Free Textbook on Engineering Thermodynamics

with extensive comments

This textbook offers a clear, progressive introduction to thermodynamics, tailored for university students and future engineers eager to understand the physical principles behind engines and refrigeration systems. It begins from the basics and progressively covers all the important concepts:

1 Fundamental Concepts

Review the essential concepts for the study of thermodynamics

Concept of energy; First law; Mech. energy; Work; Heat; Temperature.

2 Closed Systems

Quantify energy transfers in a fixed quantity of fluid

Quantification of work and heat in a closed system; Concept of irreversibility.

3 Open Systems

Quantify energy transfers in a continuously-flowing fluid

Usefulness of open and closed systems; Quantification of work and heat.

4 The Ideal Gas

Predict air temperature and quantify its forms of energy

Advantages and limits of the ideal gas model; Basic elementary processes.

5 Liquids and Vapors

Predict water temperature and quantify its forms of energy

Phase changes, property calculations using charts; Basic elementary processes.

6 Thermodynamic Cycles

Convert heat into work and vice versa: engines and refrigerators

Thermal machines: efficiency of engines, refrigerators, AC, and heat pumps.

7 The Second Law

Quantify the fundamental limits of thermal machines

Maximum efficiency of machines (Carnot cycle); Absolute temperature scale.

8 Entropy

Quantify irreversibility and predict the direction of processes

Irreversibilities in heat and work transfers; Usefulness of entropy for engineers.

9 Steam Power Cycles

Quantify the performance of steam-powered plants

Carnot and Rankine cycles, with superheating, reheat, and regeneration.

10 Air-Based Power Cycles

Quantify the performance of gasoline & Diesel engines, and turbomachines

Otto and Diesel cycles; Turbojet, turboprop, etc., and their modifications.

A Appendices

Useful working documents, including Steam Tables from freesteamtables.com.

Steam Tables; Converting to SI units; Bibliography; List of symbols; Index.

With 59 fully-commented, step-by-step calculation examples and 96 problems with solutions, this book equips you to tackle engineering challenges with confidence. Alongside the core, it features short historical explorations which connect the big ideas to their origins and their technological impact.