Outline

Overview

This unit of study aims to teach the basic principles of combustion highlighting the role of chemical kinetics, fluid mechanics, and molecular transport in determining the structure of flames. Students will become familiar with laminar and turbulent combustion of gaseous and liquid fuels including the formation of pollutants. Students will also be briefly introduced to various applications such as internal combustion engines, gas turbines, and fires. This unit will cover equilibrium compositions, flammability limits, simple chemically reacting systems, detailed chemical kinetics, and the basic theory underlying laminar and turbulent combustion for both premixed and non-premixed cases. There will be an introduction to droplet and spray combustion, the concept of mixture fraction for non-premixed flames, combustion in engines and gas turbines as well as the formation of pollutants. New concepts for clean modern engines, with increasing reliance on renewable energy, are highlighted. Issues relating to buoyant fires and plumes, including fire suppression may also be covered.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MECH5265
Academic unit	Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	MECH4265 OR MECH8265
Prerequisites ?	(MECH3260 AND MECH3261) OR MECH9260 or MECH8260
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Students are expected to be familiar with the basic laws of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Assaad Masri, assaad.masri@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Mohamed Marei, mohamed.marei@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Tutorial quiz	Quiz-1 In-class Quiz	10%	Week 04 Due date: 01 Sep 2021 at 15:00	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment-1 Take home assignment	5%	Week 06 Due date: 17 Sep 2021 at 17:00	10 hours to complete over 6 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz-2 In-class Quiz	10%	Week 07 Due date: 22 Sep 2021 at 15:00	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz-3 In-class Quiz	10%	Week 09 Due date: 13 Oct 2021 at 15:00	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Seminar Presentation-1 of work performed in major project.	5%	Week 09 Due date: 15 Oct 2021 at 10:00	About 3 to 5 minutes per student
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment-2 Take home assignment	5%	Week 11 Due date: 29 Oct 2021 at 17:00	10 hours to complete over 5 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Quiz-4 In-class Quiz	10%	Week 12 Due date: 03 Nov 2021 at 15:00	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Seminar Presentation-2 of work performed in major project.	5%	Week 13 Due date: 10 Nov 2021 at 14:00	About 3 to 5 minutes per student
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project Major project work in groups. Submit one report per group.	40%	Week 13 Due date: 12 Nov 2021 at 17:00	30 hours to complete over 8 weeks
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assignment: The assignments and/or quizzes will help students absorb the concepts and stay up to date with the pace of lectures.
Project: The project report and the seminar will test the ability of students to interact in a group environment, apply the concepts to a realistic problem, and relay them effectively in the form of a seminar and report. Group projects and seminars are aspects of training that are beneficial for engineers since this is common practice in fire and combustion engineering.
Final Exam: The final examination will help evaluate the overall understanding of the concepts covered in this unit and the student`s ability to analyze and solve related problems.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction and terminology	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 01	Revision of third year related material	Independent study (6 hr)
Week 02	Chemical equilibrium	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Chemical Equilibrium	Independent study (6 hr)
Week 03	Flammability, ignition and extinction	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Flammability, ignition and extinction	Independent study (6 hr)
Week 04	Chemical kinetics	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Chemical Kinetics	Independent study (8 hr)
Week 05	1. Simple reacting systems; 2. Mixture fraction concept	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Reacting systems and mixture fraction	Independent study (8 hr)
Week 06	Laminar diffusion flames	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Laminar diffusion flames and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 07	Laminar premixed flames	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Laminar premixed flames and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 08	Droplet evaporation and combustion. Spray flames	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Sprays and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 09	Turbulence and modelling of turbulent combustion.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Turbulent flows and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 10	Turbulent premixed and diffusion flames.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Turnulent flames and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 11	Fires (1-Hour), Next Generation Engines (1-Hour)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Fires, Engines and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 12	Pollutants formation (1hr), Clean Fuels & the Future of Combustion (1hr)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Pollutants and Major Project	Independent study (9 hr)
Week 13	Student presentations	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Project Report	Independent study (9 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Stephen R. Turns – An Introduction to Combustion. McGraw Hill, 2000. 0-07-230096-5 (or later editions).
Additonal papers relevant to the project will be made available on Canvas

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand combustion modes including laminar, turbulent, diffusion and premixed flames.
LO2. Analyse a simple chemically reaction system and calculate the equilibrium composition.
LO3. Compute the compositional structure of laminar flames including the formation of pollutants.
LO4. Awareness of environmental issues, the advent of renewable, green fuels and sustainable combustion
LO5. Appreciation of future trends in modern engines and turbines contributing to decarbonization through the use of clean fuels.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

I would like to thank all students for their constructive comments. The concerns revolved around three main issues: (i) More practice question, (ii) Quizzes being too close to lectures (iii) More guidance on the project. Here are my responses: I. We have already provided more practice questions in 2020 but students want more so we can provide more in 2021- This is done. II. This is a valid point imposed by the timetable constraint. I will seek a timetabling change for 2021 so that the tutorial is held on Friday or Thursday after the lecture which is timetable for Wednesday. This is done. III. We have provided this year three additional tutorial hours conducted over lunch time. This was in response to a similar request last year. Students just leave it too late until they start serious work on the project and then they want all the help they can get. What I will introduce in 2021 is a more directed support to each group so that everyone gets equal share of the tutorial time. I have doubled the additional tutorial sessions to six hours.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MECH5265: Combustion

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect