Tutorials

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Read a written tutorial for each discipline, or watch short walkthroughs that solve real problems from start to finish. Both are updated as AutoTherm grows.

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Written tutorials

One PDF tutorial per discipline.

Step-by-step guides to AutoTherm's tools for each discipline. They open in a new tab, so you can keep them beside the software while you work.

Heat Transfer

Conduction, convection, fins and heat sinks, tube banks and heat exchangers.

Open the PDF tutorial

Fluid Mechanics

Fluid statics, momentum, pipe systems, and external flows and drag.

Open the PDF tutorial

Thermodynamics

First and second law, cycles, psychrometry, air conditioning and combustion.

Open the PDF tutorial

The tutorials are revised as tools are added, so you'll always get the latest version.

Video library

Watch real problems solved, start to finish.

Short walkthroughs organized by discipline, many adapted from standard engineering textbooks. Pick a topic, watch it solved, then try it yourself in AutoTherm.

Basics & Prerequisites

Start here: the tools everything else is built on.

Use of Unit Conversion and Equivalence Tools

Overview of Constants and Parameters

Introduction to AutoTherm’s Math Resources and Tools

Introduction to AutoTherm’s Material Properties

Heat Transfer

Conduction, convection, fins, tube banks and heat exchanger performance.

Conduction Through a Composite Wall

Adapted from Çengel & Ghajar (2020), Ex. 3.2 and 3.3

Conduction with Heat Generation

Adapted from Çengel & Ghajar (2020), Prob. 2-106

Transient Conduction: Lumped Capacity

Transient Conduction with Spatial Variations

Adapted from Çengel & Ghajar (2020), Ex. 4-5 and Prob. 4-111

Heat Sink and Fin Analysis

Adapted from Nellis & Klein (2009), Ex. 1.6-2

Multidimensional Heat Transfer in Common Configurations

Adapted from Çengel & Ghajar (2020), Ex. 3.16

Forced Convection: External Flows

Adapted from Bergman et al. (2016), Ex. 7.4

Flow Across Tube Banks

Adapted from Bergman et al. (2016), Ex. 7.7

Internal Flows

Natural Convection: Inclined Plate Example

Adapted from Nellis & Klein (2009), Ex. 6.2-1

Heat Exchangers: Epsilon-NTU Evaluations and HX Performance Analysis

Fluid Mechanics

Statics, momentum, pipe systems, and external flows and drag.

Hydrostatic Forces on a Plane Surface

Adapted from Chin (2018), Ex. 2.11

Laminar Flow between Parallel Plates

Adapted from Chin (2018), Ex. 5.11

Linear Momentum

Adapted from Chin (2018), Ex. 4.9

Energy Analysis of a Hydraulic Turbine

Adapted from Naylor, Fluid Matters

Internal Flow Analysis of a Pipe System, with Major/Minor Losses and Pump Inclusion

Adapted from Munson et al. (2013), Ex. 8.8

External Flows: Trajectory of a Solid Object

External Flows: Forces on a Moving Vehicle

Adapted from Chin (2018), Prob. 10.46

Thermodynamics

First and second law, cycles, psychrometry, air conditioning and combustion.

1st Law Analysis of Steam Turbines

Adapted from Van Wylen & Sonntag (1973), Ex. 5.10

1st Law Analysis of an Aircraft Engine Diffuser

Adapted from Çengel et al. (2024), Ex. 5.4

1st Law Analysis of an R134a Throttling Valve

Adapted from Çengel et al. (2024), Ex. 5.8

2nd Law Analysis of Heat Engines

Adapted from Çengel et al. (2024), Ex. 6.2

Jet Propulsion Cycle

Psychrometry

Energy Analysis of A/C Processes: Simple Heating of Moist Air

Adapted from Moran et al. (2014), Ex. 12.10

Energy Analysis of A/C Processes: Cooling with Dehumidification

Adapted from Çengel et al. (2024), Ex. 15.7

Combustion Analysis of a Fuel Mixture

Adapted and extended from Moran et al. (2014), Ex. 13.3

Combustion Analysis: Adiabatic Flame Temperature Calculation

Adapted and extended from Manteufel (2019)

Sources

Walkthroughs without a source listed are original problems written for AutoTherm.

  1. Bergman, T. L., Lavine, A. S., Incropera, F. P., & DeWitt, D. P. Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 8th ed. Wiley, 2016.
  2. Çengel, Y. A., & Ghajar, A. J. Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications, 6th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2020.
  3. Çengel, Y. A., Boles, M. A., & Kanoğlu, M. Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach, 10th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2024.
  4. Chin, D. A. Fluid Mechanics for Engineers. Pearson, 2018.
  5. Manteufel, R. “Combustion 3.” Randall Manteufel YouTube channel, 2019. Watch on YouTube
  6. Moran, M. J., Shapiro, H. N., Boettner, D. D., & Bailey, M. B. Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, 8th ed. Wiley, 2014.
  7. Munson, B. R., Okiishi, T. H., Huebsch, W. W., & Rothmayer, A. P. Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, 7th ed. Wiley, 2013.
  8. Naylor, D. Fluid Matters YouTube channel. Watch on YouTube
  9. Nellis, G. F., & Klein, S. A. Heat Transfer. Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  10. Van Wylen, G. J., & Sonntag, R. E. Fundamentals of Classical Thermodynamics. Wiley, 1973.

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