Academic management

This subject belongs to the Specific Technologies module, within the Energy&Environment subject. Its character is Mandatory. This module preferably works on the application of knowledge from the different disciplines, acquired in the previous module, to solve real situations and problems in various fields of Industrial Engineering.

It is mandatory since the concepts and skills presented are necessary for the training of engineers, not only during their study of future subjects, but also in their professional career. Thus, the study of the subject will provide the students a solid theoretical and experimental foundation, based on analysis, design and laboratory experiences attractive for the industry. The acquired knowledge is fundamental in matters such as power generation plants, vehicles, heating and refrigeration systems, alternative energy sources, environmental engineering, etc.

The course comprises 225 hours of student personal work, of which approximately 40% correspond to face-to-face sessions (expository classes, practices, seminars, use of the Virtual Campus and evaluation sessions) and the remaining 60% of them requiring individual work (use of the Virtual Campus and personal work).

The contents of the subject are divided in four blocks:

• Block I: Applied Heat Transfer
• Block II: Thermal Equipment
• Block III: Turbomachines
• Block IV: Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines

To study this subject, it is highly recommended that the students have passed the Thermal Engineering course taught in the second year.

Likewise, they must master the concepts of Mechanics and Thermodynamics that are taught in the first year. It is also convenient that they have assimilated the basic knowledge in Calculus, Linear Algebra and Mathematical Methods that are taught in the first year.

With this subject it is intended that students acquire the following general competencies:

• Ability to write and develop projects in the field of industrial engineering whose purpose is the construction, reform, repair, conservation, demolition, manufacture, installation, assembly or exploitation of: structures, mechanical equipment, energy installations, electrical installations and electronic, industrial facilities and plants and manufacturing and automation processes (CG1).
• Ability to direct the activities that are the object of the engineering projects described in the previous section (CG2).
• Knowledge of basic and technological subjects, which enables them to learn new methods and theories, and equips them with versatility to adapt to new situations (CG3).
• Ability to solve problems with initiative, decision making, creativity and critical reasoning (CG4).
• Ability to communicate and transmit knowledge, abilities and skills in the field of Industrial Engineering, both orally and in writing, and to all kinds of audiences (CG5)
• Knowledge for carrying out measurements, calculations, evaluations, appraisals, surveys, studies, reports, work plans and other similar works (CG6).
• Ability to manage specifications, regulations and mandatory standards (CG7).
• Ability to analyze and assess the social and environmental impact of technical solutions (CG8).
• Knowledge, understanding and ability to apply the necessary legislation in the exercise of the profession of Industrial Technical Engineer (CG12).
• Capacity for the prevention of occupational risks and protection of the health and safety of workers and users (CG13).
• Honesty, responsibility, ethical commitment and solidarity spirit (CG14)
• Ability to work in a team (CG15)

As common competencies to the industrial branch:

• Knowledge of applied thermodynamics and heat transfer. Basic principles and their application to solving engineering problems. (CC-1)

The following specific competencies will be acquired:

• CM3: Applied knowledge of thermal engineering.
• CM6: Applied knowledge of the fundamentals of fluid-mechanical systems and machines.

  The learning outcomes that the students will obtain if they pass this subject are the following:

• REM-1: Propose models expressed through differential equations that re-produce a heat transfer problem
• REM-2: Know the fundamental energy equations on which thermal machines are based
• REM-3: Establish relationships between surfaces that exchange heat for radiation in participating and non-participating media
• REM-4: Know and basically design heat exchangers with and without phase change
• REM-5: Know and evaluate the main equipment and systems of heat production through combustion
• REM-6: Understand and resolve issues related to ignition ignition, compression ignition, steam turbines and gas turbines
• REM-7: Understand and resolve issues related to combined cycle and cogeneration facilities.

Block I: Applied Heat Transfer

• Unit 1.- Convection. Correlations.
• Unit 2.- Phase change: boiling and condensation.
• Unit 3.- Radiation in a non-participating environment.
• Unit 4.- Heat exchangers.
• Unit 5.- Thermal design of heat exchangers.

Block II: Thermal equipment

• Unit 6.- Combustion.
• Unit 7.- Steam generators. Overview.
• Unit 8.- Vaporization and steam separation.
• Unit 9.- Superheaters, reheaters and economizers.
• Unit 10.- Air heaters.
• Unit 11.- Condenser and circulation water.
• Unit 12.- Condensed water and feed water.

Block III: Turbomachines

• Unit 13.- Analysis of thermodynamic cycles.
• Unit 14.- Theoretical study. Energy transfer equations.
• Unit 15.- Losses in turbines.
• Unit 16.- Power regulation.
• Unit 17.- Construction characteristics of turbomachines.

Block IV: Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines

• Unit 18.- General characteristics.
• Unit 19.- Study of diagrams.
• Unit 20.- Characteristic parameters.
• Unit 21.- RICE constructive characteristics.

The subject’s teaching methodology includes assistance to the university as well as individual work from the students.

