Outline

Overview

This unit aims to develop understanding of the engineering design and analysis of different devices and technologies for generating power from renewable sources including: solar, wind, wave, tidal, ocean thermal, geothermal, hydro-electric, and biofuels; to understand the environmental, operational and economic issues associated with each of these technologies. At the end of this unit students will be able to perform in depth technical analysis of different types of renewable energy generation devices using the principles of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer. Students will be able to describe the environmental, economic and operational issues associated with these devices.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	(MECH3260 AND MECH3261) OR (AERO3260 AND AERO3261) OR (MECH9260 AND MECH9261) OR (MECH8260 and MECH8261) OR (AERO9260 AND AERO9261) OR (AERO8260 and AERO8261). Students claiming to have prerequisite knowledge based on study at other institutions must contact the unit of study coordinator before enrolling in this unit and may be required to sit a pre-exam to demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake this advanced level unit.
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	The student will need a sound background in advanced level fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer. In particular, students should be able to analyse fluid flow in turbomachinery; perform first and second law thermodynamic analysis of energy conversion systems, including chemically reacting systems; and perform advanced level calculations of conductive and convective and radiative heat transfer, including radiative spectral analysis.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Michael Kirkpatrick, michael.kirkpatrick@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Michael Kirkpatrick, michael.kirkpatrick@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Vanja Zecevic, vanja.zecevic@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Vassili Issaev, vassili.issaev@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 1 Paper quiz	10%	Week 05	TBA: ~ 40 - 50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 1 Technical assignment	10%	Week 05	~ 3 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 2 Paper quiz	10%	Week 08	TBA: ~ 40 - 50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2 Technical assignment	10%	Week 08	~ 3 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz 3 Paper quiz	10%	Week 11	TBA: ~ 40 - 50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 3 Technical assignment	10%	Week 11	~ 3 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Major Project Design project including milestone reports, presentation and final report.	40%	Week 12	12 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assignment 1 & Quiz 1: Heat transfer in renewable energy applications – analysis of a solar thermal power plant.
Assignment 2 & Quiz 2: Fluid mechanics in renewable energy applications – analysis of a wind farm.
Assignment 3 & Quiz 3: Thermodynamics in renewable energy applications – analysis of a fuel cell for a hydrogen fuel cell car.
Project: The course will involve a major group project that will be undertaken over the course of the semester. The class will be divided into self-managed project teams. The project will involve giving a presentation and the generation of a report.

Note: Assignments 1 - 3 have an associated quiz which is done on the day the assignment is submitted. The quizzes assess skills, knowledge and analysis methods developed during completion of the corresponding assignment. Students who attempt the quiz but do not submit the associated assignment will be awarded zero marks for that quiz.

Reweighting of assessments: Quizzes missed due to circumstances for which special consideration is granted will lead to reweighting of remaining quizzes only (not assignments).

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction; 2. Heat transfer; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 02	1. Solar energy; 2. Heat transfer; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 03	1. Solar energy; 2. Heat transfer; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 04	1. Solar energy; 2. Wind energy; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 05	1. Fluid Mechanics; 2. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 06	1. Energy storage; 2. Fluid Mechanics; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 07	1. Biomass energy; 2. Geothermal energy; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 08	1. Thermodynamics; 2. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 09	1. Hydroelectric energy; 2. Thermodynamics; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 10	1 Ocean energy; 2 Nuclear energy; 3. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 11	1. Guest lecture - Grid Integration; 2. Major Project	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 12	Major Project Presentations	Presentation (4 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Classes have a hybrid format involving lecture / tutorial / major project workshop. This year these will all be done online using Zoom. Quizzes will also run during normal class times. Students should aim to attend all classes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

B. K. Hodge – Alternative Energy Systems and Applications
Myer Kutz – Environmentally Conscious Alternative Energy Production. Wiley, 2007
Bergman, Lavine, Incropera, De Witt, – Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer. Wiley, 6th edition or later
Aldo V. Da Rosa – Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes. Elsevier, 2005
Edward S. Cassedy – Prospects for Sustainable Energy – A Critical Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 2000
Cengel and Boles – Thermodynamics – An Engineering Approach. McGraw-Hill, 5th edition or later

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. perform technical analysis of different types of renewable energy generation devices using the principles of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer
LO2. present balanced and logical arguments with regard to the environmental, economic and operational issues associated with the generation of power using renewable energy devices
LO3. in collaboration with a small team of peers, design a grid-integrated renewable energy solution using multiple renewable energy sources and storage to supply power to the whole of one of Australia's states.
LO4. in collaboration with a small group of peers, develop a computational model of a grid-integrated renewable energy solution involving multiple geographically distributed power stations, using real weather and power demand data as inputs

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Modified approach to analysing power demand data for major project.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MECH5275: Renewable Energy

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect