Class Date, Time, and Location:
Spring 2008
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 11:00am – 12:30pm
University Research Park, Room B192
Description:
This course provides an assessment of potential for various alternative and appropriate energy technologies to meet regional and global energy demand. It also explores conservation and end-use efficiency improvements that may allow civilization to persist in a sustainable manner. Studies of modern energy resources, extraction techniques, conversion technologies, and end-use applications consistent with a conventional mechanical engineering curriculum will be used as a baseline. Against this baseline, the course introduces the physics, systems, and methods of energy conversion from non-conventional energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, ocean-thermal, biomass, tidal-lunar, hydroelectric, wind, and waves. Advantages and disadvantages of these alternative energy sources and the engineering challenges inherent in harnessing such forms of energy will be covered. Evaluation and analysis of energy technology systems will be taught in the context of achieving civilization’s future economic and environmental goal.
MEEN 4110 is an adopted MEE Energy Technical Elective course, which can be counted toward the B.S. degree in mechanical and energy engineering at UNT. MEEN 5110 is part of the MEE graduate core curriculum and can be counted toward the M.S. degree in mechanical and energy engineering at UNT.
Exams:
There will be a 80-minute midterm exam in class on 2/12/2008.
For MEEN 5110 students, the exam is closed-book, closed-note. MEEN 4110 students may take the exam open-note, open book.
There is no final exam in MEEN 5110/4110
Text Book:
Required: Sustainable Energy - Choosing Among Options
By Tester, J. W., Drake, E. M., Golay, M. W., Driscoll, M. J., and Peters W. A., MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2005.
ISBN-10: 0262201534.
Recommended: Basic Heat and Mass Transfer, 2nd Edition
By Mills, A. F., Prentice Hall, 1999.
ISBN-10: 0130962473
Instructor:
Dr. Matthew J. Traum
Assistant Professor of Mechanical & Energy Engineering
UNT URL: http://www.mee.unt.edu/public/traum/
Personal URL: http://www.mtraum.com
Office Hours:
By Appointment Only
University Research Park
Room F101E
Conact Coordinates:
E-mail: mtraum{at}unt.edu
Office Phone: (940) 565-3446
Course Project
Approximate Prices & Installation Costs for UNT Residential Rooms
UNT Dorm Mattress Specifications
Gradaute Student Modules
Lectures
Module Development Meetings
Homework (optional and not graded)
A significant course project must be completed in MEEN 5110/4110. In the middle of the semester, each student in this class will be assigned to a project team in the Interior Design Program’s Building Systems class (ART 3560). These teams will perform lighting and energy audits of a UNT building. The teams will report their findings in a public presentation at the end of the semester and submit written reports to summarize their results. MEEN 5110/4110 students will receive the same grade on the course project as the ART 3560 students in their team. More details on the course project will be presented toward the middle of the semester.
In the first week of class, each graduate student will take ownership of one course module. Modules represent responsibility to become the class’s expert on two closely related areas of energy technology. Each student must prepare two 70-minute lectures covering topics of interest within their module and present these lectures to the rest of the class. Module work is worth 50 points total, composed of 25 points for each lecture.
Lectures will be graded on their technical rigor, depth of creativity, and quality of professional presentation. All students attending the class will complete peer evaluations for each lecture. Dr. Traum will provide copies of these evaluations as feedback to each presenter to improve performance. While peer evaluations do not directly impact the lecture grades, Dr. Traum will reflect upon these evaluations when assigning scores. If a student fails to deliver an assigned lecture, they will receive a ‘0’ and will be unable to make up the points.
To help students succeed with their lectures and homework assignment development, Dr. Traum will set aside 2 hours per week to meet with the student developing the next calendared module. The meetings will be set in advance at mutually convenient times during the two weeks prior to in-class module presentation. During the module development meetings, students are encouraged to present lecture dry runs to Dr. Traum, discuss development of possible homework questions, and receive help formulating solutions to homework.
The midterm exam will test students' ability to solve problems similar to the homework.
