This course provides a wide variety of present energy conversion technologies by lecturing on the chemical energy and its conversion, thermodynamics of combustion, advanced fuel cells and secondary batteries, engine cycles, cogeneration systems, CO2 sequestration technology etc.
Modern mechanical engineers need to deal with a variety of energy conversion technologies and to go back to the basics of the conversion principles in order to become game changers. The aim of this course is for students to obtain fundamental basics to tackle with the global environmental and energy problems - the common issues for human beings - by understanding the principles and by learning the up-to-date applications, opportunities and challenges.
By the end of the course, students will be able to
1) explain the fundamental ideas of energy conversion and related fundamentals of the principle of energy
2) explain the fundamental ideas of combustion, chemical reaction, and electrochemical reaction that are essential to understand the modern energy conversion technology
3) explain the fundamental ideas and the applications of the internal combustion engine, high efficiency electric power generation technology with low environmental load, fuel cells, secondary batteries, and cogeneration systems that draw the highest attention among energy conversion technology in Japan
4) explain the fundamental ideas and applications of the renewable energy and CO2 sequestration technology that are the key to the future energy conversion technology
5) explain the above technology from the viewpoint of global environmental and energy problems.
Energy conversion, Combustion, Chemical reaction, Electrochemical reaction, Internal combustion engine, High efficiency electric power generation technology with low environmental load, Fuel cells, Secondary batteries, Cogeneration systems, Renewable energy, CO2 sequestration technology
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
The course mainly consists of lectures, and exercise problems shall be provided along with each topic.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Introduction (About the energy conversion) | To understand the importance of energy conversion on the environmental protection and efficient use of energy |
Class 2 | Chemical energy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy | To understand the chemical energy and its relationship among other form of energy from thermodynamics |
Class 3 | Hydrogen production and chemical equilibrium | To understand the hydrogen-based efficient energy utilization, hydrogen production and chemical equilibrium |
Class 4 | Chemical reaction | To understand the fundamentals of chemical reactions, such as combustion or reforming |
Class 5 | Electrochemical reaction | To understand the chemical reaction associated with the electron transfer in electrochemical cells |
Class 6 | Fuel cell and secondary battery | To understand the chemical to electrical energy conversion and the fundamentals and applications of electric power storage |
Class 7 | Thermodynamics of combustion, gas / liquid / solid combustion, air pollution and its prevention | To understand the combustion fundamentals and air pollution prevention technology |
Class 8 | Heat of reaction and adiabatic flame temperature | To understand and calculate the heat of reaction and adiabatic flame temperature |
Class 9 | Internal combustion engine (Practical reciprocating engine) | To understand the various cycles and the control of reciprocating engine |
Class 10 | Internal combustion engine (Practical gas turbine) | To understand the cycles and basic principles of gas turbine |
Class 11 | High efficiency electric power generation systems with low environmental load | To understand the high efficiency electric power generation systems, such as combined cycles and coal gasification power plant |
Class 12 | CO2 sequestration technology | To understand the underground CO2 sequestration and enhanced oil recovery technology |
Class 13 | Cogeneration systems | To understand the mechanism and control of heat and work cogeneration systems |
Class 14 | Renewable energy | To understand the basics and the present of solar, wind and biomass energy |
Class 15 | Review of energy conversion | Comprehensive understanding of the energy conversion technology |
Relevant materials shall be provided in classroom if necessary
JSME Textbook Series, "Thermodynamics", The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (in Japanese)
Knowledge and understanding of each lecture items shall be evaluated; midterm and final exams (80%), exercise problems (20%).
Students must have successfully completed Thermodynamics (Mechanical Engineering) (MEC.E201.R), Heat Transfer (MEC.E311.A), Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics (MEC.F201.R), and Practical Fluid Mechanics (MEC.F211.A) or have equivalent knowledge, understanding and skills.