MANE 4740: Thermal and Fluids Engineering Laboratory

Course Description: This laboratory course offers a culminating experimental experience in the field of thermal and fluids engineering. The theoretical background gained in previous courses is consolidated and expanded by hands-on experiments and analysis of thermal and fluids systems. The course familiarizes students with a variety of thermodynamic, heat transfer, and fluid flow phenomena in the context of the operation of major pieces of equipment, exploring both fundamental concepts and practical, applied ideas.

Course Objectives: Demonstrate thermodynamic, heat transfer, and fluid flow principles; integrate theory and practice through the operation of experiments and the acquisition and analysis of experimental data; familiarize students with complex, realistic systems and the interactions among thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid flow; develop abilities to analyze thermal and fluids systems, including analysis and decision making in the face of experimental uncertainty; and exercise technical communication skills in a variety of modes.

Assessments: Prelab assignments, homework, formal laboratory reports, a student presentation, peer assessment, and online quizzes.

Offerings: I have taught this laboratory once: Fall '23.

Students who successfully complete this course should:

• be able to integrate theory and practice through the operation of experiments and through the acquisition and use of experimental data with uncertainty;
• be able to perform experiments in the topic areas and report the results in a professional manner;
• become familiar with complex, realistic systems and the interactions among thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid flow;
• learn new concepts and techniques in the topic areas.

Students work in teams through four experiments, each spanning experiment preparation, data collection, uncertainty analysis, a studio-style discussion of results, and a formal engineering report.