The Technical Physics and Systems course is a key component in the preparation of engineering students, as it provides the opportunity to apply the basic knowledge acquired in courses in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematical Analysis, etc., in a technical sense.
Knowledge of the main physical quantities involved in energy exchange processes involving work and heat will be deepened and reinforced.
Students will have the opportunity, starting from a rigorous physical-mathematical methodological approach, to apply energy and entropy balances to thermodynamic systems.
Students will acquire the knowledge necessary to study the main thermodynamic cycles, both direct and inverse, heat exchange in various forms, determination of the thermophysical properties of the building envelope, and the main air treatments in air conditioning systems.

The expected learning objectives are:

DD1: Knowledge and Understanding
Knowledge of technical scientific terminology and the most common chemical-physical quantities, the principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer, in order to gain familiarity with their use in technical applications, with particular emphasis on civil engineering.
At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the fundamental concepts of thermodynamic transformations using appropriate models and methodologies.
Evaluate the main factors that determine the efficiency of energy transformations.
Understand the technical applications studied and their applications in the fields of energy conservation, user well-being, and environmental sustainability.

DD2: Making Judgements

Students will develop the ability to critically evaluate data and technological solutions to
make decisions based on knowledge and analysis of heat and work exchanges.
They will be able to evaluate the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with different energy efficiency options, rational energy use, and optimization of energy transformations and energy conservation.

DD3: Learning Skills
By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and analyze the main factors that influence the relationship between different forms of energy demand and the most appropriate technical solutions that can be proposed.
Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address the ever-complex needs of communities and individual users.
Conduct independent research and analysis to support informed decisions.

DD4: Communication Skills
Students will be able to effectively communicate their knowledge, both in writing
and orally, using appropriate technical terminology and nomenclature.
They will be able to present the results of an exercise clearly and concisely, using graphs, equations, relationships, and/or other visual representations.
They will participate in discussions on the environmental, economic, and technical implications of rational energy use and energy efficiency.

The knowledge acquired will be applicable to the design and management of
materials and systems aimed at improving the quality of life, in accordance with Goals 3, 7, 11, 12, 13, and 15 of the 2030 Agenda.

The course includes the alternation between theoretical lessons and practical exercises on the issues developed in the classroom.

For each of the topics , exercises will be proposed with the aim of achieving the ability to apply theoretical concepts to real cases.

If the teaching will be given in mixed or remote mode, the necessary changes to what was previously stated may be introduced in order to comply with the program provided and reported in the syllabus.

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD

To guarantee equal opportunities and compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the didactic objectives and specific needs.

It is also possible to contact the referent teacher CInAP (Center for Active and Participated Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or SLD) of the Department.

Curricular  and Cultural Prerequisites:

Mathematics: Proficiency in calculus, linear algebra, and statistics is essential for modeling and designing thermodynamic processes and evaluating the performance of energy systems.

Physics and Chemistry: Understanding physical quantities and their relationships is important for comprehending the processes involved in energy systems and related technologies.

Environmental Awareness: Students should have a basic understanding of environmental issues and the importance of sustainability.

Critical Thinking:The ability to analyze complex information, evaluate evidence, and draw informed conclusions is crucial for addressing issues related to energy efficiency and the rational use of energy.

Interdisciplinary Perspective: Students should be open to exploring concepts from various fields of engineering, including materials and components, transport, hydraulics, geotechnics, and economics.

Attendance to lessons is mandatory as it is consistent with the proposed training model which aims to encourage gradual learning, the active participation of the student in the classroom, and dialogue between teachers and students.

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD

To guarantee equal opportunities and compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the didactic objectives and specific needs.

It is also possible to contact the referent teacher CInAP (Center for Active and Participated Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or SLD) of the Department.

The teaching includes lectures and numerical exercises on each part of the course.

Fundamentals of Thermodynamics

a) The Thermodynamic System
International System of Units. Definitions and measurability of internal energy. Heat energy as a mode of exchange. The first principle of thermodynamics in the expanded form.

b) State of equilibrium.
Magnitudes of physical condition and location. intensive and extensive quantities. Dependence of the work and the heat of the type of thermodynamic process. The entropic postulates. Reversible and irreversible processes. quasi-static transformations. Gibbs equation.
The second law of thermodynamics (Clausius and Kelvin).

c) The ideal gas
State equations. Specific heat at P and V constant. Transformations at T, P, V constant. adiabatic quasistatic. The entropy of an ideal gas. Notes on the behaviour of real gases.

d) The diagrams of physical state.
The diagrams (P-T), (p-v), (t-s). Steam water. Major transformations of the water vapour.
Vapour title. The MOLLIER diagram (h-s) for the water vapour.

e) Direct and inverse cycles.
Cyclical Processes. Direct steam cycles (Rankine and Hirn), gas turbines and Joule Bryton cycles. The refrigerator cycle. isoentropic efficiency. absorption refrigeration cycles.

f) Moist air.
The fundamental values. psychometric diagrams for the humid air. The humid air transformations. The temperature of saturation and dew point temperature. processes for summer and winter conditioning.

