Learning objectives Project Design of an Energy System & Academic Skills 3
After completion of the project the student can:
- improve an existing power system or design a new system whereby the new or improved system is more sustainable and defend the choices made about the new or improved design.
- formulate a clear research question to the design problem and, based on the research question, search for relevant (scientific) sources.
- interpret conflicting / incomplete information and uncertainties / inaccuracies in the data found.
- combine different disciplines of mechanical engineering (thermodynamics, materials science, environment and social/ethical) to design a new or improved, more sustainable system and justify the choices taking into account all the demands from each subject area.
- perform a life cycle analysis and develop a simulation model for the life cycle of the newly designed or improved system.
- interpret the environmental profiles and compare the old and the new or improved energy system based on their environmental impact.
- determine the impact of the newly designed, more sustainable system and optimize the installation (thermodynamics, materials science, environment and social/ethical).
- concisely reflect on all disciplines of the designed system and present an answer to the main question using relevant tables / graphs.
- apply modelling techniques in the field of thermodynamics and life cycle analysis.
- write a comprehensive technical report with proper literature references and present the essence of the study to a technically-educated client.
|
 |
|
This is a part of module 3, ME 3 Energy and Sustainability of the Bachelor Mechanical Engineering.. See here for the complete description of the module.
Content Project Design of an Energy System and Academic skills 3
The project of module 2 entails the analysis of an energy system for the generation of work (electricity), heat and/or cold. In module 3, the project group will take the role of a project team in a company with the mission to redesign and improve such a system. In so doing, students are expected to seek for a sustainable solution. Building upon the preparatory work in the previous module, this module can provide greater depth.
The new, more sustainable system has to be optimized in such a way that it performs optimal both in technical fields (thermodynamics and materials science) and in the environmental field. Also ethical and social aspects resulting from the stakeholders analysis in module 2 have to be taken into account. A logical and reasoned consideration shall be made with regards to the choice of components, materials and functional application of the system to be designed. Preferably, renewable energy is used or other solutions to make the system sustainable.
The whole has to be presented clearly and coherently in a technical report. The project will conclude with a presentation of the project to the technically knowledgeable supervisor and an oral examination.
In this project the knowledge acquired in previous projects and courses, such as technical thermodynamics, life cycle analysis, modeling and programming, is applied and integrated in order to achieve an new, innovative and sustainable installation. The subject of the project is different every year and relates, if possible, the latest issues in that field. Examples from recent years are:
- The energy independent campus of the UT
- The ice skating rig coupled with a public swimming pool
- The cooling circuit of the UT
- Power and heat for the Grolsch brewery in Enschede
- A sustainable greenhouse for tomatoes
- The municipal waste incinerator of Twece
- A solar tower in Aruba coupled with a desalination plant
- Sustainable Lanzhou (CHN)
- Biomass power and heat for Bielsko-Biała (POL)
- A geothermal power plant for Ambon
Academic skills of Module 3 focuses on the search for scientific information and proper referencing to scientific literature, in combination with writing of a technical report. The comprehensive technical report (with references) has to be written for a technically-educated client. Peer review sessions will be organized to provide feedback on the style of the draft report. Finally the results of the project have to be presented to the technically-educated client.
During the project the students should be capable to work in a group on a complicated project, make a plan of action, divide tasks and communicate the results among each other. The synergy and unity in the final report and presentation should reflect that the group has succeeded in doing so.
This course can only be taken by ME students.
|
|
|