Glossary
to accompany
Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach, 5th edition
by Yunus A. Çengel and Michael A. Boles11Convected energy (see flow work)
Convection is the mode of energy transfer between a solid surface and the adjacent fluid
that is in motion, and it involves the combined effects of conduction and fluid motion.
Convection heat transfer coefficient is the experimentally determined parameter that is
the ratio of the rate of convection heat transfer and the product of the heat transfer area
and surface to bulk fluid temperature.
Converging–diverging nozzle, also called Laval nozzle after Carl G. B. de Laval, is a
duct in which the flow area first decreases and then increases in the direction of the flow
and is used to accelerate gases to supersonic speeds.
Cooling capacity is the rate of heat removal from the refrigerated space by a
refrigeration system.
Cooling pond is a large lake open to the atmosphere into which warm water containing
waste heat is pumped. Heat transfer from the pond surface to the atmosphere is very
slow; thus, the cooling pond requires much more surface area than that of a spray pond to
achieve the same cooling.
Criterion for chemical equilibrium is the equation set equal to zero that involves the
stoichiometric coefficients and the molar Gibbs functions of the reactants and the
products in the equilibrium reaction.
Critical point is defined as the point at which the saturated liquid and saturated vapor
states are identical.
Critical pressure Pcr is the pressure of a substance at the critical point.
Critical properties are the properties of a fluid at a location where the Mach number is
unity.
Critical ratios are the ratios of the stagnation to static properties when the Mach number
is unity.
Critical temperature Tcr is the temperature of a substance at the critical point.
Critical volume vcr is the volume of a substance at the critical point.
Cutoff ratio rc is the ratio of the cylinder volumes after and before the combustion
process in the Diesel cycle.