REVISING THE POWER GENERATION SYSTEMS CURRICULUM - THE 1000 MW SOLUTION

摘要

Student interest in electric power generation is increasing as national and worldwide attention to energy grows. While a power plant or thermal design course was a staple of pre-1980s mechanical engineering education, such courses fell out of favor as the bio-info-nano revolution refocused academic programs. The relevant textbook literature also stagnated. There is now an opportunity to reinvent the curriculum for mechanical engineering courses focused on 21st Century electric power generation. This paper addresses developing appropriate content for and teaching of such courses. The overarching goal is for a broad spectrum of students to develop a working knowledge of the scientific and technical similarities, differences, and challenges associated with various electric power production technologies including engineering, design, analysis, economics, and appropriate consideration of sustainabilily and societal impact. A unifying motivational exercise advocated is to estimate and catalogue the resources, sizes, performance characteristics, and impact streams for generating 1000 MW(e) using each technology studied.