ME 320 (17560), Applied Thermodynamics, TTh 8:00-9:30, ECJ 1.

202
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Ron Matthews, ETC 7.148C, 512-626-7571 (cell), 471-3108 (office), or 4717025 (lab 1.204A is the best place to find me), rdmatt@mail.utexas.edu (I dont check
my email often, call or my cell of stop by ETC 1.204A), Office Hours: MWF 11-12 and
by appointment

TAs:

Jude Osara, office hours: TBA in a room TBA, discussion section: TBA in a room
TBA, Michael Chang, office hours: Tuesday 10-12:00 AM and Wednesday 1-3:00
in ETC. 2.130, discussion section: Thursday 11-12:00 noon in ETC. 2.130

Drop Date: Aug. 31, Sept. 11, or Nov. 3 with Dean's permission
Text:

Fundamentals of Thermal-Fluid Sciences, 4th Edition, by Y.A. Cengel, R.H. Turner, and
J.M. Cimbala; McGraw-Hill

Registration: The prerequisites for ME 320 are Math 408D, CH 301, and PH 303K. A working
knowledge of math, physics, and chemistry is assumed.
.
Overview: Applied Thermodynamics, which includes selected topics from both thermodynamics and
heat transfer, is offered to engineering students from outside of the Mechanical
Engineering program. The course emphasizes macroscopic, classical thermodynamics and
traditional topics in engineering heat transfer. Upon successful completion of this course,
the student will understand the fundamentals of energy and energy transfer processes, as
well as the three modes of heat transfer.
Assignments: A schedule of study and reading assignments is attached. Homework problems are
assigned separately. You are expected to be conversant with the essentials of each lesson
from your readings prior to class. Lectures will focus on the fundamental concepts and
more difficult aspects of the lesson material.
Engineering is a problem-solving profession. Your success in this course, as in
engineering practice, will depend upon your ability to address a variety of practical
problems. Therefore, there is absolutely no substitute for putting pencil to paper and
working through a problem by yourself. You are encouraged to work more problems than
those suggested. Solutions will be provided and discussed upon request. The more
problems of different types that you tackle, the better you will understand the principles
involved. Remember, students learn best by doing. I am well aware that students have,
in the past, been able to obtain solutions for the end of chapter problems in our textbook.
Doing so, and then relying heavily on these, ultimately short changes the learning
process and is a proven, ineffective means for learning that will very likely impact your
final grade.
Homework: The assigned homework is your opportunity for practice. Assignments will be turned in
weekly, normally on Tuesdays, and returned a week later. Late homework will receive
reduced credit. Your solutions are expected to be neat, well organized, and legible. Free
collaboration on homework is permitted and encouraged. However, the homework solutions
that you submit are expected to be your own work. Simple copying of any material is
scholastic dishonesty and will be dealt with accordingly. Any student handing in a homework
assignment containing any solution that is merely copied from the solutions manual, or
another student, will be awarded no credit for that entire homework assignment.

Grading:

3 Exams at 15% each

45%
Comprehensive Final Exam*
35%
Graded Homework
15%
Effort**
5%
Regular attendance is expected.
* Students who have a course average greater than or equal to 89.90 % at the end of the
semester (based on graded homework and the three semester exams) will be awarded an
A- or an A for the course and allowed to forego the final exam.
** Handing in all homework assignments on time and improvement

Evaluation: Students will be asked to complete a Course/Instructor Evaluation survey at the end of the
semester.
Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and all policies will be strictly enforced. University
Honor Code: http://registrar.utexas.edu/catalogs/gi09-10/ch01/index.html
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic adjustments for qualified
students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Division of Diversity and Community
Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259, http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/
By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of
observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project
in order to observe a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within
a reasonable time after the absence.
Other Administrative Matters
1) An engineering student must have the Deans approval to add or drop a course after the fourth class day of
the semester. Adds or drops are not approved after this except for good cause. Good cause is
interpreted to be documented evidence of an extenuating nonacademic circumstance (such as health or
personal problems) that did not exist on or before the fourth class day. Applications for approval to drop a
course after the fourth class day should be made in the Office of Student Affairs, ECJ 2.200.
2) An undergraduate in the College of Engineering may not enroll in any course required in his or her
engineering degree plan more than once without written consent of an advisor in his or her department. If
you fail to secure written consent to repeat a course and are enrolled in the course, your registration may be
deleted. If you are denied approval to repeat a required course, you will be placed in the undeclared major
code and must consider other degree options.
3) All students should become familiar with the University's official e-mail student notification policy. It is
the student's responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address.
Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with
University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. It is
recommended that e-mail be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week. The complete text of this
policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at
http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.html. In this course e-mail will be used as a means of
communication with students. You will be responsible for checking your e-mail regularly for class work
and announcements.
4) Web-based, password-protected class sites are available for all accredited courses taught at The University.
Syllabi, handouts, assignments and other resources are types of information that may be available within
these sites. Site activities could include exchanging e-mail, engaging in class discussions and chats, and

exchanging files. In addition, class e-mail rosters will be a component of the sites. Students who do not
want their names included in these electronic class rosters must restrict their directory information in the
Office of the Registrar, Main Building, Room 1. For information on restricting directory information see:
http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/catalogs/gi00-01/app/appc09.html

THE SMART STUDENT'S CREDO

by Adam Robinson, Esquire
Co-Founder of the Princeton Review
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.

