Introduction to Energy Technologies, Environment and Sustainability

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Analyse complex energy systems. [P12M]
• Compare different engineering technologies from various perspectives. [EA7M, P10m]
• Search and critically review technical literature
• Write an essay on a technical topic. [EA7M]

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Environmental and social impact of energy technologies. [EL8M, EL9M]
• Fundamentals of energy and principles of energy conversion. [SM7M]
• Principles of heat engines, fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, electromechanical generators. [SM7M, EA5M]
• Pros and cons of different renewable energy technologies. [SM8M, EL11M]

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Possess the basic skills to work in energy and related industry or the government. [P10m]

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Think, observe, communicate, evaluate information and data, analyse and solve problems. [G1]

WEEK 0 (16 Lectures) – introduction and fundamentals:

• Intro – Module Explanation. Context – Where We Are Now … Urbanisation, Petropolis …Pollution etc – Concept of Sustainability (Social, Economic and Environmental) - CO2 (3).
• Energy Fundamentals + Heat Engines (5) Definition of heat engines. Principles of heat engines. Types of heat engines: steam engines, internal combustion engines, gas turbine engines, etc. Heat, mechanical work and entropy. Ideal and real engine cycles. Cycle efficiency. Cogeneration. Combustion fundamentals.
• Electrochemical, Electromechanical and Solar Energy Conversion (4) Definitions of batteries, fuel cells, redox flow cells. Principle of fuel cells. Principles of electromechanical energy conversion. Efficiency of electrical networks. Solar radiation. Electromagnetic energy. Solar spectra. Scattering and absorption. The greenhouse effect. Types of solar energy conversion: photosynthesis, thermal electrical conversion, photochemical conversion, photoelectrical

conversion. Introduction to photovoltaic cells. Energy storage.

• Energy from the Environment (4) Importance of renewable energies. Wind power. Hydropower and tidal power. Nuclear fission and fusion. Biomass. Geothermal power. Economics of energy

technologies. Social and environmental impact. Review of fundamental fluid mechanics associated with environmental flows from wind, wave and tide.

WEEK 1-4 (14 Lectures or Equiv.) – policy and economics in energy:

• The Politics Perspective (Clare Saunders, Uni. Exeter).
• Government Policy.
• Other Speakers On Policy.
• Economics of Energy (Guest Lectures / Transport Economics).

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching methods employed in the delivery of this module include:

• Lectures.
• Seminars.
• Demonstrations and video material when appropriate.
• Scheduled tutorials for student groups to develop assignment study.
• Guest lectures.

The learning activities include:

• Individual reading of background material and course texts, plus work on examples.
• Web based problems (via Blackboard).
• Field trips if these can be scheduled with the level of student numbers.

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

Sustainable Energy – without the hot air.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External