THE AIM OF THE COURSE IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH GENERAL CRITERIA AND METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ANALYSIS OF ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS AND OF FLUID MACHINES. AFTER THE COURSE THE STUDENT SHOULD HAVE AN UP-TO-DATE PICTURE OF THE MOST RELEVANT SOLUTIONS TO PRODUCE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL POWER. HE/SHE WILL ACQUIRE THE TOOLS THAT WOULD ENABLE HIM/HER TO SET UP THE ANALYSIS OF THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES AND EVALUATE THEIR PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCY AND POWER. THE STUDENT WILL KNOW THE MOST RELEVANT TYPOLOGY OF MACHINES, THEIR FIELD OF APPLICATION, THE FACTORS AFFECTING PERFOMANCE (I. E. MECHANICAL AND THERMAL STRESSES, CAVITATION, COMPRESSIBILIY EFFECTS). MOREOVER THE STUDENT WILL ACQUIRE THE TOOLS THAT WOULD ENABLE HIM/HER TO EVALUATE MACHINE PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF MASS FLOW, ENTHALPY RISE (OR DROP), EFFICIENCY AND POWER