MEEN5110/4110 Homework Assignment
| Lecture# (Date) | Presenter |
| 1 (1/15/2008) |
Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT Course introduction and entry survey Selection of Gradaute Student Modules Lecture: "Definitions of Alternative, Sustainable, Renewable, and Green Energy" |
| 2 (1/17/2008) |
Syllabus Review
Movie: "Kilowatt Ours" by Jeff Barrie Dr. Traum must leave at 11:45pm to attend UNT energy & sustainability faculty/staff group kickoff meeting |
| 3 (1/22/2008) |
Module 1: Conventional Energy Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT |
| 4 (1/24/2008) |
Module 1: Conventional Energy Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT |
| 5 (1/29/2008) |
Module 1: Conventional Energy Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT Thermodynamics Problem Solving Session |
| 6 (1/31/2008) |
Movie: "A Crude Awakening" by Jeff Barrie
Dr. Traum away at Texas Tech for CISER Conference |
| 7 (2/5/2008) |
Module 1: Conventional Energy Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT
Lecture: "Hubbert's Peak and the So-Called Oil Crisis" |
| 8 (2/7/2008) | Movie: "Who Killed The Electric Car?" directed by Chris Paine |
| 9 (2/12/2008) | Midterm Exam |
| 10 (2/14/2008) |
Module 2: Energy Directly From the Sun Photovoltaic Power, Solar-Thermal Heat/Energy, Passive Accumulation Techniques Andrew Judd, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 11 (2/19/2008) | Introduction to Course Project |
| 12 (2/21/2008) |
Module 2: Energy Directly From the Sun Photovoltaic Power, Solar-Thermal Heat/Energy, Passive Accumulation Techniques Andrew Judd, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 13 (2/26/2008) |
Module 3: Biological/Organic Energy Sources Ethanol, Methanol, Bio-diesel, Biomass as a Fuel, Organic Photovoltaic Power Ali Abtahi, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 14 (2/28/2008) |
Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT Thermodynamics Problem Solving Session |
| 15 (3/4/2008) |
Module 3: Biological/Organic Energy Sources Ethanol, Methanol, Bio-diesel, Biomass as a Fuel, Organic Photovoltaic Power Ali Abtahi, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 16 (3/6/2008) |
Module 4: Energy from The Earth Nuclear Power, Geothermal Heat/Energy, Deep Ground Heat Pumps, Ocean Thermal Heat/Power Charles Obuseh, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 17 (3/11/2008) | Students excused from lecture to work on Course Project |
| 18 (3/13/2008) |
Module 4: Energy from The Earth Nuclear Power, Geothermal Heat/Energy, Deep Ground Heat Pumps, Ocean Thermal Heat/Power Charles Obuseh, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 19 (3/25/2008) | Students excused from lecture to work on Course Project |
| 20 (3/27/2008) |
Module 5: Improving End Use Efficiency Lighting, Insulation, Conservation, and Recycling Technology Murielle Dugay, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 21 (4/1/2008) |
Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT Thermodynamics Problem Solving Session |
| 22 (4/3/2008) |
Module 5: Improving End Use Efficiency Lighting, Insulation, Conservation, and Recycling Technology Murielle Dugay, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 23 (4/8/2008) | Students excused from lecture to work on Course Project |
| 24 (4/10/2008) |
Module 6: Energy From Fluid Flows Hydroelectric Power, Wind Power, Tidal-Lunar Power, Capturing Wave Energy Ali Mohiti Asli, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 25 (4/15/2008) |
Dr. Traum, Assistant Professor, MEE Department, UNT Thermodynamics Problem Solving Session |
| 26 (4/17/2008) |
Module 6: Energy From Fluid Flows Hydroelectric Power, Wind Power, Tidal-Lunar Power, Capturing Wave Energy Ali Mohiti Asli, MS Student, MEE Department, UNT |
| 27 (4/22/2008) | Students excused from lecture to work on Course Project |
| 28 (4/24/2008) |
Course Evaluation
Exit Survey
Module 7: The Hydrogen Economy and Energy Storage and Transport |
| 29 (4/29/2008) | Course Project Design Review |
| 30 (5/1/2008) |
Module 7: The Hydrogen Economy and Energy Storage and Transport Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier, Superconducting Grid, Fuel Cells, Batteries Simon Santillanes, Post-baccalaureate Student, MEE Department, UNT |