Other Full Semester Energy Courses
Agriculture and Renewable Resources (CHEME 5208) – Cheme 5208 looks at Agricultural Feedstocks as a source of making foods, fuels, energy, and chemicals using the example of sugarcane as a feedstock. The development of these processes are placed in the context of policy, innovation and their social impact, with a look at the triple bottom line. The course evaluation is based on class participation and a group project where the group is to choose a geography, a feedstock, a process and a market that all this will serve.
Physics of Renewable Energy (AEP 5500) – The aim of this graduate class is to build on your knowledge of undergraduate solid state physics and apply it to a microscopic understanding of devices and materials that you will likely encounter in research or advanced industrial settings, with a goal of understanding their ultimate limits, current efficiencies and opportunities for improvement. We will mainly focus of renewable energy applications, but will also cover some traditional semiconductor device geometries and those that can be applied to strongly correlated electron systems.
Renewable Energy Systems (BEE 4010) – Introduces energy systems with emphasis on quantifying costs and designing/optimizing renewable energy systems to convert environmental inputs into useful forms of energy. Covers solar energy, small-scale hydro power, wind, bio-conversion processes, house energy balances, and psychrometric principles as applied to biomass drying. Focuses on the technologies and small-scale system design, not policy issues. Use of spreadsheets is extensive. Personal laptop computers are highly recommended for each class. Class time is often focused on solving weekly homework problems. Required term project that student selects a client and develops a project proposal on a self-selected renewable energy project.
Sustainable Bioenergy Systems (BEE 4870) – Offers a systems approach to understanding renewable bioenergy systems (biomass) and their conversion processes, from various aspects of biology, engineering, environmental impacts, economics, and sustainable development. A large part of the course deepens students’ understanding of bioprocessing with undefined mixed cultures of microbes.
Applied Modeling and Simulation for Renewable Energy Systems (BEE 4880/6880) – This course will provide an applied introduction to modeling, simulation and optimization techniques for various renewable energy systems. The course will be modular in nature. Each module will focus on a particular renewable energy application and relevant modeling/simulation tools. Some modules are independent and some will build on previous modules. The instructional format of the course will include lectures, scientific paper reviews, and some Matlab programming. Students will have an opportunity to apply new techniques to a relevant modeling project. The course will culminate with a modeling project relevant to renewable energy. Undergraduates will work in teams of 2-3 students to complete the term project.
Transportation, Energy & Environmental Systems for Sustainable Development (CEE 4650/6650) – Focuses on the nexus of transportation and environment, energy, and climate-change concerns. It is interdisciplinary, drawing upon transportation, environment, urban planning, statistics, economics, and policy. The course covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of relevant topics including mobile emissions inventory estimation, renewable fuels, air quality impact and life cycle benefit assessment of alternative fuels/vehicles, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and urban sprawl, and congestion mitigation and air quality (CMAQ). Students apply course materials to real-world cases and projects.
Electrical Power Systems I (ECE 4510) – Acquaints students with modern electric power system modeling, analysis and computation. Stresses analysis techniques appropriate for power system modeling, analysis and power flow computation. Topics include transmission line models, transformers and per unit system, generator models, network matrices, power flow analysis and computation, real and reactive power control, voltage control, economic dispatch.
Introduction to Controlled Fusion: Principles and Technology (ECE 4840) – Introduction to the physical principles and various engineering aspects underlying power generation by controlled fusion. Topics include fuels and conditions required for fusion power and basic fusion-reactor concepts; fundamental aspects of plasma physics relevant to fusion plasmas and basic engineering problems for a fusion reactor; and an engineering analysis of proposed magnetic and/or inertial confinement fusion-reactor designs.
Wind Power (MAE 4020) – Main features of energy conversion by wind turbines. Emphasis on characterization of the atmospheric boundary layer, aerodynamics of horizontal axis wind turbines, and performance prediction. Structural effects, power train considerations, siting, and wind farm planning.
Future Energy Systems (MAE 5010) – Critically examines the technology of energy systems that will be acceptable in a world faced with global climate change, local pollution, and declining supplies of oil. The focus is on renewable energy sources (wind, solar, biomass), but other non-carbon-emitting sources (nuclear) and lowered-carbon sources (co-generative gas turbine plants, fuel cells) also are studied. Both the devices and the overall systems are analyzed.
