Prerequisite Skills/Knowledge expected of students coming

into MAE 314 Heat & Mass Transfer

Those marked with an asterisk (*) mean that you can do it with appropriate references available – others to be done from memory.

General:

1. Be able to take any well-posed, “word” problem and state what is given (input) and what is unknown (output).

2. Be able to draw a control volume appropriate to the problem at hand and identify what physical quantity/mechanisms must be considered and/or conserved.

3. Be able to work easily in both SI and English units.

4. Be savvy enough to recognize hints as to what you can be expected to know on exams – e.g., coverage of the same topic multiple times in lecture, workshop or homework.

5. Be able to work collaboratively such that you learn more than what you would have learned working on your own – not less.

6. Be willing to ask questions and participate in class.

7. Be able to identify at least 10 examples of heat transfer processes in the man-made environment.

8. Be able to identify at least 10 examples of heat transfer processes in the natural environment.

Math skills:

1. Be able to integrate and apply fixed temperature boundary condition at one end of a finite-length rod and derivative boundary condition at the other.

2. Be able to integrate and apply appropriate conditions.

3. Be able to integrate (fin equation) and apply fixed temperatures at ends.

4. Be familiar with Runge-Kutta integration.

5. Be able to integrate a function numerically using Simpson’s Rule*.

6. Be able to explain verbally the difference between a scalar and a vector and give examples of each that are appropriate to the thermal sciences.

7. Be able to explain the difference between an analytical and a numerical solution of a differential equation.

Programming/Computer Skills

1. Be able to “name” cells in Excel.

2. Be able to write a “function” in some programming language.

3. Be able to use the Excel chart capability to plot graphs.

4. Be able to import and parse a text file of data into Excel.

5. Be able to write repetition and conditional statements in some structured programming language.

Physics/Electrical Science

1. Be able to find the equivalent resistance of a simple series-parallel system.

2. Be able to do loop and nodal analysis of simple DC circuits involving only resistors.

3. Be able to explain the difference between electrical capacitance and electrical resistance.

Fluid Mechanics

1. Given a contour plot of streamfunction and the definition of velocity components in terms of streamfunction, be able to determine the direction of flow and relative magnitude of velocities.

2. Be able to compute the Reynolds number both for internal and external flows* and explain its significance.

3. Know what information is needed and be able to compute the pressure drop for flow in a pipe*.

4. Be able to compute the drag on a blunt object such as a cylinder*.

Thermodynamics

1. Be able to write the 1^st Law and identify all terms.

2. Be able to find the Carnot efficiency of a heat engine and the Coefficient of Performance of a refrigeration system* and explain their significance.

3. Be able to explain verbally how an air-conditioning system works, including representing the cycle on a T-s diagram and naming the major mechanical components.

4. Be able to explain verbally how a heat pump extracts heat from cold, outside air in the winter and brings it inside.

5. Be able to explain the significance of the specific heat.

6. Be able to obtain thermodynamic properties from appropriate charts or software*.

7. Be able to explain how the 2^nd Law requires heat transfer to the environment from a power plant. Be able to compute the amount of heat rejected to the environment given the electrical output and thermal efficiency of a power plant.

rjr 1/10/06