Sessions at the university are divided into:

1. One-hour lectures and seminars, in which a general outlook of each topic’s contents is presented, completed by problem solving.
2. Two-hour computer and laboratory practices. Each student will make a total of 10 sessions of this kind as part of continuous assessment.
3. Three-hour tutorial in small groups, dedicated to solving doubts, reviewing and complementary activities related to the contents of the subject, being part of continuous assessment.

On the other hand, students must spend a number of self-study hours to improve their comprehension on the subject. This work will consist in activities from the Virtual Campus (theoretical fundamentals’ reading, online tests, participation in debate forum, additional material, etc.), as well as autonomous work.

The tables below shows the estimated number of hours that students must dedicate to the study of each part of the subject, as well as the assistance and non-assistance percentage on the total number of hours. At the end of the course, every student will have devoted 225 hours for the subject’s preparation.

Exceptionally, if sanitary conditions require it, online teaching activities can be included. In that case, the students will be informed of the changes made.

Ordinary call assessment consists of:    

The written face-to-face exam will be approximately 4 hours long, in which tests, theoretical questions and/or practical exercises will be asked (in the case of tests, incorrect answers will be penalized) corresponding to blocks I, II, III and IV. The mark obtained will be the average of those obtained in the mentioned blocks. The minimum score to average will be 3 points out of 10 in each of the blocks examined. The minimum score to average with the practical part will be 3.5 points out of 10. The weight of the exam in the final grade will be 70%. Assessment corresponds to learning outcomes REM-1 through REM-7.

Practices and face-to-face seminars will have a weight in the final grade of 30%. The active participation of the student in the development of the subject will be scored through the activities that the student performs both in the practical classroom and on the Virtual Campus. The evaluation of this part also corresponds to learning outcomes REM-1 to REM-7. The grade obtained will be the average of the activities evaluated, requiring a minimum grade of 5 points out of 10. The practical grade will be valid for the calls of the academic year in which it was obtained (January, May and July).

Failure to meet any of the established minimums, the final grade will not exceed 4.9 points in any case.

Extraordinary call assessments:

Those students who have not passed the subject through the ordinary evaluation process, will have the right to make the extraordinary call, consisting of a written exam of approximately 4 hours. The minimum average score will be 3 points out of 10 in each of the blocks examined. The minimum score to average with the practice part will be 3.5 points out of 10. The weight of this part in the final grade will be 70%. Assessment corresponds to learning outcomes REM-1 through REM-7.

Failure to meet any of the established minimums, the final grade will not exceed 4.9 points in any case.

Differentiated Evaluation

The differentiated assessment in the course will consist of the following tests:

1. A final written exam that will be held on the official date that the EPI schedules for the other students of the subject. This exam has a weight of 70% on the final grade of the subject.

2. A final exam that replaces continuous assessment. This exam will consist of the resolution of a questionnaire in which tests, theoretical questions and/or practical exercises will be asked (in the case of tests, incorrect answers will be penalized) regarding the contents of the practices. It will take place on the same date as the official written final exam and will last 4 hours. It represents 30% of the final grade for the course.

Materials allowed in the exams:

• calculator
• air and steam tables for solving turbomachinery problems
• Tables and graphs for solving heat transmission problems that will be available on the Virtual Campus

Serious offenses are considered:

• Ignorance of the system of units used.
• The use of temperature scales other than absolute (Kelvin) in those expressions that require the use of the latter.
• The presence of any type of annotations in the tables.

These absences mean a minimum grade in the exercise or even failure in the exam. The readability of the exam is a basic condition for its evaluation. The orthographic rules of the Royal Academy of Language are compulsory.

Exceptionally, if sanitary conditions require it, online assessment methods can be included. In that case, the students will be informed of the changes made.

The students will have in the Virtual Campus specific teaching material for the lectures and seminars, as well as the necessary material for the computer and laboratory practices. Besides, they must look up some of the following references:

Basic references:?

• Thermodynamics, an engineering approach. Yunus Çengel y Michael Boles. Publisher: McGraw-Hill?
• Fundamentals of heat and mass transfer. Incropera, De Witt, Bergman and Lavine. Publisher: John Wiley and sons?
• Power plant technology. El-Wakil, M.M. (1984) New York: McGraw-Hill
• Turbomachinery. Design and Theory (2003). Gorla & Khan. Publisher: Marcel Dekker, Inc.?
• Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers and Cooling Towers: Thermal-Flow Performance Evaluation and Design, Vol. 2 por Detlev G.?
• Combined-Cycle Gas & Steam Turbine Power Plants. Rolf Kehlhofer?
• Internal combustion engine fundamentals. Heywood, J. B. (1988). New York: Mcgraw-hill.?

Additional references:?

• Transferencia de Calor, Apuntes. Prieto M.M., Suárez, I. Publisher: ediuno?
• Steam. Its generation and use. Stulz, S.C.; Kito J.B. (edt.) (1992) (40º ed.). New York: Babcock & Wilcox Co.?
• Modern electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles: fundamentals, theory, and design. Ehsani, M., Gao, Y., & Emadi, A. (2009). CRC press.