Time Schedule:
Philip C Malte
M E 481
Seattle Campus
Thermodynamics, fuels, performance, combustion, and exhaust emissions control for spark ignition and compression ignition piston engines. New technologies, including hybrid combustion-electric fuel cell engines. Principles and practice. Prerequisite: M E 323. Recommended: M E 333.
Class description
Learning in this course is focused on the thermodynamic and fluid dynamic theory of internal combustion piston engines, on the combustion processes occurring in these engines, and on the prevention and removal of pollutant emissions. Piston engine practices and applications are also discussed, and alternatives to the internal combustion engine, including the hybrid-electric power plant and the fuel cell are introduced and discussed. In this regard, throughout the course we try to keep abreast of recent developments in internal combustion engines and the emerging alternatives. Overall, about 80% of the course involves theory and principles, and about 20% involves engine practice. The division between the different engines is about 70% on the four-stroke spark ignition engine, about 5% on the two-stroke engine, about 15% on the compression ignition engine, and about 10% on the hybrid-electric and fuel cell power plants.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
The course is taught in a fairly typical manner. Four lectures, including discussion, are offered each week. The lectures will follow the assigned textbook fairly closely, though the instructor will cover additional material in the lectures. This will be especially true of the material on the hybrid-electric and fuel cell power plants. Please note the course will not be offered with the laboratory this year.
Recommended preparation
The prerequisites for the course are ME 323 (Thermodynamics II) and ME 333 (Fluid Mechanics, recommended). From these courses, students should be familiar with the following subjects: 1) conservation of mass and energy and analysis using control volumes, 2) the ideal gas equation of state, 3) the calculation of specific heats, internal energy, enthalpy, and entropy for ideal gases, 4) the isentropic, ideal gas relations between temperature, pressure, and specific volume, 5) ideal cycle analysis for heat engines, 6) mixture of ideal gases, 7) humidity and saturation, 8) balancing chemical equations for combustion, and 9) energy balances for combustion.
Students should retain copies of their ME 323 and ME 333 textbooks for reference, and students should obtain a copy of the required ME 481.textbook:
Stone, R., "Introduction to Internal Combustion Engines", 3rd edition, SAE, Warrendale, PA (1999).
The UW Bookstore has been requested to obtain copies of this textbook. Copies may also be purchased from the SAE.
Students are also encouraged to subscribe to "Automotive Engineering International", the trade journal of the SAE, and throughout the course read about current developments in engines and automotive propulsion.
Class assignments and grading
Approximately ten homework assignments will be given throughout the quarter. Typically, these will be assigned on Friday and required the following Friday. The assignments will involve engineering analysis of the thermodynamic, fluid mechanic, combustion, exhaust emissions, and performance characteristics of engines. With respect to computer use, as a minimum, students should expect to use spread-sheets for some of the assignments. Additionally, software for chemical equilibrium calculations will be provided to the students by the instructor.
Your course grade will be based on the following requirements and percentages:
1. Approximately ten homework assignments, which will count for 32% of your course grade, will be given. The homework assignments must be submitted by the start of class on the day due.
2. Fifteen-minute quizzes. About six of these will be given over the quarter. Your lowest quiz score will be discarded, and the remaining quizzes will count for 30% of your course grade. No make up quizzes will be given. All of the quizzes will be closed-book, closed-notes. The quizzes will involve recall of principles and facts, reasoning on problems of relevance to engine technology, and engineering analysis.
3. A two-hour final exam will be given at the time specified by the University. This will be the only time the final exam will be given. The final exam will count for 38% of your course grade. The final exam questions will mainly involve engineering analysis and problem solving. The decision on an open- or closed-book final exam will be provided approximately two weeks prior to the exam.
