Thermal Engineering

Thermal engineering is a 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. Thermodynamics deals with conversion of heat energy into mechanical, chemical and electrical energy as well as conversion of other energies into heat energy. Thermal Engineers pay attention to every aspect of heat generation and its removal in an electronics system. 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 also 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 help regulate the machine's internal temperature. Devices that use this principle include even computers and car batteries. Eligibility To become a Thermal engineer one should have a postgraduate degree (M.E/M.Tech) in Thermal engineering. Educational Thermal engineering course is mostly offered to students at the postgraduate level. Those who have completed their graduate level (B.E/B.Tech) engineering programs in Mechanical, Automobile, Marine, or Aeronautical engineering streams are eligible to apply for this post graduate program. The basic eligibility criteria for a BE / B.Tech is 10+2 or equivalent examination, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. After the bachelor's one can go in for a Masters degree. Applicants for postgraduate programmes (M.Tech) in Thermal engineering are required to have completed B.E./B.Tech. or equivalent from a recognized University/Institution in related area and he/she has to qualify the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) Entrance Examination. Selection :Selection to the post graduate courses ( M.E/M.Tech ) is based on merit i.e the marks secured in the final exams of B.E./B.Tech course Or on the basis of scores obtained in the entrance exams such as the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) Entrance Examination OR the institutes own separate entrance exams. Some engineering colleges/institutes specify GATE qualification as mandatory even for admission of self-financing students to postgraduate programmes. The candidates have to achieve a good score in the entrance test to get admitted into master's program in Thermal Engineering. Duration : The duration for M.E/M.Tech course is 2 years. Subjects studied under this degree are Energy Conservation and Management, Advanced Thermodynamics, Advanced Heat Transfer, Applied Mathematics for Mechanical Engineers, Refrigeration Systems Design, Environmental Engineering and Pollution Control, Instrumentation in Thermal Engineering, Internal Combustion Engine Design and design of Condensers Evaporators & Cooling Towers. Thermal Engineering exposes students to a wide variety of specialized Mechanical Engineering fields such as Power Plants, Boiler Operations, Energy Development & Utilization, Instrumentation in Thermal Industries, Renewable & Unconventional energy engineering, Waste Heat recovery system, Food Processing & Preservation system. Personal attributes Thermal engineers need to have a good aptitude for the natural sciences, particularly physics, chemistry and mathematics, and should have good analytical and problem-solving ability. They must have numeric skills as math's is an important tool. They must have ability to communicate ideas clearly, both orally and in writing. They also need to have a genuine interest and concern in environmental issues. In addition to the above mentioned requirements- organising ability, practicality, ability to get on well with people of all types and to keep calm under pressure are an asset in the field.