Mechanical Engineering
4 courses available.
Thermodynamics, heat transfer, HVAC, control systems, and materials. All courses are aligned with the latest P.Eng. exam requirements across Canadian provincial bodies.
Thermodynamic cycles and heat transfer mechanisms underpin the design of everything from power plants to HVAC systems. This course reviews the fundamental laws of thermodynamics and applies them to key engineering cycles including Rankine, Otto, Diesel, Brayton, and vapour compression refrigeration. The heat transfer portion covers conduction, convection, and radiation in both steady and transient conditions, with practical application to heat exchanger design.
Main topics covered
- Fundamental laws of thermodynamics and psychrometrics
- Ideal gas compressor cycle analysis
- Rankine, Otto, Diesel, and Brayton cycle performance
- Vapour compression refrigeration cycle
- Steady and transient conduction heat transfer
- Natural and forced convection analysis
- Radiation heat transfer fundamentals
- Thermal analysis of heat exchangers
Building systems engineers must balance thermal comfort, acoustic quality, and energy performance. This course covers the full scope of HVAC system design from psychrometrics through duct and piping layout, followed by noise control principles for building environments, and structured approaches to energy auditing and management. You will be prepared to design and evaluate building mechanical systems across all three of these disciplines.
Main topics covered
- Psychrometrics, heating and cooling load calculations
- Comfort, ventilation, and room air distribution
- Humidification, dehumidification, duct and fan design
- Piping, pump design, and refrigeration systems
- Sound wave characteristics and noise measurement
- Noise absorption, transmission, and control in buildings
- Energy usage analysis and building control systems
- Engineering/economic analysis and energy audit procedures
Control theory bridges the gap between mechanical system design and real-world dynamic behavior. This course develops mathematical models for mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, and thermal systems and analyzes their response using block diagrams, transfer functions, and frequency response methods. You will apply classical stability criteria and design simple compensation elements to improve system response, finishing with proportional, integral, and derivative control theory.
Main topics covered
- Open-loop and feedback control fundamentals
- Mathematical models of mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical components
- Block diagrams, transfer functions, and servomechanism response
- Frequency response and Bode diagram analysis
- Stability analysis and stability criteria
- System response improvement via compensating elements
- Proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) control theory
Structural integrity analysis goes well beyond basic mechanics. Real engineering problems involve complex stress states, failure assessment, and energy-based methods. This course covers advanced stress-strain analysis including principal stresses, Mohr's circles, and generalized Hooke's law, then extends to failure theories, column buckling, thick-walled cylinders, and introductory fracture mechanics. Energy methods including Castigliano's theorem are developed and applied to statically indeterminate problems.
Main topics covered
- Stress and strain transformations, principal stresses, and Mohr's circles
- Generalized Hooke's law including thermal strains
- Equations of equilibrium, compatibility, and failure theories
- Euler buckling loads, curved beams, thick-walled cylinders, and rotating disks
- Contact stresses, stress concentrations, and introductory fracture mechanics
- Strain energy principles and virtual work
- Castigliano's theorem applied to axial, bending, and torsional problems
- Applications to statically indeterminate structures