This is my Thermal Applications website. It holds all of my course work and reflections on it as well. Thermal Applications is the real world version of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that studies the relationship between heat, work temperature, and energy. It also examines the transfer of energy from one place to another, and how energy can change form.

Reflective letter

I believe that I have developed a complete understanding of the idea of Thermodynamics and the applications of it. The way I went about learning this semester was with a new method of note taking. I recently got a new tablet for note taking which makes it far easier to color code things and organize my thoughts. I also do my test work on the tablet which is perfect for moving ideas around to make it easier digestible by the professor. Here are some things I learned from this year:

The first test showed my understanding of how to apply the first and the second law of thermodynamics to different thermal systems. This was my first exposure to a real application of a thermodynamic cycle, which made the learning process more intuitive than just concepts without a relationship to the real world. The second test displayed by ability to apply thermodynamics laws to gas turbines Engines using ideal cycles, reheating regeneration, and inter-cooling cycles. I also analyzed the ideal Internal Combustion Engines cycles using air as the working fluid on this test. I learned about jet propulsion engines using ideal cycles after the first test and showcased my knowledge on the second test. I also applied the Rankine cycle with superheating, re-heating, and regeneration to steam power plants. The most difficult section of the course was when I learned about the basic operation of combined gas turbines vapor cycles, co-generation and binary vapor cycles. This is because of how many steps there are in the cycle. Throughout the year, I was also tasked with defining thermal efficiency, second law efficiency, and energy availability, while applying their given equations to various problems. The end of the course dealt with the understanding of the basic vapor compression refrigeration and heat pumps cycles, as well as using a Psychometric chart to calculate moist air properties and define different air conditioning processes.

My learning is completely demonstrated in each of my tests. They are a correct representation of the time and effort I put into this course. I was most successful in my ability to draw my own diagram from scratch and figure out what the PV and TS diagrams looked like from that. This was well represented on Test 2. I see this course work intersecting with my future career. I want to work in the automotive industry, and much of what we learned applies to a combustion engine as well as an AC system in a vehicle. I applied my knowledge of thermodynamics to fluid mechanics a few times as in thermodynamics we deal with fluids much of the time. As I explained earlier, I could use this knowledge in the automotive industry related to vehicle’s powertrain and AC system. If I were starting this class over again, I would tell myself to pay attention to class and ask more questions in the beginning. As the semester went along, I got more comfortable asking questions. I should have been doing this from the beginning.

I have improved a lot as an engineer through this class. Thermodynamics and the applications of it are pivotal to understanding how our universe works and how we can manipulate mother nature to our advantage. My improvements came from my study habits and methods of communication with the professor. I was much more outgoing this semester than ever before. My biggest accomplishment was really staying on top of my work and reaching out for help when I needed it. This translated into great grades in the class. I mastered the ability to go from a problem statement and draw a diagram representing the process, along with drawing PV and TS graphs. This was required for Test 2 the most, but every test required a PV and TS diagram. These were a part of my strengths, but one weakness I had while taking this course was my ability to set time aside to work on the homework assignments every week. I got into the habit of waiting until the last minute to do them, which hurt me on my preparation for the test. I felt scared to take this course before I was enrolled because I did not do well in Thermodynamics I. This time around, though, I focused in and really learned and digested the material much better than in the previous class. I assumed that this class would be an extension of the first one, and I was right. This time though is when I locked in and became a better student.