Applications for the September 2026 Qualifier are open. Apply by September 27, 2026. Apply now
Diploma

Thermodynamics for Aerospace Engineers

The course has the following objectives: (i) To understand the concepts & laws of energy conversion involving heat and work interactions (ii) To learn about the property changes occurring in substances during energy conversion processes (iii) To be able to understand the working principles of energy conversion devices (iv) To appreciate the limitations for energy conversion and estimate the maximum performance attainable in practical devices

Code BSAS2000
Credits 4 Credits
Type Course
Prerequisites None
Core Competencies

What You'll Learn

  • The student should be able to formulate a system or control volume type analysis in practical energy conversion problems and apply energy/ mass balances correctly.

  • The student should be able to represent various energy conversion processes using thermodynamic state diagrams.

  • The student should be able to estimate property changes in substances through appropriate property relationships or property tables.

  • The student should be able to evaluate the ideal and actual performance characteristics for various devices/ processes, by applying I and II laws of Thermodynamics.

12-Week Roadmap

Course Structure & Syllabus

For details of standard term assessment timelines and exam structures, visit our Academics page.

Week 1
Fundamentals: System & Control volume; Property, State & Process; Exact & Inexact differentials; Measurement of absolute pressure & Δp
Week 2
Work: Thermodynamic definition of work; examples; Displacement work; Path dependence of displacement work and illustrations for simple processes; Fully resisted, partially resisted and unresisted process; Other forms of work - gravitational, electrical, magnetic, spring and shaft
Week 3
Temperature & Heat: Definition of thermal equilibrium; Zeroth law; Definition of temperature and temperature scales; Various Thermometers; Definition of heat; Examples of heat/work interaction in systems
Week 4 & 5
First Law for System : I Law for Cyclic & Non-cyclic processes; Concept of total energy E; Demonstration that E is a property; Various modes of energy
Reading List

Prescribed Books & References

  • Nag, P.K, 2018, 6th Edition, Engineering Thermodynamics, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co, Ltd. Reference Books:
  • Spalding, D. B. and Cole, E. H., 1976, Engineering Thermodynamics, Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd., London.
  • Sonntag, R. E, Borgnakke, C. and Van Wylen, G. J., 2003, 6th Edition, Fundamentals of Thermodynamics, John Wiley and Sons
  • Jones, J. B. and Duggan, R. E., 1996, Engineering Thermodynamics, Prentice-Hall of India
  • Moran, M. J. and Shapiro, H. N., 1999, Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, John Wiley and Sons.
  • Venkatesh, A. Basic Engineering Thermodynamics, Universities Press (India) Limited, 2007.