Robert Balmer

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Mechanical Engineering, Faculty Member

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Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Author of over 60 articles on a variety of engineering and pedagogical topics, published a textbook ("Modern Engineering Thermodynamics," Elsevier, 2011), and is a co-author of a freshman engineering textbook ("Exploring Engineering," Elsevier, 5th ed. 2020). His current research is in the field of electrostatic generation in dielectric fluids. I have an abiding interest in the history of technology and its impact on culture and society.

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Papers by Robert Balmer

Manufacturing Engineering

Elsevier eBooks, 2021

What Do Engineers Do?

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21 St Century Thermodynamics

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, Sep 3, 2020

Milwaukee. He has industrial experience at Westinghouse and DuPont, and is a registered professio... more Milwaukee. He has industrial experience at Westinghouse and DuPont, and is a registered professional engineer. Dr. Balmer has BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering and a BS degree in Engineering Mathematics from the University of Michigan, and an ScD degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia. He is the author of over 60 articles on a variety of theoretical and experimental engineering topics, and published an Engineering Thermodynamics textbook in 1990. His current research includes engineering education pedagogical research, the study of electrostatic energy generation in moving dielectric materials, and general applications of non-equilibrium thermodynamics.

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An Entropy Model for Biological Systems Entropy

Chemical Engineering Communications, Dec 1, 1984

The similarity between the entropy balance equation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics and the c... more The similarity between the entropy balance equation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics and the classical balance equations of chemical reaction kinetics or allometric biological growth models is used to construct an entropy model for biological systems. In this model the entropy transport rate is assumed to be proportional to surface area and the entropy production rate is assumed to

Design Step 5. Design Defense

Elsevier eBooks, 2013

Prepare to orally defend your design before a “jury.” The jury wants to know: Did the team adhere... more Prepare to orally defend your design before a “jury.” The jury wants to know: Did the team adhere to a systematic design approach? How does the final concept work? What level of risk is associated with this design? Do the students appear to be teaming effectively with each other? Prepare the right number of salient slides.

More Thermodynamic Relations

Second Law of Thermodynamics and Entropy Transport and Production Mechanisms

The Personal Computer in Mechanical Engineering Thermodynamics Courses

Engineering education, 1986

Design Step 8. Design Report

It's easy to neglect the final report. Don't! Organization of the report includes these s... more It's easy to neglect the final report. Don't! Organization of the report includes these sections: title and authors; table of contents (with page numbers); list of individual contributions to the report; problem definition; design requirements; conceptual design; alternative concepts; evaluation of alternatives; selection of a concept; detailed design; main features and how it works; results of analysis, experiments, and models; manufacturing details; performance evaluation; and lessons learned.

A study of the shear viscosity of human whole saliva

Rheologica Acta, May 1, 1980

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Vapor and Gas Power Cycles

Thermodynamic Properties

Second Law Closed System Applications

Elsevier eBooks, 2011

Design Step 4

On line minicomputer data processing of scanning laser Doppler anemometer signals

asme, Dec 1, 1976

A high speed on-line minicomputer data processing system has been developed for the analysis of s... more A high speed on-line minicomputer data processing system has been developed for the analysis of scanning laser Doppler anemometer signals. Both transient and steady state laminar and turbulent velocity profile measurements can be directly obtained. A compact mechanical laser Doppler anemometer scanning system has been developed which moves the scattering volume of the dual beam mode at a high speed

First Law Open System Applications

Elsevier eBooks, 2011

Smart Cars" And Freshman Engineering

The engineering programs at Union College draw heavily upon its two-century old tradition in the ... more The engineering programs at Union College draw heavily upon its two-century old tradition in the liberal arts, believing engineering to be an appropriate part of a liberal education for an increasingly complex technological world. Founded in 1795, Union College has a long tradition of innovation in its science and engineering programs. It was among the first college to offer chemistry (1809), to create a bachelor's degree in science and mathematics (1822), to establish a degree program in engineering within a liberal arts context (1845), and to establish an Electrical Engineering department (1895). The introductory engineering course described in this paper was designed to help entering freshman engineering students make the transition to college level work, and to offer liberal arts students an exposure to engineering that would help fill their breadth requirement. The theme chosen to accomplish these goals is "Smart Cars." The students are introduced to the engineering areas in which they can major at Union College (mechanical, electrical, and computer) in three ways. First, in two lecture hours per week, the students study traditional analytical areas such as unit systems, energy conversion, electric circuits, computers, and control systems. Second, in one three-hour design studio each week, the students carry out hands-on design exercises. The basic principles of design are taught, the role of ethics is introduced, and the students form competitive teams that build devices that utilize course principles. Following the "Smart Cars" theme, a headto-head end-of-term team competition involves building a powered and controlled model vehicle. Phases of the design and construction process (such as choosing gear ratios) are tied to lecture topics. The third part of the course takes advantage of Union College's location in a high tech geographical area. External lecturers are invited to make presentations on leading edge technologies consistent with Union's Converging Technologies initiative (nanotechnology, bioengineering, mechatronics, and pervasive computing). These lectures are intended to motivate and excite interest in modern engineering and technology rather than convey testable material. The integration of these elements-basic principles for several disciplines, teaming, ethics, handson design experience, and inclusion of non-engineering majors-are all consistent with ABET Criteria 2000 for undergraduate engineering programs.

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Critical size of newborn homeotherms

Journal of Applied Physiology, Apr 1, 1977

It is shown that for cylindrical and spherical bodies there is a critical radius below which the ... more It is shown that for cylindrical and spherical bodies there is a critical radius below which the addition of any form of insulation to the body will increase rather than decrease the cooling of the body. It is proposed, therefore, that it would be thermally detrimental to newborn homeotherms to be born with a protective covering (fur or down) if their body size were less than this critical size, and consequently that the degree of natal covering is not necessarily related to the overall development of the species when the birth size is less than this critical size. A critical weight is derived from the critical radius for basically spherical animals which compares favorably with typical birth weights of various altricial homeotherms. The effect of the overall conductive-convective heat transfer caused by a basically cylindrical animal rolling up into a ball is also discussed.

Thermodynamic Concepts

Elsevier eBooks, 2011

Systematic approach to ethical decision making using matrices

With origins in the decision matrices used to choose between competing alternative designs, the E... more With origins in the decision matrices used to choose between competing alternative designs, the Ethical Decision Matrix is a practical way to ensure that a student will use a systematic approach in engineering ethical situations and at least reflect on a broad range of considerations. Alternative ethical solutions are evaluated using a subset of the professional canon of ethics from the National Society of Professional Engineers. The columns of the decision matrix correspond to the alternative ethical solutions; the rows correspond to the canons. The students fill in the matrix blanks with a "yes", "no" or "maybe" (with perhaps a few words of explanation) to indicate if the solution is consistent with a particular canon. A process for introducing this method to students is described and illustrated for the case of an engineer who feels design changes may have compromised the safety of a bridge.

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Manufacturing Engineering

Elsevier eBooks, 2021