Description
This broad-based methodology reflects the fact that operations engineering encompasses many disciplines and, as such, engineers must be conversant in the wide scope of service provision. The intention is to encourage students to develop a holistic approach to the design, operation, installation and maintenance of both industrial services and operating equipment.
The student will be introduced to the fundamental principles of electrical power and lighting systems, the rudiments of industrial compressed air systems, the provision of steam for both power generation and process plant, and the applications and precepts of refrigeration plant and heat pumps.
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to manage and maintain a wide range of commonly encountered industrial systems.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
1. Apply the operating principles of electrical power and lighting systems.
Electrical power:
Construction, starting and speed control of polyphase induction motors
Three-phase transformers: construction, clock number and group, parallel operation
Electrical distribution: power system topologies, efficiency, power factor causes and correction, effect on cost of supplies, circuit protection
Lighting systems:
Lighting fundamentals: SI units, energy efficient circuit design and layout
2. Investigate the applications and efficiency of industrial compressors.
Industrial compressors:
Types and applications of industrial compressors
Role of intercoolers, dryers and air receivers
Efficiency and performance of air compressors
Hazards and faults: safety consideration and associated legislation
3. Discuss provision of steam services for process and power use.
Steam power plant:
Use of tables and charts to analyse wet and dry saturated steam
Circuit diagrams showing steam raising plant
Process steam: enthalpy of evaporation, available energy
Overall plant efficiencies for process
Power steam: superheated steam, turbine efficiency, Rankine cycle, cooling towers
Overall plant efficiency for power
Efficiencies and improvements
4. Review industrial refrigeration and heat pump systems.
Heat pumps and refrigeration:
Typical industrial heat pump and refrigeration systems
Application of the second law of thermodynamics
Reversed heat engines: reversed Carnot cycle
Vapour compression cycle
Refrigerant fluids: environmental impact
Refrigeration tables and charts (p-h diagrams)
Coefficient of performance for heat pumps and refrigerators