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Thermodynamics in Energy Engineering

Understand the basic thermodynamic principles widely used in many engineering fields: temperature, free energy and entropy.

9,174 enrolled on this course

Thermodynamics in energy engineering
  • Duration

    6 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

This free online course introduces the basic thermodynamic principles that are widely used in many engineering fields. It will prepare you for degree-level study, by helping you understand and apply thermodynamic fundamentals through real-world, problem-solving exercises.

Understand the first and second laws of thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is concerned with heat and work, and the conversion of energy between the two. The course will introduce two important laws of nature that govern this conversion – the first and second laws of thermodynamics – and discuss the usefulness of energy and entropy functions in relation to them.

We will also explore the influence of several physical variables on the change of energy and entropy functions, and introduce additional functions, such as enthalpy, which are useful in dealing with physical and chemical equilibrium.

Discover how thermodynamics governs the universe and our everyday lives

By the end of the course, you will be comfortable discussing the laws of thermodynamics and how they govern the largest thermodynamic system of all – the Universe.

You may think that engineering theory is difficult to understand, but this course will help you master it with ease, through examples from our everyday lives.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 11 seconds our world is sustained by energy. and the most fundamental subject that deals with energy is the Thermodynamics. cars, plant and foods … Thermodynamics is everywhere in our lives. why does the ice in your lemonade melt but cooling down the lemonade. why do the drinks in the fridge become the same temperature with the fridge inside. we see transparent glass windows in buildings every day. this glass is clear now but will become frosted after several thousand years. Do you know why? Thermodynamics gives you the answers. I am Yun Jung Lee. i am a Professor in the Department of Energy Engineering at Hanyang University in Seoul Korea. this course will introduce the basic Thermodynamic principles widely used in many engineering fields.

Skip to 1 minute and 11 seconds energy takes many different forms. it cannot be created or destroyed but it can change its form. ok, Let’s fire this paper. It’s burnt in a moment. can we make the initial paper out of this ash? when we drop the ink into the water what will happen? It diffuses through the water. can we reverse the process and make the initial ink drop again. we cannot reverse it easily. when energy flows if flows in a preferred direction as the water flows downward. There are important Laws of Nature. the Laws of Thermodynamics that govern these behaviors of the energies.

Skip to 1 minute and 55 seconds you will get to know the Laws of Thermodynamics and fundamental physical quantities defined by the Laws of Thermodynamics such as temperature, free energy and entropy that characterize the thermodynamic systems. the usefulness of energy and entropy functions will be demonstrated in discussing the Laws of Thermodynamics. our universe is simply the largest known Thermodynamic system. through this course you will be familiar with the Laws of Thermodynamics that govern the energy of our universe. most of you would think the engineering theory is difficult to understand. this course can help you to be involved easily with every day examples. if like to know more about the behavior of energy of the our world join this course to make a first step.

What topics will you cover?

  • Introduction to the first law of thermodynamics: The concept of conservation of energy, closed and open systems
  • Mathematical formulation of the first law and examples to demonstrate the use of energy balance equations
  • Calculation of energy changes and enthalpy changes involved in chemical reaction
  • The meaning of equation of state and demonstration of the usefulness of equation of state for ideal gases in relating the physical variables in various situations
  • Introduction to The second law of thermodynamics: why the 2nd law is the entropy principle, what the entropy is and how the entropy is related to the useful energy
  • Focus on the traditional interpretation of entropy and the closely related topics
  • Exercise showing the relation between total entropy and reversibility
  • Focus on solving entropy change problems to illustrate the relation between entropy and reversibility
  • Introduction to the third law of thermodynamics: The temperature principle which is essential to solve problems related to the entropy changes
  • Definition of free energy derived from the criteria for reversibility and the physical meaning of free energy

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Discuss the usefulness of energy and entropy functions
  • Explore the influence of physical variables on the change of energy and entropy functions
  • Understand the first and second laws of thermodynamics

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who wants to know more about thermodynamics and the behaviour of energy in our world. You will need a basic knowledge of chemistry and physics.

Who will you learn with?

I am a professor of the department of Energy Engineering at Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.

Who developed the course?

Hanyang University

Since its establishment in 1939 as South Korea’s first engineering institute, Hanyang University has been a major driving force behind Korea’s development.

  • Established

    1939
  • Location

    Seoul, South Korea
  • World ranking

    Top 150Source: QS World University Rankings 2021

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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