A Rankine Cycle Design Project for Assessment of ABET Student Outcome #1

Andrew Lutz

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Mechanical Engineering: Thermodynamics
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41244
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41244
Download Count: 913

Paper Authors

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Andrew Lutz St. Ambrose University

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Andrew Lutz received his BSME in 2006 from Western New England College before earning his MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont in 2011 and 2015 respectively. Andrew worked as a Product Design Engineer and Project Manager at Suss Microtec from 2006 to 2008. He currently teaches at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA, where he holds the rank of Associate Professor. In 2019 - 2020, Andrew served as Interim Chair of the Engineering and Physics Department at St. Ambrose University.

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Abstract

This paper introduces a Rankine Cycle design project developed for assessment of ABET Student Outcome #1. This instrument was first implemented within an Applied Thermodynamics course, which enrolls 3rd and 4th year Mechanical Engineering students, and is the second class in a thermodynamics sequence at St. Ambrose University. In this course, students learn to program within the Interactive Thermodynamics environment, which is a simple and elegant software package developed to solve classical thermodynamics problems. One advantage of the software is that it can quickly and efficiently analyze complex thermodynamics processes, systems, and cycles. Generally, these same problems are very time-consuming when analyzed “by hand” due to the extensive use of look-up tables and manual interpolation schemes. Moreover, the software can easily perform parametric studies, which allows students to vary system conditions, reveal important relationships among the operating parameters, and gain valuable insight into the overall system behavior. This project requires students to design the layout and thermodynamic conditions of a power plant operating on a Rankine Cycle within the provided set of constraints. Students may choose to use reheat and regeneration processes within their designs to improve cycle performance but must choose components from a defined catalog of options. Each component has an associated cost, environmental impact score, and if necessary, isentropic efficiency. Ultimately, each submitted design receives a score based on its ability to maximize the thermal efficiency and net work produced while minimizing cost and environmental impact. The project compels students to develop multiple designs, use engineering judgement to evaluate tradeoffs, and attempt to optimize the four scoring parameters simultaneously. A portion of each student’s project grade results from the relative overall score of his or her design versus all others submitted within the class. This direct link between design and final grade serves to encourage competition, discourage unapproved collaboration, and replicate product development conditions in industry in which a competitor’s approach is often not known. In addition to a schematic and diagram of the final cycle layout and operating conditions, students also must submit a short report justifying their final design by explaining how they identified, formulated, and solved this complex engineering problem. This report served as an instrument with which to assess ABET Student Outcome #1 directly. This paper details the constraints of the problem, the approach students took to solve it, and the lessons learned from implementing it as an assessment instrument.

Citation
Format

Lutz, A. (2022, August), A Rankine Cycle Design Project for Assessment of ABET Student Outcome #1 Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41244

TY - CPAPER
AB - This paper introduces a Rankine Cycle design project developed for assessment of ABET Student Outcome #1. This instrument was first implemented within an Applied Thermodynamics course, which enrolls 3rd and 4th year Mechanical Engineering students, and is the second class in a thermodynamics sequence at St. Ambrose University. In this course, students learn to program within the Interactive Thermodynamics environment, which is a simple and elegant software package developed to solve classical thermodynamics problems. One advantage of the software is that it can quickly and efficiently analyze complex thermodynamics processes, systems, and cycles. Generally, these same problems are very time-consuming when analyzed “by hand” due to the extensive use of look-up tables and manual interpolation schemes. Moreover, the software can easily perform parametric studies, which allows students to vary system conditions, reveal important relationships among the operating parameters, and gain valuable insight into the overall system behavior. This project requires students to design the layout and thermodynamic conditions of a power plant operating on a Rankine Cycle within the provided set of constraints. Students may choose to use reheat and regeneration processes within their designs to improve cycle performance but must choose components from a defined catalog of options. Each component has an associated cost, environmental impact score, and if necessary, isentropic efficiency. Ultimately, each submitted design receives a score based on its ability to maximize the thermal efficiency and net work produced while minimizing cost and environmental impact. The project compels students to develop multiple designs, use engineering judgement to evaluate tradeoffs, and attempt to optimize the four scoring parameters simultaneously. A portion of each student’s project grade results from the relative overall score of his or her design versus all others submitted within the class. This direct link between design and final grade serves to encourage competition, discourage unapproved collaboration, and replicate product development conditions in industry in which a competitor’s approach is often not known. In addition to a schematic and diagram of the final cycle layout and operating conditions, students also must submit a short report justifying their final design by explaining how they identified, formulated, and solved this complex engineering problem. This report served as an instrument with which to assess ABET Student Outcome #1 directly. This paper details the constraints of the problem, the approach students took to solve it, and the lessons learned from implementing it as an assessment instrument.
AU - Andrew Lutz
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - A Rankine Cycle Design Project for Assessment of ABET Student Outcome #1
UR - https://peer.asee.org/41244
DO - 10.18260/1-2--41244
ER -