Joseph Henry Keenan (August 24, 1900 – July 17, 1977) was an American

thermodynamicist In thermodynamics, a thermodynamicist is someone who studies thermodynamic processes and phenomena, i.e. the physics that deal with mechanical action and relations of heat. Among the well-known number of famous thermodynamicists, include Sadi Ca ...

and

mechanical engineer Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations of ...

noted for his work in the calculation of steam tables, research in jet-

rocket propulsion A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...

, and his work in furthering the development in the understanding of the

laws of thermodynamics The laws of thermodynamics are a set of scientific laws which define a group of physical quantities, such as temperature, energy, and entropy, that characterize thermodynamic systems in thermodynamic equilibrium. The laws also use various paramet ...

in the mid 20th century. His classic 1941 textbook ''Thermodynamics'' served as a fundamental teaching tool in various

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

curricula during the 1940s and 1950s. He earned a bachelor's degree in naval architecture and marine engineering at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

in 1922. After working as a design engineer on steam turbines for

General Electric Company The General Electric Company (GEC) was a major British industrial conglomerate involved in consumer and defence electronics, communications, and engineering. The company was founded in 1886, was Britain's largest private employer with over 250 ...

, Keenan became an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the

Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanical ...

in 1928. In 1934, he became an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the

. He was promoted to professor in 1939. He served as Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering from 1958 to 1961. A major portion of Keenan’s career was devoted to the development of accurate tables of the properties of steam, which are vital to the electric power industry. In 1929, he was appointed the U.S. delegate to the First International Conference on the Properties of Steam; he served as delegate in all successive conferences on this subject through the eighth in 1974. In 1965, he published the classic textbook ''Principles of General Thermodynamics'' with

George Hatsopoulos George Nicholas Hatsopoulos (January 7, 1927 – September 20, 2018) was a Greek American mechanical engineer noted for his work in thermodynamics and for having co-founded Thermo Electron. Early life Hatsopoulos was born in Athens, Greece in 192 ...

which was major turning point in thermodynamics since

Gilbert N. Lewis Gilbert Newton Lewis (October 23 or October 25, 1875 – March 23, 1946) was an American physical chemist and a Dean of the College of Chemistry at University of California, Berkeley. Lewis was best known for his discovery of the covalent bond a ...

and

Merle Randall Merle Randall (January 29, 1888 – March 17, 1950) was an American physical chemist famous for his work with Gilbert N. Lewis, over a period of 25 years, in measuring reaction heat of chemical compounds and determining their corresponding free ...

with their 1923 ''Thermodynamics'' textbook. Their now famous version of the

second law of thermodynamics The second law of thermodynamics is a physical law based on universal experience concerning heat and Energy transformation, energy interconversions. One simple statement of the law is that heat always moves from hotter objects to colder objects ( ...

is:

This shows that the second law of thermodynamics can be stated in terms of the existence of stable equilibrium states. He was a fellow of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

and the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...

. He was award the

ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...

Worcester Reed Warner Medal in 1955 for work on thermodynamics and the properties of steam. He was elected to the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...

in 1976. In 2007, an International Thermodynamics Symposium called “meeting the

entropy Entropy is a scientific concept, as well as a measurable physical property, that is most commonly associated with a state of disorder, randomness, or uncertainty. The term and the concept are used in diverse fields, from classical thermodynam ...

challenge” was organized in

M.I.T. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...

in Honor and Memory of Professor Joseph Henry Keenan.Meeting the Entropy Challenge
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References

External links

*http://mit.edu/keenansymposium/aboutjhkeenan/biography/index.html *http://web.mit.edu/hmtl/www/keenan.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Keenan, Joseph Henry 1900 births 1977 deaths Thermodynamicists American mechanical engineers MIT School of Engineering alumni MIT School of Engineering faculty Stevens Institute of Technology faculty Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering Fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 20th-century American engineers

See also

References

External links