master thermodynamics book?

[coppercone2]

So I am in the process of slowly reading the AOE 3 and the Master Handbook of Acoustics (found it on this forum), and a few other books on plasma and microwaves (their not as nice though, with plasma I am just glad someone wrote something at all).. and there is also the precision machinery handbook and the more general machineshop bible book..

http://www.roletech.net/books/HandbookAcoustics.pdf

Is there a good book on thermodynamics? I mean I don't expect to be excited but I don't really want some reference manual filled with pages and pages and pages of barely explained graphs etc (like some books on plastics I found that were basically unreadable).

Also, as a side note, a book on fluidics and turbulence etc (holy shit I wanted to shove a ice pick into my head when I tried to read about this crap).

Like things you can read without a professor holding you hostage.

[ejeffrey]

Man, that's tough.

As usual, Wikipedia is a good reference and contains good accessible articles on a lot of individual topics in thermodynamics, but it isn't really a way to learn from scratch.  Everything else I know are text books which are maybe not that accessible for beginner self study.  Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics aren't sexy enough to support the level of 'popular science' books that you get around things like relativity, quantum physics, and particle physics.

[coppercone2]

I would not call the requirement to be a popsci book, I just mean something that is not trying to beat equations in your head relentlessly.

Maybe to clarify, I am looking for something thats basically filled with actual examples and analysis of existing systems much like the AOE is. What I am not looking for is a Sedra Smith (you are getting sleepy... very sleepy), or some BS written by a professor that he can sell for his own class.

Like Introduction to Microwave Theory and Measurements, it has some math and stuff but you get cool things like cut-outs of magnetrons, waveguide diagrams, etc. In a class you do the analysis yourself but for branching out into another field, after you know how to setup a mathematical analysis already from another engineering discipline, you can get away with more analysis thats already done for you, especially if you just need to be able to overengineer things safely for a hobby.

I am not looking to be challenged, I just want to get rid of misconceptions that I have undoubtedly developed from winging it in these disciplines (i.e. putting theory together based on manufacturers notes). You can almost see the AOE as being a addendum to app notes from LT and stuff. And to better understand the weight of different measures that can be taken to solve a problem

[IanB]

Is there a good book on thermodynamics?

This is actually too vague, since thermodynamics breaks down into different branches. For example, a thermodynamics text read by mechanical engineering students will have different content than a thermodynamics text read by chemical engineering students, and both will be different from one read by physics students or by geology students. Sure, there will be overlap and common ground, but the emphasis will be different and some of the symbols used will be different.

Also keep in mind that thermodynamics can be one of the most difficult subjects to study. It can easily make your brain hurt. So be careful what you are asking for...

[coppercone2]

it is defiantly a vicious beast but unlike microwaves its almost completely boring.

One of the most 'fun' reads I had on thermodynamics other then stuff about explosions is probably the kiln furnace handbook from Kanthal. But thats in like the static high temperature radiative regime thats useless for most things you want to work on thats not like a nuclear reactor or steel works. What's cool about it though is you can implement what they are talking about with no more then maybe a few masonry drills and a masonry saw (even a harbor freight hand coping masonry blade will work). It's actually pretty cheap compared to something like a constant temperature hydraulic loop.

I don't think most EE degrees cover thermodynamics at all unless you take it as an elective *but for gods sake WHY would you put yourself through differential equations for a damn elective*.


Also a primer in electronic thermodynamics and thermohydraulics in a FUN form would be linus tech tips on youtube but the worksmanship and parts choice and stuff is poor by high reliability industrial standards (some of his worksmanship is poor and the parts are kinda budget, but I understand since its not a 50000$ machine). It's not stainless tig welded gyrolok with litron parts to be sure.

[coppercone2]

also another one, how about something serious about weld engineering thats a good primer? as much as I love youtube and corp literature and forums.

[beanflying]

Shudder this brings back some bad memories of the single worst lecturer throughout my studies. First year was combined Electro Mechanical and second year still had a few Mechanical subjects all this and the Uni was in the heart of a Power Generating area so enter the 'Steam Cycles' in terrible English is my 3rd language I sort of know style 

Unless you want to design boilers or power stations don't for your own sanity I have long since disposed of this part of my Library. But if you must then something like this would get you started on the basics. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Introduction-to-Engineering-Thermodynamics-Sonntag-Richard-E-Borgnakke-Cla/183339500375?epid=96749091&hash=item2aafe2c357:g:TMsAAOSwYHxWOhnB:rk:35:pf:0

Having another Beer to remove the flashbacks .......

[Conrad Hoffman]

Not sure if this is exactly what you need, but it might be a good start. The 4th edition is expensive, but the 3rd is much less. Wander his website and see if his style suits you- https://brucesherwood.net/

FWIW, I was having trouble with a static friction problem, where the usual motion equations completely ignore thermodynamics. His was the first paper that correctly addressed the problem.

[coppercone2]

Shudder this brings back some bad memories of the single worst lecturer throughout my studies. First year was combined Electro Mechanical and second year still had a few Mechanical subjects all this and the Uni was in the heart of a Power Generating area so enter the 'Steam Cycles' in terrible English is my 3rd language I sort of know style 

Unless you want to design boilers or power stations don't for your own sanity I have long since disposed of this part of my Library. But if you must then something like this would get you started on the basics. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Introduction-to-Engineering-Thermodynamics-Sonntag-Richard-E-Borgnakke-Cla/183339500375?epid=96749091&hash=item2aafe2c357:g:TMsAAOSwYHxWOhnB:rk:35:pf:0

Having another Beer to remove the flashbacks .......

Ever notice how Ash, from Evil Dead/Army of Darkness, was completely insane? Guess what book he had in his trunk. I am pretty sure it was something about Steam.

[AndyC_772]

Shudder this brings back some bad memories of the single worst lecturer throughout my studies.

Interesting; my experience was the same. The subject itself actually wasn't that hard (all things being relative!), but it was taught incredibly poorly.

I'm not convinced that it's a subject which really lends itself to casual interest. If you have a need to design turbines, aircraft, chemical plants or boilers, then it's something you need to invest a great deal of time and effort in, and the maths will burn out your brain. If not, then you'll have a more enjoyable experience satisfying your thirst for knowledge by studying almost anything else.

[coppercone2]

at least you can find a few turbine designers on youtube. Otherwise you got mexican gangsters, moonshine production and big companies.