The Thermodynamics and Heat transfer Lab

Heat transfer and Thermodynamics Lab teaches students to measure energy produced by combustion and turbines, how to measure temperature and humidity.

Thermocouple Calibration

Professor Tom Shen (foreground) instructs Len Poyant, Chris Kowal and Chris Poirier in the use and calibration of temperature measuring devices called thermocouples.

Bomb Calorimeter

Mechanical Engineering Students measure the energy released by the combustion of an unknown fuel in the bomb calorimeter.

Impulse Turbine

The students can control the mass flow rate of air driving this impulse turbine. Students conduct two experiments using this device: in one they predict the amount of power produced by a frictionless turbine and compare this with experiments. In the second they measure friction and relate the friction to entropy generated in the turbine.

Cooling Tower

The cooling tower allows students to measure relative and specific humidity as a function of temperature.

Refrigeration Experiment

This is an automated experiment in which students study the efficiency of the compressor as a function of mass flow rate. They then generate temperature entropy diagrams that can be compared to theoretical predictions.