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Labs & Facilities - Thermo Lab:
The Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer Laboratory is utilized
primarily in ETME 3252. Summaries of sample experiments are shown below:
Bomb
Calorimeter Experiment
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The purpose of this experiment
is:
The heating value of a fuel is
defined as the heat that must be removed from the products of a complete
combustion in order to cool the products down to the temperature of the original
air-fuel mixture.
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Vapor-Compression Cycle (Refrigeration Cycle)
| Refrigeration works on the
principle of heat absorption due to the evaporation of refrigerant. It is
the latent heat of evaporation that gives the refrigerating effect. Liquid
refrigerant is evaporated by passing it from a high-pressure region through a
throttling valve to reduce its saturation pressure to a lower level, and reduce
its saturation temperature. The degree of cooling can be controlled by
controlling the amount of refrigerant passing into the low-pressure region. |
Model 9001 Brodhead-Garrett Basic Refrigeration Unit. |
Heat Pump Experiment
The purpose of this experiment is to become familiar with
the operation of a refrigerating system in the heating mode. The
objectives are:
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To determine the enthalpies at
the principle points of the cycle.
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To determine the heating
effect of the system.
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To determine the coefficient
of performance of the system.
The use of the refrigerating system as a heating device or
a heat pump was suggested by Lord Kelvin in 1852. It is required that the system
worked as an air conditioning during the summer and operated as a heater during
the winter season. When operated to remove heat from the room, it is said to
operate in the cooling mode; when operated to provide heat to the room, it is
said to operate in heating mode. In both the heating and cooling modes,
additional energy has to be provided to drive the compressor. Heat pumps are
available in many types, shapes, and sizes, of which those operating on the
vapor-compression cycle are the most commonly used.
Absorption Dynamometer
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A dynamometer is a device used
to measure the torque and rotational speed of a rotating machine. There are
three basic types in use: absorption, driving and transmission dynamometers.
Absorption dynamometers dissipate energy as torque is measured and are
particularly useful for measuring the torque developed by power sources such as
internal combustion engines or electric motors. Driving dynamometers are used to
measure the torque required to operate such devices as pumps, compressors, or IC
engines being “motored” for the purpose of measuring friction losses (e.g.
Spintrons). Transmission dynamometers are used to measure the torque within or
between machines. |
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Four-Stroke Transparent Gasoline Engine Analysis
| In this experiment you will
observe the construction and operation of a four-stroke, single cylinder,
air-cooled, spark-ignition engine by using a Megatech -Mark III Transparent
Combustion Engine. Knowledge of its construction and operating characteristics
will help to provide an understanding of larger, multi-cylinder engines. |
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Polytropic Process - Air Compressor Experiment
| The position of the piston as it
travels up and down in the cylinder of the air compressor is measured by a
linear variable differential transformer (LVDT). The LVDT is attached to an
external crank shaft which rotates at the same speed as the compressor. The
external crank is coupled to an auxiliary cylinder, so that the LVDT output is
maximum when the piston is at bottom dead center and minimum when the piston is
at top dead center. Thus, maximum output corresponds to maximum displacement and
minimum output corresponds to minimum displacement. The output from the LVDT
signal conditioner is measured by a digital storage oscilloscope. |
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Steam Turbine Experiment
| The apparatus is scaled for
educational use and utilizes components and systems similar to full-scale
industrial facilities. Students are able to operate and analyze this system in
detail, allowing them to determine the efficiency of the facility and suggest
possible modifications for further improvement. |
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Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Experiment
| One of the most important
processes in engineering is the heat change between flowing fluids. In heat
exchangers the temperature of each fluid changes as it passes through the
exchanger, and hence the temperature of the dividing wall between the fluids
also changes along the length of the exchanger. Examples in practice in which
flowing fluids exchange heat are air intercoolers and preheaters, condensers and
boilers in steam plant, condensers and evaporators in refrigeration units, and
many other industrial processes in which a liquid or gas is required to be
either cooled or heated. |
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Mechanical Engineering Technology