Heat Transfer and Fluid dynamics

g) Bernoulli equation. Similitude, dimensional analysis and modelling. Internal and external flows. Fluid flow in the ducts. Reynolds number. Flow regimes of a liquid in a conduit
(Regimes: laminar, turbulent and transitional). Friction factor. Coefficients of dynamic and kinematic viscosity. Profiles of velocity.

h) Conduction
The Fourier postulated. steady-state energy balance. The flat plate; the multilayer planar walls (with and without thermal power generation). Electric analogy. The energy balance in the case of cylindrical symmetry. Insulated pipe. electrical analogy. The critical radius. Unsteady conduction: Biot number; method of concentrated capacity.

i) Forced and Natural Convection.
External flow and internal flow to the surface. boundary layer. The boundary layer assumptions.

Dimensionless groups for forced convection and similarity. experimental dimensionless correlations for the forced heat convection to the main heat exchange configurations of outside and inside surfaces of conduits.. Constitutive equations for natural convection. Hypothesis Boussinesque. Natural convection in open spaces.

l)Thermal  radiation
Emissive power. Irradiation. monochrome and overall. The black body: Planck, Stefan-Boltzmann and Wien laws. The coefficients of absorption, reflection, transmission and emission. Kirchhoff's law. The grey body. heat exchange between black bodies: the form factor. Gray bodies, radiance, heat exchange between grey surfaces. Anti-radiant screens.

Energy and Technical Systems

m) HEATING SYSTEM
Heat exchangers. Hydronic distribution networks. Continuous and localized pressure drops. Moody chart.
Darcy-Weisbach formula, Chézy, Colebrook, of Kutter and Darcy. Power of a machine
Operating hydraulic (pump). Calculation of the manometric prevalence and total of a pump. 

Characteristic curves. Emission terminals. Hints on Control Systems

CONTRIBUTION OF TEACHING TO THE GOALS OF THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”

GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 

GOAL 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITY

GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION

SUGGESTED TEXTS

• Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach, SI (9th Edition) Yunus A. Cengel and Michael A. Boles - McGraw-Hill 

  Lecture notes by the teacher
  

The exam is divided into two distinct tests: written and oral.

The written test, lasting a total of two hours, aims to verify the ability to use the main laws and equations of thermodynamics, direct and inverse cycles, heat transmission, and thermodynamics of humid air for solving exercises having as simple application cases.

There are three different types of exercises relating to thermodynamics (1st and 2nd principle) and thermodynamic cycles (direct and inverse), heat transmission (conduction, convection and radiation), and transformations of humid air (summer and winter air conditioning).

During the written test, pupils can use teaching aids (e.g. books, notes, exercises)

The oral interview, which is normally taken after the written test, but within the same exam session, is aimed at verifying the theoretical and practical knowledge of the topics covered during the course.

Learning assessment may also be conducted online, if circumstances require it.The evaluation of the exam is based on the following criteria: level of knowledge of the topics discussed, use of adequate terminology and language properties, ability to apply knowledge to simple case studies, ability to interpret phenomena and the relationships between physical quantities

Learning verification can also be carried out electronically, regardless of the conditions.

FUNDAMENTALS OF THERMODYNAMICS

The first law of thermodynamics. Dependence of work and heat on the type of thermodynamic transformation. Entropic postulates. Reversible and irreversible processes. Quasi-static transformations. Gibbs equation.

The second law of thermodynamics (Clausius and Kelvin statements). Equations of state. Specific heats at constant P and V. Transformations to constant T, P, V. Entropy of an ideal gas.

The diagrams (p-T), (p-v), (T-s). Main transformations of water vapour.

The MOLLIER diagram (h-s) for water vapour. Cyclical processes and transformations. Direct steam cycles (Rankine and Hirn), gas turbines and JouleBryton cycles. The refrigeration cycle. Isentropic yields. Absorption refrigeration cycles.

 HEAT TRANSMISSION 

Fourier's postulate. The steady-state energy balance. The flat plate; flat multilayer walls (with and without thermal power generation). Method of electrical analogy. The energy balance in the case of cylindrical symmetry. The conduction in variable regime: number of Biot; method of concentrated skills.

Dimensionless groups for forced convection and similarity parameters. Dimensionless groups for natural convection. Outline of dimensionless analysis.

Experimental dimensionless correlations for forced thermal convection for the main heat exchange configurations outside surfaces and inside ducts.

Constitutive equations for natural convection. Boussinesque hypothesis.

Heat transmission by radiation

Emissive power. Irradiation. Monochromatic and overall sizes. The black body: laws of

Planck, Stefan-Boltzmann, Wien. The absorption, reflection, transmission and emission coefficients. Kirchhoff's law. The grey body. Heat exchange between black bodies: the form factor. Anti-radiant screens.

ENERGY SYSTEMS

Hints of combustion. Heat generators. Hydronic distribution networks. Continuous and localized pressure losses. Moody's abacus.

Power of an operating hydraulic machine (pump). Calculation of the total and manometric heads of a pump. Emitting terminals. Notes on regulation systems