Text for thermo beginner! 1

[RV]

Looking for advice on a good text for mechanical technologist new to thermodynamics. Would like something that starts with basics of heat transfer and progresses to intermediate (basic design of heat exchangers etc.). Have Applied Thermodyanmics (Eastop & McKonkey, 5th edition) but would like something more thorough and user-friendly. Thanks a lot.

 

[Tunalover]

"User friendly?" Those words are rarely used to describe thermo books. Shaum's Outline Series might have one on thermodyamics. That would be the best choice but I'm afraid that to get an adequate handle on the subject (and even to be able to understand Shaum's Outline) you'd have to take two or more undergraduate thermodynamics courses.

 

[kbander]

Are you looking for a text on Thermodynamics or Heat Transfer? These are two different topics...but your note seems to confuse the two.


Regards,

Bob

 

[RV]

Bob, actually I think Heat Transfer is what Im after here. I am mostly wanting to learn about designing and sizing heat exchangers, but want to start from the basics. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[kbander]

RV,

Are you looking at this from the standpoint of interest, or are you actually wanting to design heat exchangers?

If you are intending to do design, then I would recommend registering for the appropriate course(s) at your local University. Heat transfer can be quite complex and requires a strong background in mathematics, fluid mechanics, physical properties...as well as understanding the principles of conduction, convection, radiation, etc.

If you are looking for a text to "broaden" your knowledge base, I have an old copy of "Heat Transfer" by J.P. Holman that I like. "Process Heat Transfer" by Kern is a bit outdated...but still proves to be a good reference.


Good luck!

Bob

 

[RV]

Bob,

Just want to broaden my base for now (more courses later!!!) and looking for a shortcut to the right material. Thanks for the suggestion.

RV

 

[Tunalover]

RV-

Try "Compact Heat Exchangers" by Kays and London. I have found that text to be the most useful of all for heat exchanger design. If you start looking through it, however, I think you'll see what Bob is talking about regarding the need to have sufficient theoretical and mathematical preparation for heat exchanger design (and thermal sciences in general).

Tunalover

 

[gunnarhole]

RV,

If you are interested, some professors at MIT have posted a full copy of their heat transfer texbook online at the URL below. Actually this URL contains the link to the text.

http://web.mit.edu/lienhard/

http://www/ahttproject.pdf

Regards,

Gunnar

 

[jehar]

Hi RV,
A couple of places to learn heat transfer are

http://www.HeaterDesign.com

and

http://www.HRSGdesign.com.

The first site will walk you through the radiant and covection heat transfer concepts for direct fired heaters, where the second will do the same for waste heat boiler and HRSG design. These are both free educational sites which contain numerous JavaScripts to help you learn the computational methods.
Jack

 

[saxon]

RV, If your looking for some Heat Transfer/Thermo info in down and dirty format, my suggestion would be, "The Essentials" series in "Heat Transfer I &II, and Thermodynamics I & II",put out by the Research and Education Association, 61 Ethel Road West, Piscataway N.J.. You also might want to pickup a copy of the "Handbook of Heat Transfer Applications" by McGraw Hill, but this text is not user friendly or geared to the novice.

Goodluck!

saxon