Thermal Hydraulics in Power Technology
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this advanced course on the thermo-fluid dynamics of conventional and nuclear power stations. Topics include kinematics and dynamics of two-phase flows, steam separation, boiling behavior, flow instabilities and critical conditions, single-channel transient analysis, multiple channels connected at plena, loop analysis covering single and two-phase natural circulation, and subchannel analysis. The course targets engineering students working on reactor and power plant thermal design, building the analytical tools needed to model heat transfer and fluid behavior inside nuclear cores and conventional boilers. Materials come from MIT's Nuclear Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering departments and follow the standard OCW format of lecture notes, problem sets, and reference materials, free to access with no certificate offered. It suits students who already have a background in fluid mechanics and heat transfer.