MEng Chemical Engineering with Industrial Experience

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Process Heat Transfer

Course unit fact file
Unit code CHEN10092
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Fundamentals of Heat Transfer: heat transfer mechanisms including conduction, convection and radiation, and their underlying laws (Fourier’s law, Newton’s law of cooling and Stefan-Boltzmann Law); concept of heat transfer rate (driving force/resistance); basics of heat transfer with phase change including condensation (e.g. filmwise condensation) and boiling (e.g. pool boiling), basics of heat exchangers (including condensers and reboilers/vaporisers)

 

Heat transfer applications: heat loss, insulation, transient heat transfer, basics for designing shell-and-tube heat exchangers (e.g. overall heat transfer coefficient, fouling, effective temperature differences, log mean temperature difference, correction factor for different shell and tube configurations and design, rating and simulation of shell-and-tube heat exchangers (including condensers and reboilers).

 

 

Aims

The unit aims to:

 To introduce the fundamentals of heat transfer science and the heat transfer applications related to chemical engineering with emphasis on the design of shell-and-tube heat exchangers (including reboilers and condensers)

Learning outcomes

ILO 1.Explain basic concepts in heat transfer and the three heat transfer mechanisms in relation to their governing laws

ILO 2.Explain general heat transfer equations and the concept of thermal resistance

ILO 3.Describe the heat transfer with phase changes, i.e. condensation and pool boiling

ILO 4.Explain and calculate thermal radiation problems in enclosed systems, insulation problems and transient heating/cooling problems

ILO 5.Describe heat exchangers and their classifications (including condensers and reboilers)

ILO 6. Design of heat exchangers (sizing and rating problems) including condensers and reboilers

Teaching and learning methods

  • Lectures provide fundamental aspects supporting the critical learning of the module and will be delivered as pre-recorded asynchronous short videos via our virtual learning environment.

    Synchronous sessions will support the lecture material with Q&A and problem-solving sessions where you can apply the new concepts. Surgery hours are also available for drop-in support.

    Feedback on problems and examples, feedback on coursework and exams, and model answers will also be provided through the virtual learning environment. A discussion board provides an opportunity to discuss topics related to the material presented in the module.

    Students are expected to expand the concepts presented in the session and online by additional reading (suggested in the Online Reading List) in order to consolidate their learning process and further stimulate their interest to the module.

    Study budget:

  • Core Learning Material (e.g. recorded lectures, problem solving sessions): 24 hours
  • Self-Guided Work (e.g. continuous assessment, extra problems, reading)     : 44 hours
  • Exam Style Assessment Revision and Preparation: 32 hours

Assessment methods

Assessment Types

Total Weighting

Continuous assessment

30%

Exam style assessments

70%

Please note that the exam style assessments weighting may be split over midterm and end of semester exams. 

Feedback methods

  Generic course feedback after exam board.     

Recommended reading

Reading lists are accessible through the Blackboard system linked to the library catalogue.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Assessment written exam 32
Lectures 24
Independent study hours
Independent study 44

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Xiaolei Fan Unit coordinator

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