Course Title: Wind and Hydro Power

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Wind and Hydro Power

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

MIET2373

City Campus

Postgraduate

115H Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

MIET2373

City Campus

Postgraduate

172H School of Engineering

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Dr. Sherman C.P. Cheung

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6116

Course Coordinator Email: chipok.cheung@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 251.3.63


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course will provide you with a technically advanced and in-depth coverage of wind power and water power (i.e. hydro, wave, and tidal) technologies. The state-of-the-art information provided by this course will enable you to conduct sustainability assessments on such systems by considering economic, environmental, and social criteria. Use of specialist analytical techniques such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) will also be included where appropriate.       


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following program learning outcomes for the Master of Engineering:

1. Needs, Context and Systems
• Describe, investigate and analyse complex engineering systems and associated issues (using systems thinking and modelling techniques)

2. Problem Solving and Design
• Develop creative and innovative solutions to engineering problems

3. Analysis
• Comprehend and apply advanced theory-based understanding of engineering fundamentals and specialist bodies of knowledge in the selected discipline area to predict the effect of engineering activities
• Apply underpinning natural, physical and engineering sciences, mathematics, statistics, computer and information sciences.

4. Research
• Be aware of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline.
 


On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  1. Describe, understand, and analyse energy production systems employing wind and hydro power technologies
  2. Comprehend and apply, at an advanced level, the engineering fundamentals of wind and hydro power systems
  3. Use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods and specialist tools to design and analyse wind and hydro power systems
  4. Critically review wind and hydro power system proposals, designs, and/or R&D activities


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be studying in internal mode which entails taking part in a series of lectures, seminars, and workshops. The principal learning activities will be:
• Attending the lectures covering the fundamental and practical aspects of wind and hydro power systems
• Participating in class and/or online discussions
• Attending the possible site visits to and demonstrations of working wind and hydro power facilities and installations
• Solving typical problems relating to wind and hydro power systems
• Applying specialist analytical tools (e.g. for CFD analysis)
• Participating in industrial activity (e.g. case study) conducted by industry experts
 
 


Overview of Learning Resources

Guidance on resource material will be available online through the myRMIT Blackboard. These resources include, prescribed text books, journal papers, and internet resources, as well as lecture notes and other material provided through the myRMIT Blackboard and mainly available through the RMIT website/library


Overview of Assessment

X This course has no hurdle requirements.
☐ All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the College Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).

Assessment item:  Assignment 1 (individual)
Weighting of final grade:  10% 
Related course learning outcomes:  1, 3
Description:  Design case study of a micro hydro-electric system

Assessment item: Assignment 2 (Individual)
Weighting of final grade: 20%
Related course learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4
Description: Preform an analytical analysis using blade element theory to estimate the power, thrust and torque generated by the wind turbine

Assessment item: Assignment 3 (Individual)
Weighting of final grade: 35%
Related course learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4
Description: Carry out CFD analysis with specialised software, visualise and investigate the aerodynamics and its impact on the wind turbine

Assessment item:  Test 1
Weighting of final grade:  10% 
Related course learning outcomes:  3, 4
Description:  The test is an assessment of your understanding of fundamental theories in fluid dynamics and computational technique

Assessment item: Test 2
Weighting of final grade: 15%
Related course learning outcomes: 1, 3, 4
Description: Analysis of the wind statistics and its impact on wind farm design

Assessment item:  Test 3 
Weighting of final grade:  10% 
Related course learning outcomes:  1, 3
Description:  The test is an assessment of your understanding of fundamentals and working principle of typical Hydro and Wave/Tidal power conversion systems