This course focuses in the thermal design and optimization of energy systems and components with the twofold objective to improve efficiency and reduce cost of products.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to analyse thermal systems and components by using advanced engineering thermodynamic methods and tools. He will be able to assess the energy performance of systems as well as to perform simple economic analysis and investment evaluation.
Students will be able to identify the process of cost formation of products in a thermal system as well as to locate the source and nature of losses throughout a generic conversion process.
Finally, dealing with thermal design of components, students will be able to optimize shapes and geometry by applying advanced thermodynamic methods.
The course is composed by lessons, where the theoretical aspects are analysed and various applications to relevant systems are presented as well. A relevant part of the course is devoted to project team working using commercial software for the analysis of thermal systems and components.

At the end of this course, students are expected to know the techniques for design, analysis and optimization of thermal systems and their components from the energy and economic point of view: thermoeconomic analysis, estimation of cost of componnets and plants, fundamental of financial mathematics and discounted cash flow analysis, single and multi-objective optimization, design improvement, thermal diagnosis, entropy generation minimization.

Engineering thermodynamics and heat transfer.

Energy and exergy analysis of thermal systems. Exergy cost. Exrgo-economic cost balance. External assessment. Evaluation of the total investment cost of a thermal plant. Cost functions of components. Total cost of a systems.
Fundamentals of financial mathematics. Discounted cash flow analysis. Current and constant currency assumptions. Investment assessment of energy systems: applications to renewable power plants.
Process of cost formation of products in a thermal plant. Design improvement methodology. Possible interventions for increasing the rational utilization of the resources. Detection of the main components to be optimized in design and/or operation.
Optimization techniques: direct and indirect methods. Genetic algorithms. Multi-objective optimization. The Pareto front.
Techniques for the system synthesis: optimization of the system configuration. Synthesis and optimization of a district heating system. Process integration in the industry. Minimum consumption of energy and water.
Optimal design of components. Entropy generation minimization (EGM). Applications to the optimal geometry of devices.

The theoretical topics discussed during the lectures will be deepen by developing selected applications of thermal systems (e.g. energy storage, water dissalation, fuel synthesis). Fossil-based advanced power systems will be investigated as well as renewable systems including solar and biomass energy utilization. Specific modeling tools for the solution of applications will be introduced during lab activities scheduled in the framework of the course.

The students will be provided with material including topics discussed during the lectures and practices.

The eThe exam will be held in written form and it will deal with the topics discussed during the lectures and practices. Moreover, the students are asked to prepare and discuss some reports dealing with the thermal design and optimization of selected energy systems.