Board 98: Engineering Education Curriculum Needs for Achieving Sustainable Energy and Decarbonize Economy
- Conference
- Location
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Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
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June 23, 2024
- Start Date
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June 23, 2024
- End Date
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July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
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Energy Conversion, Conservation and Nuclear Engineering Division (ECCNE) Poster Session
- Tagged Divisions
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Energy Conversion and Conservation and Nuclear Engineering Division (ECCNE)
- Permanent URL
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https://strategy.asee.org/48399
Paper Authors
Mansour Zenouzi Wentworth Institute of Technology
Dr. Zenouzi is a professor of Mechanical Engineering in the School of Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Zenouzi received his BSME (1976) from Iran University of Science and Technology, MSME (1981) from Tufts University, and Ph.D. from Northeastern University (1990). He is Fellow of ASME, EAC of ABET Commissioner, life member of ASHRAE, member of Phi Beta Delta International Scholars Honor Society, and licensed mechanical engineer (P.E.).
John Peter Voccio Wentworth Institute of Technology
Dr. John Voccio is an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He received his BSME (1985) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MSME (1987) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and PhD (2007) from Keio University in Japan. He has been involved in the field of superconductivity for over 35 years.
Abstract
The pressing demands of climate change require innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to training and equipping a new generation of engineers and physicists to be ready to solve this global challenge, and transitioning to this new sustainable economy will take time. It is imperative that academic institutions design appropriate curricula that prepare students to tackle the complex energy-related problems faced by society, as students need to understand existing technologies, such as cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP), which reduces energy consumption, and it can be integrated with renewable energy sources. Weatherization of buildings, which consume more than 40% of the energy in the United States, is necessary to reduce energy consumption and strive to achieve net zero buildings; however, many mechanical engineering programs are not offering HVAC as a required or an elective course. In general, the courses should enable students to solve problems in the production, processing, storage, distribution, and efficient utilization of sustainable energy systems. Curricula should include such topics as: energy storage technologies, e.g., batteries, super capacitors, green hydrogen-generation; power transmission, including superconductivity and grid stabilization; electrochemistry and membrane technologies that are needed for innovative new power generation technologies such as, fuel cells (FC) and salinity gradient energy (SGE) generation. The paper also provides evidence that topics such as Gibbs free energy, chemical potential and exergy analysis are going to be extremely important to be covered in mechanical engineering courses, as these new technologies will require a more fundamental, broader-based education, even at the undergraduate level.
Zenouzi, M., & Voccio, J. P. (2024, June), Board 98: Engineering Education Curriculum Needs for Achieving Sustainable Energy and Decarbonize Economy Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://strategy.asee.org/48399
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