This course is intended to provide you with a fundamental and practical understanding of the basic principles of gas dynamics and compressible flows. As the name implies, the primary difference between incompressible and compressible flows is that density effects/changes, which are generally neglected in the former, become important in the latter. The density effects also make temperature changes important making thermodynamics an important aspect of compressible flows. Some areas discussed in this course include the nature of sound and Mach waves, isentropic flows, normal and oblique shock waves, Prandtl-Meyer expansions and compressible flow with friction and heat addition. An emphasis will be placed on providing examples of practical applications by considering flows though supersonic nozzles, wind tunnels and diffusers, among others.
The purpose of this laboratory is to reinforce and enhance your understanding of the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and heat transfer. The experiments are relatively simple; they are designed to demonstrate the applications of the basic fluid and thermal science principles and to provide a more intuitive and physical understanding of these disciplines. The objective is also to introduce a variety of modern and classical experimental and diagnostic techniques, and the principles behind these techniques. This laboratory exercise also provides practice in making engineering judgments, estimates and assessing the reliability of your measurements, skills which are very important for any successful engineer. Your oral and written communication skills are improved through the lab reports and presentations. These will also provide you with experience of group-learning environment by requiring you to work in student groups, much like the real world.