10427 - Environmental Technical Physics

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

The students will learn the principles of classical Thermodynamics and their extension to open systems. They  will learn how to deal with simple thermodynamic systems. The students will be able to calculate the properties of atmospheric air, to work with its transformations and to apply them to HVAC systems.
The students will learn the basic mechanisms of Heat Transfer: conduction, convection and radiation. They will be able to deal with water vapour condensation in building structures at a basic level. Focusing on engineering applications, they will be able to handle in the correct way practical problems of heat transfer and energy conversion.

The students will learn the basic knowledge of Applied Acoustics and of its main applications: outdoor sound propagation and environmental impact assessment of transportation infrastructures and factories; building acoustics; room acoustics. Part of the course is devoted to measuring instruments, national and international standards, laws on acoustics. 

Course contents

1. THERMODYNAMICS

1.1 Introduction.
Introduction to Thermodynamics. System of units.
Principle zero of Thermodynamics. Thermometry.

1.2 First and second principle.
First principle of Thermodynamics for closed systems.
Second principle of Thermodynamics for closed systems:
statement by Kelvin-Planck, Clausius and their equiv ale nce.
The Carnot machine.
Irreversibility of natural phenomena.
Entropy and lost work. Thermodynamic temperature.

1.3 Open systems.
Mass balance for open systems.
Energy balance for open systems.
Practical examples.
Pressure drop. The chimney formula.

1.4 Pure substances, diagrams and cycles.
 p-v-T surface for pure substances. The Gibbs rule.
Saturated vapours. Thermodynamic diagrams.
Rankine cycle. Basic refrigeration cycle. Heat pumps.

1.5 Air and vapour mixtures.
Description of air and vapour mixtures. Psychrometric transformations.
Basics of environmental control.
Measurement of relative humidity.

2. HEAT TRANSFER

2.1 Conduction.
Fourier law. Fourier equation.
Steady state solutions: plane layer, cylindric layer.
Critical radius.
Electric analogy and its limits.
Measurement of thermal conductivity.
Materials for the thermal insulation.

2.2 Convection.
Coefficient of convection.
Dimensional analysis and similarity.
Forced, natural and mixed convection.
Cooling by natural convection.
Dynamic and thermal boundary layer.

2.3 Radiation.
Basic definitions. Black and grey bodies.
Laws of Stefan-Boltzmann, Planck, Wien, Lambert, Kirchhoff.
Energy exchange between surfaces.
Solar radiation.

2.4 Combined heat transfer.
Global coefficient of heat transfer.
Heat exchangers.

2.5 Hygrometry

Water vapour balance in building stuctures.

Risk of condensation in building structures.

Glaser diagram.

3. APPLIED ACOUSTICS

3.1 Physical acoustics.
The nature of sound. Main acoustic quantities.
Sound speed in various media.
Plane, spherical, cylindrical, standing waves.

3.2 Psychoacoustics (introduction).
Human hearing system.
Annoyance and damage due to noise.

3.3 Sound levels, decibels and spectra.
Decibel scale.
(1/n) octave filters.
Frequency weighting curves.
Sound levels metrics.
Sound level meters.
Fourier analysis (introduction).

3.4 Outdoor noise.
Sound propagation outdoors.
Noise barriers.
Laws and standards.
Noise from factories, roads, railways, airports.

3.5 Building acoustics.
Sound insulation: basic laws.
Laws and standards.
Evaluation of the acoustic performance of buildings from the performance of their components.

3.6 Room acoustics.
Geometric approximation.
Statistic-energetic approximation. Reverberation.
Sabine and Norris-Eyring formulae for the reverberation time.
Wave approach (introduction).
Sound absorbing materials and systems.

Readings/Bibliography

Y.A. Çengel, Termodinamica e trasmissione del calore, McGraw-Hill, 2a Ed., Milano (2005).

M.C. Potter, C.W. Somerton, Termodinamica per ingegneri, McGraw-Hill, Milano (1998).

S. Lazzari, B. Pulvirenti, E. Rossi di Schio, Esercizi risolti di termodinamica, moto dei fluidi e termocinetica, Esculapio, Bologna (2004).

V. Corrado, E. Fabrizio, Applicazioni di termofisica dell'edificio e climatizzazione, Ed. CLUT, Torino (2005).

R. Spagnolo (a cura di), Manuale di acustica applicata, De Agostini Scuola - Città Studi Edizioni, Torino (2008).

Teaching methods

During the lessons all the contents of the course will be treated. The lessons will be complemented by numerical exercises. A tutor will be available, outside lesson hours, for explanations and exercises.

Assessment methods

Three written proofs (compulsory) and an oral examination. The questions aim to verify the student's knowledge of the matters presented during the lessons; the solution of a numerical problem may be requested, similar to those illustrated during the exercise time complementing the theoretical lessons.

Teaching tools

PC projector, overhead projector, tutor.

Links to further information

http://acustica.ing.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Garai