Course Information
Course Description
This course focuses on the inevitable trade-offs associated with any thermodynamic or heat transfer system, which result in a clear distinction between workable and optimal systems. The point is illustrated by means of a number of concrete problems arising in power and refrigeration systems, electronics cooling, distillations columns, heat exchange, and co-generation systems.

Prerequisites
An undergraduate heat transfer course.

Course Goal
The goal of this course is to develop the ability to select and use appropriate heat transfer analysis methods to solve real problems. The course will force the student to solve typical problems seen in engineering by selecting the appropriate modes of heat transfer and developing manageable analyses to provide the necessary information to shed light on the system under investigation.

Course Objectives
To assess the performance of systems meant to transfer heat

To analyze actual systems involving multiple modes of heat transfer
To determine the relative contributions of different modes of heat transfer and to select appropriate analysis methods based on the dominant physical characteristics
To explain the tradeoffs in particular design decisions for heat transfer systems