The aim of this course is to understand the thermodynamic cycles and technology used in heat engines and power plants. This includes the capability of analyzing the behaviour of thermal engines, turbomachinery, boilers, burners and combustion chambers as components of these systems.
A the end of the course the student must be able to:
- Identify the basic elements of a power plant, their functionality and working conditions.
- Understand the parameters and processes involved in these installations and evaluate their performance
- Understand the technology corresponding to each case.
- Analyze the energy saving possibilities and the environmental impact for each heat engine and power plant described in the course.
As for the different competences acquired through the lectures, it is worth to distinguish between specific and general skills.
With regard to specific competences the student must be able to:
- Define the thermodynamic layout and magnitudes of a power plant.
- Identify the different types of reciprocating engines and power plant components (turbomachinery, boilers, combustion chambers, etc.) and subsystems.
- Establish the applicability frame of the different heat engines.
- Evaluate the environmental impact of the use of different technologies for power generation.
The general skills trained during the course are:
- Problem solving methodology.
- The identification of the relevant information that characterize power generation installations.
- Group work abilities to face complex engineering subjects
After completing the course, the student should have:
- A critical attitude towards identifying and evaluating the operation of basic equipment of an installation.
- A collaborative attitude that will allow obtaining information and knowledge from other agents to perform complex tasks.
