LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main objective of the course is to supply the instruments for the study of fluid machines and thermal power generation plants, by means of the analysis of operating principles and fundamental equations of machines, and the study of thermal engines and machines which transfer energy to the fluid.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The active participation into classroom lessons and the personal study allow the student:

- to distinguish the fluid machines on the basis of the different classification criteria;

- to understand the physical mechanisms and the fundamental equations, which drive the operation of fluid machines, power plants and reciprocating engines;

- to select the fluid machines able to satisfy the requirements of the different applications;

- to evaluate the machine and plant performances;

- to determine the operating point of the machines which transfer energy to fluid.

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons will be delivered remotely and live on the TEAMS platform, and will focus on the presentation and discussion of theoretical contents with some numerical applications.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The main contents of the module are listed in the following:

Introduction to Fluid Machines

Energy requirement, primary energy sources, energy conversion and utilization.

Classification and operating principles of fluid machines. The first principle for open systems; continuity equation, energy equation and Euler equation for turbomachines; degree of reaction; Hugoniot equation.

Thermodynamics applied to machines: thermodynamic cycles, efficiencies of fluid machines and power plants.

Thermal Power Generation Plants

Steam power plant: turbine, steam generators, condenser; ways of increasing the cycle efficiency.

Gas turbine power plant; ways to improve the Joule cycle efficiency: regeneration, inter-cooling, after-burning.

Cogeneration and combined power plants.

Reciprocating engines: operating principle and thermodynamic cycles.

Machines which transfer energy to fluid

Dynamic compressors: principle of operation, characteristic curves.

Reciprocating and rotary positive displacement compressors (vane, lobe, and Lysholm screw compressors).

Dynamic pumps: head, characteristic curve, operating point, cavitation, parallel and series configurations.

Reciprocating and rotary positive displacement pumps.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lesson notes and classroom material (which can be downloaded in aulaweb) are sufficient for the exam preparation.

The books here listed are also suggested as a support:

R. Della Volpe, “Macchine”, Liguori Editore

C. Caputo “Gli impianti convertitori di energia”, ed. Ambrosiana

O. Acton, C. Caputo ‘Collana di Macchine’ (5 volumi), ed. UTET.

A. Bosio, “Sistemi Energetici”, SGEditoriali