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Engineering Online

CHE 713 Thermodynamics I

3 Credit Hours

In-depth coverage of chemical engineering thermodynamics and statistical mechanics principles. Relations of microscopic structure and intermolecular forces to macroscopic thermodynamic properties. Application to non-ideal gases, liquids, solids, phase equilibria, and chemical reaction equilibria.

Prerequisite

An undergraduate engineering thermodynamics course emphasizing first and second laws of thermodynamics and related concepts and an undergraduate chemical engineering thermodynamics class emphasizing mixture phase equilibria and chemical reaction equilibria or consent of instructor.

Course Objectives

To present the basic statistical mechanics concepts underlying classical chemical engineering thermodynamics and to cover the latter in more depth than that found in a typical undergraduate course.

By the end of the course the attendees should be able to:

  • Understand microscopic fundamentals of thermodynamics and connection to the statistical mechanics: statistical interpretation of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics; the statistical distribution laws and partition function for canonical, microcanonical, and grand canonical ensembles.
  • Use the full set of thermodynamic functions for non-ideal gases, liquid, and solids systems to carry out thermodynamic calculations, including those for phase coexistence and chemical reactions.
  • Understand the microscopic origin of intermolecular interactions and implications/connections to the macroscopic thermodynamic behaviors.
  • Carry out thermodynamic calculations for non-ideal gases and liquids, including heat capacities of real gases and phase equilibria in liquid mixtures, using statistical thermodynamics.
  • Understand the basis of molecular simulation, including Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo methods.

Course Requirements

– In-term Exams: 50%

– Final Exam: 30%

– Weekly Problems: 20%

Textbooks

  1. K. A. Dill and S. Bromberg. Molecular Driving Forces: Statistical Thermodynamics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Nanoscience. 
  2. S. Shell. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics: An Integrated Approach.
  3. Y. A. Kaznessis. Statistical Thermodynamics and Stochastic Kinetics: An Introduction for Engineers.
Supplemental Reading

Updated: 5/28/2024