Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
04:58
A Rapid Method for Modeling a Variable Cycle Engine
Published on: August 13, 2019
Development of a new educational package based on e-learning to study engineering thermodynamics process: combustion,
Jose Garcia Acevedo1, Guillermo Valencia Ochoa1, Luis Guillermo Obregon2
1Efficient Energy Management Research Group, Mechanical Engineering Department, Universidad del Atlántico, Carrera 30 Número 8-49, Puerto Colombia 080007, Colombia.
Heliyon
|July 9, 2020
Summary
The new TermolabUA educational software package significantly improved undergraduate thermodynamics learning. Students using the e-learning tools achieved higher grades, demonstrating enhanced problem-solving and cognitive skills in thermodynamics.
Area of Science:
- Engineering Education
- Thermodynamics
- E-learning
Background:
- Traditional thermodynamics education often involves manual analysis of complex systems.
- Undergraduate students face challenges in grasping concepts related to energy and entropy behavior.
- Developing interactive tools can enhance the understanding of thermodynamic principles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce TermolabUA, an e-learning package for thermodynamics education.
- To assess the impact of TermolabUA on undergraduate students' learning and cognitive skills.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of interactive software in teaching thermodynamic concepts.
Main Methods:
- Development of three e-learning programs: VOLCONTROL, CarnotCycle, and CombustionUA.
- Integration of graphical user interfaces for case study analysis.
- Application of t-Student tests to compare student performance with and without software usage.
Main Results:
- Students using TermolabUA achieved significantly higher average grades compared to traditional methods.
- Statistical analysis (t-Student tests) showed significant improvements in performance across all modules (VOLCONTROL, CarnotCycle, CombustionUA).
- The software facilitated a better understanding of variable influence on energy and entropy.
Conclusions:
- The TermolabUA educational package effectively enhances significant learning in undergraduate thermodynamics.
- E-learning tools like TermolabUA improve students' cognitive competencies in interpreting, arguing, and proposing solutions.
- The software provides a valuable supplement to traditional classroom learning for thermodynamic concepts.
Related Concept Videos
02:59Enthalpy
Chemists ordinarily use a property known as enthalpy (H) to describe the thermodynamics of chemical and physical processes. Enthalpy is defined as the sum of a system’s internal energy (E) and the mathematical product of its pressure (P) and volume (V):
01:06Thermodynamic Systems
A thermodynamic system is a set of objects whose thermodynamic properties are of interest. The system is considered to be embedded in its surroundings or the environment. The system and its environment can exchange heat and do work on each other through a boundary that separates them. However, the immediate surroundings of the system interact with it directly and therefore have a much stronger influence on its behavior and properties.
Consider an example of tea boiling in a kettle. The tea and...
Consider an example of tea boiling in a kettle. The tea and...
01:10Heat Engines
A heat engine is a device used to extract heat from a source and then convert it into mechanical work used for various applications. For example, a steam engine on an old-style train can produce the work needed for driving the train.
Whenever we consider heat engines (and associated devices such as refrigerators and heat pumps), we do not use the standard sign convention for heat and work. For convenience, we assume that the symbols Qh, Qc, and W represent only the amounts of heat transferred...
Whenever we consider heat engines (and associated devices such as refrigerators and heat pumps), we do not use the standard sign convention for heat and work. For convenience, we assume that the symbols Qh, Qc, and W represent only the amounts of heat transferred...
01:25Thermodynamic Processes
A thermodynamic process is a path through a sequence of states that takes a system from an initial state to a final state. In a cyclic process, the system returns to its initial state, so the changes in state properties and state functions (ΔT, Δp, ΔV, ΔU, ΔH) over one complete cycle are zero. However, heat and work transfers can still occur during the cycle, and the net heat and net work over the cycle need not be zero.A reversible process occurs when the system is infinitesimally close to...
01:25Control Systems: Applications
Electrical engineering plays a pivotal role in our daily lives, with control systems at the heart of many applications, from home appliances to sophisticated space shuttles. Control systems manage and regulate the behavior of devices and processes, ensuring they function safely, correctly, and efficiently.
In modern vehicles, control systems manage various functions to enhance performance and safety. The steering wheel and accelerator are primary inputs in a car's control system. The direction...
In modern vehicles, control systems manage various functions to enhance performance and safety. The steering wheel and accelerator are primary inputs in a car's control system. The direction...
01:24Calculation of First-Law Quantities II
The first law of thermodynamics establishes that the change in internal energy of a system is given by ΔU = q + w, where q is the heat exchanged, and w is the work performed. For a perfect gas, both internal energy (U) and enthalpy (H) depend solely on temperature. Consequently, for any change of state, whether reversible or irreversible, the internal energy change is determined by integrating the heat capacity at constant volume, and the enthalpy change by integrating the heat capacity at...