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Implementation of Design, Build and Test Projects for Heat Exchanger and Air Conditioning in Thermal Engineering Courses

Abstract This paper presents the progress of implementing the developed Design-Build-Test projects in the Mechanical Engineering curriculum at Florida International University. In particular, two DBT course modules were developed and offered: the heat exchanger and scaled building air-conditioning system. The project attempts to improve the relevance of the stand- alone ME lab course to the lecture courses through the execution of DBT activities. This adaptation enhances students’ learning of thermal science subjects by providing students an enhanced, open-ended design problem experience in the mid-stage of the curriculum rather than near the end when the senior design project is required. It supports improved comprehension of the thermal-fluid contents through practical application and immediate, relevant implementation, rather than a fragmented learning process. Preliminary evaluation results obtained by conducting a survey among students, who did not take the DBT projects and those who did, were presented, and a trend of improvement in achieving the project outcomes is observed.

Introduction The goals of the project awarded by NSF are to adapt and implement proven concepts from previous NSF projects in order to integrate hands-on experiments in traditional thermal science lecture courses and to reorient traditional teaching laboratory courses with design, build, and test (DBT) activities. In particular, the following principles and methods are adapted: a hands-on experience integrated to abstract concepts discussed in lectures, a clear linkage to industrial applications, and Design Build and Test (DBT) projects. Specifically, two DBT course modules are developed: the heat exchanger and scaled building air-conditioning system. The project attempts to improve the relevance of the stand-alone ME lab course to the lecture courses through the execution of DBT activities. This adaptation enhances students’ learning of thermal science subjects by providing students an enhanced, open-ended design problem experience in the mid-stage of the curriculum rather than near the end when the senior design project is required. It supports improved comprehension of the thermal-fluid contents through practical application and immediate, relevant implementation, rather than a fragmented learning process. DBT activities enhance students’ critical thinking skills with the decision-making and close-loop accomplishment experience. Through a planed evaluation process, the project leads to three outcomes to demonstrate that the DBT approach better equips students with an ability to apply mathematics, science, and engineering to thermal-fluid systems design, that the students can have a platform to practice teamwork, professional and ethical responsibility, and that the reformed curriculum contributes to an increase in student’s interests in thermal/fluid subjects, better retention rate, and more attraction to prospective students. Finally, the developed process ensures a favorable cooperative learning environment with a strong sense of accomplishment for the underrepresented student population. In this paper we first brief summarizes the development of the DBT lab course modules, and then discuss their implementation during the last two semesters, followed by the evaluation of the DBT experience from student surveys, and presentation of its analysis including the lesson learned and future recommendation.

Development of DBT Course Modules1

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Tao, Y., & Cao, Y. (2007, June), Implementation Of Design, Build And Test Projects For Heat Exchanger And Air Conditioning In Thermal Engineering Courses Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2496