How they are applied, calculated, and interpreted is of the utmost importance to any mechanical engineer. In the three following labs, very real and vital situations will be encountered in which the appropriate performance parameters will be calculated. The internal combustion engine remains the backbone of today's society and is justifiably the focus of one of the labs. The two most prevalent types of internal combustion engines are the compression ignition engine and the spark ignition engine. A compression ignition engine is investigated in lab T-2.
Climate control is also a significant contemporary issue.
The processing of cutting edge materials, the development of high speed computers, and the maintenance of comfortable conditions in large buildings all require an understanding of air conditioning principles. To this end a model air conditioning plant will be evaluated in lab T-4. Finally, at the heart of just about every thermodynamic system from refrigeration units to air-turbine power plants is the compressor. An understanding of its operation and performance parameters are essential to the design of more economical and environmentally sound systems than currently exist.