Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems

ME-459 / 3 credits

Teacher(s): Schiffmann Jürg Alexander, Van Herle Jan

Language: English

Summary

This course aims at studying thermal power cycles, heat pumping technologies, and equipment.

Content

  • Thermal power cycles : Rankine, ORC, Brayton, supercritical, combined cycles, Cheng, Kalina, specific power plant applications (natural gas, coal and biomass incl. IGCC, waste incineration).
  • Heat pumping technologies: main families of technologies for heat pumping (compression, chemical, magnetic, thermoelectric), working fluids incl. mixtures and global environmental impact factors.
  • Equipment: boilers, heat exchangers, cooling towers, dynamic and positive displacement compression and expansion machines.

Keywords

Power plant, heat pump, compressor, turbine.

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

  • Thermodynamics I
  • Thermodynamics II

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

  • Explain the principles and limitations of the main energy conversion technologies, E7
  • Assess / Evaluate and design volumetric compressors and turbines, E13
  • Identify the challenges related to energy: resources, energy services, economic and environmental impacts, E9
  • Assess / Evaluate fluid flows in energy conversion systems, compute pressure drops and heat losses and fluid - structure interactions, E10
  • Analyze the energy and exergy efficiency of industrial energy systems, E21
  • Explain and calculate the main emission sources of energy conversion processes, E23
  • Explain the principles and limitations of the main energy conversion technologies, E7
  • Assess / Evaluate and design volumetric compressors and turbines, E13
  • Identify the challenges related to energy: resources, energy services, economic and environmental impacts, E9
  • Assess / Evaluate fluid flows in energy conversion systems, compute pressure drops and heat losses and fluid - structure interactions, E10
  • Analyze the energy and exergy efficiency of industrial energy systems, E21
  • Explain and calculate the main emission sources of energy conversion processes, E23

Teaching methods

  • Ex-cathedra
  • Calculation examples in class
  • Exercises

Assessment methods

Written examination.

Resources

Bibliography

Borel, Favrat Thermodynamics and energy systems analysis, EPFL Press + distributed documents available in pdf on moodle.

Ressources en bibliothèque

Moodle Link

In the programs

  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: mandatory
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: mandatory
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermal power cycles and heat pump systems
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional

Reference week

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