Utilizing Design Sheets In The Design Of Energy And Thermal Systems

In designing an energy system such as a steam power plant or a solar water heating system, an engineer is required to select and size many different components such as pumps, turbines, and solar panels. Proper selection and sizing of these components require understanding of materials covered in basic engineering science courses such as thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. Moreover, the engineer must have knowledge and understanding of the overall system, the role of each component in the system design, and the interactions among different components. In addition, the selection and sizing process must conform to and follow industry standards and recommendations. As a result, many manufacturers provide design sheets to facilitate the design and selection process of their products. Even though the use of design sheet is prevalent in industry, many engineering textbooks in thermal/fluid sciences do not include or even describe them. This paper provides descriptions of some design sheets relevant to design of thermal and energy systems, and how they can be used in courses such as fluid mechanics, design of thermal systems, energy engineering, and energy conversion systems.