th Edition)

4. Engineering and Chemical Thermodynamics by Koretsky (2nd Edition)

5. Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics by Moran (5th Edition)

6. A Textbook of Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Narayanan (2nd Edition)

7. Chemical, Biochemical, and Engineering Thermodynamics by Sandler (4th Edition)

8. Fundamentals of Thermodynamics by Sontagg (8th Edition)

9. Applied Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Tassios

10. Perry's Chemical Engineering Handbook (9th Edition)

1. Thermodynamics by Enginerds

2. Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Andrew Paluch

3. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by NPTEL IIT Guwahati

4. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by IIT KANPUR-NPTEL

5. Thermodynamics by Chemical Engineering Guy

6. Thermodynamics by Engineering Deciphered