Outline

Overview

This unit aims to develop an understanding of the principles of thermodynamics - energy, entropy and exergy balances, and the principles of heat transfer - conductive, convective and radiative heat transfer, and the application of these principles to analysis of engineering and environmental systems. Course content includes: 1) Thermodynamics - energy, entropy and exergy balances for closed and steady flow systems involving pure substances and mixtures, mixing and separation, psychrometry and air-conditioning, and chemically reacting systems, 2) Heat Transfer - thermal circuits, steady state and transient conduction, heat exchangers, forced and natural convection, boiling and radiation. At the end of this unit students will have the ability to apply the principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer to solve a wide range of problems that commonly occur in thermal engineering practice. This will include: 1) thermodynamic analysis of devices such as compressors, turbines, heat exchangers, nozzles and combustors, engines and fuel cells, mixing and separation of gaseous and liquid mixtures and heating, air conditioning and ventilation, and 2) heat transfer analysis of devices such as heat exchangers, fins and solar collectors, industrial processes such as quenching and annealing, buildings and Earth's energy budget. Students will also gain an appreciation for the importance of designing with an aim to reduce energy intensity and minimise emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, in order reduce the impact of engineering projects on the environment.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	MECH9260
Assumed knowledge ?	Fundamentals of thermodynamics are needed to begin this more advanced course
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Michael Kirkpatrick, michael.kirkpatrick@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Michael Kirkpatrick, michael.kirkpatrick@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Supervised exam	60%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Weekly Practice Problems A set of problems to be completed at home each week.	20%	Weekly	5 - 8 pages of calculations
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Weekly Test Yourself Quizzes Short weekly Canvas quiz designed to allow students to gauge progress.	20%	Weekly	Approximately 2 pages of calculations
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Weekly Practice Problems: Submit your own handwritten solutions for the week’s homework problems on Canvas.

Weekly Test Yourself Quizzes: Short online quizzes to allow you to gauge your understanding of the week's material.

Final exam: A two hour supervised exam will be conducted in the exam period. Students must achieve a mark of 40% or greater in the exam to pass the unit.

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 sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Weekly Practice Problems and Test Yourself Quizzes: These must be submitted before the due time on the Canvas site. These are small continuous assessments designed to keep you on track and provide rapid feedback on your progress, so late submissions will not be accepted. Approved special consideration applications will result in a mark adjustment involving reweighting of remaining assessments for the unit.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
STUVAC	Study for the final exam	Independent study (16 hr)
Week 01	T1 Review: Properties, energy, entropy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	T2 Exergy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	T3 Mixtures	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	T4 Air conditioning and Psychrometry	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	T5 Combustion	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	T6 Power cycles	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	H1 Steady state conduction	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	H2 Transient conduction	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	H3 Heat exchangers	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	H4 Forced convection	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	H5 Natural convection	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	H6 Radiation	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Review	Lecture (2 hr)
Weekly	Study the pre-recorded video material and associated sections of textbook. Create your own summary of each week's material. This should be done before the live lecture. 3 - 4 hours per week.	Independent study (40 hr)
Weekly	Complete the weekly homework problems and do the weekly Canvas quiz. 3 - 4 hours per week.	Independent study (40 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Theory videos: Material will be presented with an emphasis on giving students a sound understanding of concepts. It is essential that you study these videos and read associated sections of the textbook before attending the live classes.

Lectures: These sessions will focus on working through one or two example problems that illustrate application of material and analysis methods presented in the pre-recorded videos. Questions and discussion are welcome during these classes. Lectures will be recorded.

Tutorials: Tutors will work through separate tutorial problems with the class. They will use these problems as a vehicle to reinforce the theory and problem solving techniques required for this course. Questions and discussion are welcome during these classes.

Independent Study: Study the pre-recorded videos and read through associated sections of the textbook. I recommend making your own summary of this material, as this will aid in exam preparation at the end of semester. Work through the tutorial problems yourself. Do the weekly homework problems and progress quiz yourself. These tasks are designed to help you stay on track.

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

Cengel & Boles, Thermodynamics - An Engineering Approach (5th or later). McGraw Hill.

Bergman, Lavine, Incropera & De Witt, Fundamentals of Heat & Mass Transfer (6th or later). John Wiley & Sons.

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. Develop an understanding of the principles of thermodynamics including properties of matter, energy, entropy, exergy, 1st and 2nd law analysis, mixtures, chemically reacting systems.
LO2. Apply the principles of thermodynamics to real engineering situations including thermodynamic cycles, air conditioning, combustion and mixing and separation of mixtures.
LO3. Develop an understanding of the principles of heat transfer including steady and transient conduction, forced and natural convection, and radiation.
LO4. Apply the principles of heat transfer to a variety of real engineering situations.
LO5. Predict heat transfer rates and be able to design and size heat transfer equipment such as heat exchangers in order to achieve required heat transfer rates.

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.

This semester I will give a brief summary of the theory from the theory videos at the start of each live lecture.

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

Support for students

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

MECH8260: Thermal Engineering and Environment

Semester 2, 2024 [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

Support for students

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