THERMAL ENGINEERING
Introduction
Thermal engineering is that branch of Mechanical Engineering, that encompasses technologies dealing with heating and cooling systems, transfer of heat, and fluid mechanics. In simple words, thermal engineering is a division of engineering that deals with heating or cooling of processes, equipment, or enclosed environments. A thermal engineer is a professional who specializes in a complex field of engineering that focuses on thermodynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and fluid mechanics.
Thermal engineering is concerned with the cautious and purposeful selection of parts and components, with heat removal in mind. An ideal cooling design achieves the desired junction temperatures, is compact in size, low in cost, adaptable enough to fit into system designs. Thermal Engineers pay attention to every aspect of heat generation and its removal in an electronics system. Thermal engineering can also be practiced by mechanical and chemical engineers.Thermodynamics deals with conversion of heat energy into mechanical, chemical and electrical energy as well as conversion of other energies into heat energy. Thermal engineering principles are applied in many areas, including the electric power industry; the automobile industry; and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry.
The principles of thermal engineering are also crucial to the operation of vehicles. The heating and cooling of the car is controlled by thermal management systems integrated into the design. Thermal engineering even offers widespread application in the area of spacecraft propulsion and in other application areas of thermal control. Thermal engineering is important to the design of almost any machine. Mechanical elements and electric circuits generate heat during operation which can often threaten the device. Cooling mechanism helps here to regulate the machine's internal temperature. Devices that use this principle include even computers and car batteries. Thermal engineering course is mostly offered to students at the postgraduate level and also at graduate level. Some of the courses in Thermal engineering are listed below.
List of Courses: -
- Diploma Course in Thermal Engineering
- Bachelor of Engineering in Thermal Engineering
- Bachelor of Technology in Thermal Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Thermal Engineering
- Master of Technology in Thermal Engineering
- Doctor of Philosophy in Thermal Engineering
- Post Graduate Diploma in Thermal Power Plant Engineering
Some of its specialized fields involved are I.C. Engines, Hydroturbomachines, Thermal Turbomachines, Heat Transfer and Thermal Power, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Thermodynamics and Combustion Engineering
Job Prospects
There are a lot of career opportunities in such a field. Engineers from this field are very much employed mostly in production firms or they also have an option for opting as a managerial and executive positions in public and private sectors. Professionals in this career can also opt for teaching jobs in universities and colleges. This field provides lots of opportunities for those one who want to pursue a career as a researcher and as a scholar. Thermal engineering is one of the highly remunerative and challenging fields. Thermal engineers can get job opportunities in both private and public sectors of various types and their work differs by industry and function.
Defense and railways require thermal engineers to assist in maintenance and design of their machinery. Thermal engineers also maintain centers for electric motors, pump sets, oil engines and other manufacturing equipments. The salary for thermal engineers differs on the factors such as qualification, experience and job profile. Some job opportunities are Lecturer, Researcher, Plant Chemist, Piping Designer, Trainee Planner, Graduate Trainee, Maintenance Engineer, Field Service Engineer and Independent Consultants. The eligibility criteria for pursuing a master’s degree are holding a bachelor's degree in (B.E/B.Tech) or any other equivalent branches of engineering. The duration for this course is 2 years.
Eligibility:
For admission in a bachelor’s degree, the candidate must have passed the higher secondary school certificate (10+2) examination with science subjects such as biology, maths and chemistry. For IITs, It is mandatory to qualify in the Joint Entrance Examinations (J.E.E). The duration for this course is 4 years. The eligibility criteria for pursuing a master’s degree are holding a bachelor's degree in (B.E/B.Tech) or any other equivalent branches of engineering. The duration for this course is 2 years.
Job Prospects in Thermal Engineering
There are a lot of career opportunities in this field. Engineers from this field are employed mostly in production firms or they can also opt for managerial and executive positions in public and private sectors. Professionals in this career can also opt for teaching jobs in universities and colleges. This field has lot of opportunities for those who want to pursue a career as a researcher.
Institutes offering Thermal Engineering Course
Thermal Engineering |
Remuneration for Thermal Engineers