XII.

Nobody can teach you as well as you can teach yourself.

Merely listening to your teachers and completing their assignments is NEVER enough.
Not everything you are assigned to read or asked to do is equally important.
Grades are just subjective opinions.
Making mistakes (and occasionally appearing foolish) is the price you pay for
learning and improving.
The point of a question is to get you to think -- not simply to answer it.
You're in school to learn to think for yourself, not to repeat what your textbook
and teachers tell you.
Subjects do not always seem interesting and relevant, but being actively engaged
in learning them is better than being passively bored and not learning them.
Few things are as potentially difficult, frustrating or frightening as genuine
learning, yet nothing is so rewarding and empowering.
How well you do in school reflects your attitude and your method, NOT your ability.
If you're doing it for the grades or for the approval of others, you're missing the
satisfactions of the process and putting your self-esteem at the mercy of things
outside your control.
School is a game, BUT it's a very important game!

Summary:
Learning is the process of overcoming confusion.
It is an active process and nobody is going to do it for you.
One reason most students find school difficult is that
they never think in terms of their specific responsibilities.
YOU are the one who lives with the consequences of your education, not your teacher.
If YOU want to learn, YOU have to do most of the work, not your teacher!
Ill do my part! All I ask is that you do yours!
You need to start off on the right foot, and work for your goals right from the beginning of
class. Research has shown that students (of similar IQ) who get higher grades have different
study habits than those who get lower grades. Students who get the lower grades usually wait
until the last day or two before an exam before they begin to seriously study. You must
develop effective study habits that work for you and your learning style. Some fortunate few
students may be equipped to perform exceptionally well with little effort, while others may
not perform well despite enormous effort. However, as with everything else in life, your
performance is the basis for your grade in this course.

Lesson Schedule, Topics, and Assignments

ME 320, Applied Thermodynamics
Date

Subject /Topic

Readings

Homework

HW Due

Readings from Edition 4 (earlier editions were arranged differently)

Classical Thermodynamics
27 Aug. Introduction to Thermodynamics
Dimensions & Units; Thermo System,
Introductory Concepts: Language,
Definitions, Energy, Temp, Pressure
1 Sept. Energy Transfer (Work and Heat),
1st Law of Thermodynamics
3 Sept. Work at a Moving Boundary
8 Sept. Properties of Pure Substances,
Phase Change Processes
10 Sept. Ideal Gas Equation of State
Properties of an Ideal Gas
15 Sept. Energy Changes for an Ideal Gas
First Law of Thermo, Closed System
17 Sept. Open Systems: Continuity Eqn.,
First Law of Thermo
22 Sept. Open System, SSSF
24 Sept. Cyclic Devices; 2nd Law of Thermo
29 Sept. Reversible Processes and Cycles
Carnot Cycle
1 Oct. Exam #1 (Chpts. 1-5)
6 Oct. Entropy; Entropy Changes
Isentropic Relationships
8 Oct. Rev Steady Flow Work
Device (Isentropic) Efficiencies

Chpt 1
Chpt 2
3.1-3.6

#1
#1
#2

3 Sept
10 Sept

5.1
4.1-4.5

#2
#3

10 Sept
17 Sept

#3
#4
#4
#5
#5
#6

17 Sept
24 Sept
24 Sept
6 Oct
6 Oct
8 Oct

#7

15 Oct

#8

22 Oct

#8

22 Oct

4.6-4.7
5.3-5.5
5.2
6.1
6.2-6.3
6.4
7.1-4
7.6-11

8.1-9
8.10-12

Some Applications of Thermodynamics

13 Oct. Power Cycles: Automotive
15 Oct. Power Cycles: Automotive
20 Oct. Power Cycles: Gas Turbine
Compressor and Turbine Efficiency
22 Oct. Power Cycles: Steam
Pump Efficiency, Turbine Efficiency
27 Oct. Refrigeration/AC/Heat Pump Cycles
29 Oct. Refrigeration/AC/Heat Pump Cycles

9.1-6
#9

29 Oct

#10

5 Nov

#10
#11
#11

5 Nov
10 Nov
10 Nov

9.7-8
9.9-13
9.14-19
9.14-19

Engineering Heat Transfer

3 Nov.

Introduction; Modes of Heat Transfer

Steady Conduction

5 Nov.

Radial Steady Conduction

Extended Surfaces; Fins

Chap 16
Chap 17

#12
#12

19 Nov
19 Nov

17.6

#12
#12

19 Nov
19 Nov

Date

Subject /Topic

Readings

10 Nov. Transient Conduction

18.1-3
12 Nov. Exam #2 (Chpts 6-8)
17 Nov. Forced Convection, External Flows
19.1-4
19 Nov. Forced Convection, Internal Flows
19.5-8
24 Nov. Exam #3 (Chpts 9, 16-19)
26-28 Nov.
Thanksgiving Holidays
1 Dec. Free/natural Convection
Thermal resistance networks
3 Dec. Review for final, course/instructor survey
Final Exam: date, time, and location TBA

Homework

HW Due

#13

1 Dec