MECH ENG 7021 - Combustion Technologies & High Temperature Processes

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2025

The course covers the basics of thermal energy technologies that are common for combustion and fuels, with an emphasis on high temperature production processes. The Paris Agreement requires elimination of global, energy-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and this will demand a staggering transformation since 80% of current energy systems rely on the combustion of fossil fuels. This move to increasing fractions of renewable energy, including renewable hydrogen, biomass, waste and concentrated solar thermal, is driven by the need to mitigate GHG emissions and is expected to take around 50 years. The deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology alongside existing fossil fuel energy production is also expected. Managing these changes brings many technical challenges, since any change in fuel composition or energy mix will influence the design of the combustion system, fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. The course will equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to address these challenges. It covers the understanding, analysis and design of modern combustion systems to account for fuel properties, maximise output and minimise air pollution. Combustion involves both mixing of the fuel and oxidant and the subsequent chemical reactions. The course therefore involves consideration of both combustion aerodynamics and fuel properties. It covers fuel selection, alternative and waste fuels, the design principles involved in reducing pollutant emissions, modelling, applications of combustion for power generation and minerals processing, hybridising combustion with concentrated solar thermal energy and fuel upgrading using solar thermal energy.

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Course Details

Course Code	MECH ENG 7021
Course	Combustion Technologies & High Temperature Processes
Coordinating Unit	Mechanical Engineering
Term	Semester 1
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 6 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Assessment	Assignments, design project, final exam

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Zhiwei Sun

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

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

1	Recognise the ongoing role of combustion, both of fossil and bio-fuels, in providing a more sustainable energy source for society, and the environmental challenges to be met to achieve this;
2	Apply the principles of combustion to practical engineering design;
3	Explain the complexities of industrial combustion processes;
4	Summarise the mechanisms of combustion-generated air pollution and the techniques that can be used to control them;
5	Summarise the safety and handling issues associated with combustion of practical fuels;
6	Outline the impact of different fuel properties on industrial combustion systems;
7	Outline the potential of combining combustion and solar thermal technologies as a route towards sustainable energy production

The above course learning outcomes are aligned with the Engineers 最新糖心Vlog . The course develops the following EA Elements of Competency to levels of introductory (A), intermediate (B), advanced (C):

1.1	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.6	2.1	2.2	2.3	2.4	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5	3.6
B	B	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C

最新糖心Vlog Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

最新糖心Vlog Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1-8
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	1-7
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	1-7
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	1,7,8
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	1,7
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	1-8

Learning Resources

Recommended Resources

The following texts are highly relevant and strongly recommended, but are not followed directly:

S.R. Turns “An Introduction to Combustion”, McGraw Hill,

PJ Mullinger and B.G. Jenkins “Design and Operation of Industrial and Process Furnaces”, Elsevier (This book is available as an e-book, via the Barr Smith library, for students enrolled at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide.

Online Learning

Lectures are provided online with the lecture slides available in MyUni

Supplementary material for the design project will be provided in MyUni

A range of other learning materials is available via MyUni
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

The course is biased toward practical problem solving, with 4 hours of problem solving and design project workshops in most weeks. The course is centred around a group-based Design Project, which has the objective of designing the combustion system for a rotary cement or lime kiln and includes mass and enegy balances to size the kiln, heat transfer calculations to estimate kiln temperature and heat losses and
momentum-based mixing calculations to size the burner. The lectures are pre-recorded, provided weekly via Echo360 / MyUni, and are structured to provide relevant input to the design process.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The design project is undertaken in groups of four for all students, however the project for postgraduate students includes a more expansive scope and is more challenging. The project is a significant undertaking, but can be readily managed by working steadily as a group through the entire semester, attending the weekly Design Workshops and following guidance provided during these workshops. There are two progress reports, with oral presentations, which provides feedback for groups to ensure they remain on track. Students should allow about 2 hours per week to review the pre-recorded lecture content and also prioritise attendance at problem-solving workshops each week.

Learning Activities Summary

The following topics will be covered in the pre-recorded lectures:

Topic 1: Significance, Applications and Process Efficiency
Topic 2: Stoichiometry and Thermochemistry
Topic 3: Fuels and Fuels Handling
Topic 4: Flames and Burners, including Hydrogen Safety
Topic 5: Heterogeneous Combustion
Topic 6: Combustion Safety
Topic 7: Combustion-generated Pollutants
Topic 8: Solar Thermal Technologies

Weekly workshops (formative) will apply this theory through solving problems exercises associated with each of the topics.

The kiln design project runs in parallel with these topics and is supported in dedicated weekly Design Project workshops.

The 最新糖心Vlog's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Weighting (%)	Individual/ Group	Formative/ Summative	Due (week)*	Hurdle criteria	Learning outcomes
Design Project Progress Report 1	10	Group	Summative	Week 4		1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Mid-Semester Quiz	15	Individual	Summative	Week 6		1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Design Project Progress Report 2	15	Group/Individual	Summative	Week 8		1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Design Project Final Report	25	Group/Individual	Summative	Week 12		1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Examination	35	Individual	Summative	Examination		1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Total	100

* The specific due date for each assessment task will be available on MyUni.

This assessment breakdown complies with the 最新糖心Vlog's Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy.

Assessment Detail

Details on the assessment tasks will be provided

Submission

All kiln design project reports will be submitted via MyUni.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The 最新糖心Vlog places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the 最新糖心Vlog to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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