10
A Theory of Heat as Prelude
to Engineering Thermodynamics
Abstract
Profitable handling of extracted energy in accordance with the energy conversion
doctrine has served well expediency for industrialization. Despite that success,
this disquisition refutes the energy conversion doctrine in favor of
entropy-growth-potential-centric (EGP-centric) approach that is necessary for
achieving efficiency rather than expediency. With the new theory of heat, this
chapter outlines a philosophical prelude to engineering application of thermodynamics. Though decision is made to separate the project of a textbook on
engineering thermodynamics from this disquisition so that details of the textbook
project will be worked out after further deliberation, such an engineering
thermodynamics text will articulate the distinctive characterization of engineering in terms of physical necessity and causal necessity. It is also anticipated that
causal necessity addressed in the textbook project will incorporate solutions, in
addition to conventional energy solutions, based on natural EGP, i.e., renewable
energy sources (RESs).
Keywords
Engineering thermodynamics Á Heat transfer equation versus energy equation for
open systems involving shaft work Á Physical necessity Á Determinism Á Causal
necessity Á Causal necessity and engineering for efficiency
10.1 Engineering Thermodynamics
From the very beginning, I have made the point that for understanding heat and
energy it is necessary to consider an energy system to be an interacting system
(including the possibility of the triad of system, driving force, and a surroundings
reservoir in interaction) rather than a mere object and to treat the system in terms of
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L.-S. Wang, A Treatise of Heat and Energy, Mechanical Engineering Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05746-6_10
275
A Theory of Heat as Prelude
to Engineering Thermodynamics
Abstract
Profitable handling of extracted energy in accordance with the energy conversion
doctrine has served well expediency for industrialization. Despite that success,
this disquisition refutes the energy conversion doctrine in favor of
entropy-growth-potential-centric (EGP-centric) approach that is necessary for
achieving efficiency rather than expediency. With the new theory of heat, this
chapter outlines a philosophical prelude to engineering application of thermodynamics. Though decision is made to separate the project of a textbook on
engineering thermodynamics from this disquisition so that details of the textbook
project will be worked out after further deliberation, such an engineering
thermodynamics text will articulate the distinctive characterization of engineering in terms of physical necessity and causal necessity. It is also anticipated that
causal necessity addressed in the textbook project will incorporate solutions, in
addition to conventional energy solutions, based on natural EGP, i.e., renewable
energy sources (RESs).
Keywords
Engineering thermodynamics Á Heat transfer equation versus energy equation for
open systems involving shaft work Á Physical necessity Á Determinism Á Causal
necessity Á Causal necessity and engineering for efficiency
10.1 Engineering Thermodynamics
From the very beginning, I have made the point that for understanding heat and
energy it is necessary to consider an energy system to be an interacting system
(including the possibility of the triad of system, driving force, and a surroundings
reservoir in interaction) rather than a mere object and to treat the system in terms of
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L.-S. Wang, A Treatise of Heat and Energy, Mechanical Engineering Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05746-6_10
275