2009-10 Catalog: Energy Science and Technology

Modeling and forecasting. Heating, transportation, and electricity demand. Historical energy sources: wood and whale oil. Fossil-fuel supplies: oil, natural gas, coal, oil sands, and oil shale. Alternative energy sources: hydroelectric, nuclear, wind, biomass, geothermal, biofuels, waves, ocean thermal, solar photovoltaic, and solar thermal. Thermodynamics of energy conversion: vapor power cycles, combustion, combined cycle, and fuel cells. Transportation systems: internal combustion engines, gas turbines, and electric vehicles. Energy systems: pipelines, rail and water transport, shipping, carbon capture and sequestration, transmission lines and electricity distribution networks. Energy policy: efficiency regulations, biofuels vs food, water impacts, air pollution, and climate.

An in-depth examination of engineering systems to convert, store, transport, and use energy, with emphasis on technologies that reduce or eliminate dependence on fossil fuels and/or emission of greenhouse gases. Topics include thermodynamics of energy conversion, energy resources, stationary power generation (vapor power cycles, combined cycles, solar thermal systems, nuclear fission and fusion, solar photovoltaics, fuel cells, wind), carbon sequestration, alternative fuels (hydrogen, biofuels), and transportation systems (internal combustion engines, gas turbines, fuel cell and electric vehicles). The course will emphasize using quantitative methods to assess and compare different technologies. Taught concurrently with EST/EE/ME 109 ab.

Units to be arranged. Subject matter will change from term to term depending upon staff and student interest, but will generally center on modes of energy storage and conversion.