Chemical Engineering 733

Coal Combustion

 

Thomas H. Fletcher

Spring 2004

MWF 9-10:50 am 384 CB

 

TA:  Chunyang Wu, B-41, 2-5954 (chunyang@et.byu.edu)

 

Catalog Description:

 

            Fundamentals of coal combustion and gasification processes, including particle mechanics, devolatilization, heterogeneous oxidation, radiative heat transfer, and combustion of coal in practical flames.

 

Course Objective:

 

            The objective of this course is to help students develop a background in important aspects of coal combustion.  Many ACERC graduate students specialize in a narrow area of coal combustion (or a related field), but never gain much knowledge of other areas of coal combustion.  This broader knowledge is often useful in writing proposals, theses, and research papers, and often helps put a better perspective on your chosen research emphasis.

 

Required Text:

 

Smith, K. L., L. D. Smoot, T. H. Fletcher, and R. J. Pugmire, The Structure and Reaction Processes of Coal, Plenum, 1994.

 

Secondary Sources:

 

1.     L. Douglas Smoot and Philip J. Smith, Coal Combustion and Gasification, Plenum, 1985.

 

2.     L. Douglas Smoot and David T. Pratt, editors, Pulverized-Coal Combustion and Gasification, Plenum, 1979.

 

3.     Coal Science and Technology Series. -by Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Volumes 1 through 10.

 

4.     H.H. Lowry (editor), Chemistry of Coal Utilization, Vol. 1 and Supplementary Volume, Wiley, New York (1945 & 1963).

 

5.     L. D. Smoot (editor), Fundamentals of Coal Combustion for Clean and Efficient Use, (Coal Science and Technology 20), Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1993.

 

6.     Van Krevelyn, D. W., Coal, Elsevier, 1993.

 

Topics:

 

            1.         Processes and Properties of Coal (4)

            2.         Devolatilization (4)

            3.         Heterogeneous Oxidation (3)

            4.         Mineral Matter & Deposition (2)

            5.         Practical Flames (1)

            6.         NOx/SOx Formation (1)

            7.         Lab Tours (3)

 

Prerequisites:

 

            The course involves the development of qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the physical processes involved in coal combustion and gasification.  The fundamental tools used to describe these processes include turbulent fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics.  It is expected that each student be well founded in these subjects before beginning this course.  Additionally, the description of these processes usually involves differential equations that often require numerical methods to solve.  It is expected that students be comfortable in the use of the computer to solve these problems. 

 

            Chem. E. 533, Transport Phenomena, Math 347, Partial Differential Equations and Chem. E. 633, Combustion Processes or equivalents would be helpful, but are not required.  

 

Class Discussion:

 

            This is an advanced graduate level course.  It is expected that students will come to class having prepared themselves thoroughly on the topic to be discussed that day.  Originally, this class was heavily lecture-oriented, with the students feeling like a fire hose has been attached to their head.  Overheads full of information were passed before the class, hoping for learning to take place.  A different philosophy is currently employed in this course, where student learning is emphasized, rather than mere presentation by the instructor.  This will be accomplished in the following manner:

 

1.     Students will be divided into groups of two or three students.

2.     Reading questions are placed on the class web page.  Please be sure to check for updates the day before class.

3.     Students are expected to read the assigned material, and then meet as a group to discuss the reading material.

3.     Student groups will each prepare one set of responses to the reading questions that will be suitable for presentation to the class.  Hand-written overheads or powerpoint files on a zip disk are acceptable, but please do not make the format too fancy.  Focus on content rather than graphics and style. 

4.     One student will be randomly selected and asked to present their group answers to the class.

5.     The student presentation will not be graded right or wrong, but only prepared or unprepared.  The entire group will receive a demerit if one of their group is unprepared.

6.     The presentation from each group will be turned in each day and graded for preparedness.  You may email the powerpoint slide to me or turn in the overheads.  Comments and corrections by the TA and/or professor will be added in erasable marker, so that students can photocopy the overheads for their notes.  This will result in a continual revolving set of 4-6 clear overheads (if used).

 

            This is a little different format than the usual 100% lecture format, and is written up in the engineering education literature.  This method is intended to promote student learning, and has been successfully used by several faculty in our college.  30% of the grade will be given for classroom participation (25% for answers to reading questions and 5% for general participation). 

 

            Since most of the graduate students in this class have specialized in an area of combustion research, each student will be asked to contribute to the discussion in class in that area.  For those students that are not directly in the coal combustion area, appropriate discussions and questions are expected. 

 

Homework:

 

            The preparation for the class discussion takes the place of homework in this class.  A few of the “reading questions” will be of the problem-solving type.

 

Trip Reports:

 

            We will have several field trips in this class, which may include trips to IPP, the BYU Heating Plant, and the research facilities at BYU and at the University of Utah.  We will talk in class about possible benefits of visiting different sites, and vote on where we will go (and when).  A one-page trip report is required of each field trip, describing what significant things you learned.

 

Exams:

 

            Two exams will be given during the semester, one midterm and one final.  Exams will be normalized so that the high score is 100%.  Both exams will be oral exams, given individually to each student.

 

Research Paper:

 

            One research paper will be prepared by each student.  This paper will follow the format of articles submitted to Combustion and Flame and will be on a subtopic of coal combustion.  This topic must be approved in advance and must be on a topic different from the graduate student's own research specialty.  Students are encouraged to identify a topic early and work on this paper throughout the semester.  The research should not only cover known information, but should seek to contribute new knowledge to the field.  The expected length of this paper is 10 to 15 pages, including references and figures.  Papers longer than 15 pages will receive less points.

 

Grading:

            Since the focus of this class is not problem solving, a large portion of the grade will be assigned to the research paper and the classroom participation.  The final grade will be based on the following:

 

Reading Questions                  25%

Class Participation                    5%

Research Paper                       10%

Trip Reports                               5%

Midterm                                   25%

Final                                        30%

 

Office Hours:

 

            I am always available to answer questions and pursue discussions on coal combustion whenever I am not in any other meeting.  Come to 350K CB or phone 422-6236 as you need.  Ad hoc discussions on these topics are encouraged; room 350K CB is one possible environment to promote such discussions on a regular basis.  However, I am also very busy in several university assignments, and request that you be patient and that you respect my time as well.  Regular office hours will be scheduled if needed.

 

BYU Environment:

 

            BYU is owned and sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and BYU students and faculty are required to abide the BYU honor code and the dress and grooming standards.  Visitors are also expected to abide by these standards while on the BYU campus.  This generally means to be honest, dress conservatively, refrain from foul language, and abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and caffeinated beverages.  This is usually not a big inconvenience for visitors; copies of the BYU standards are available in the Chemical Engineering Office or at http://campuslife.byu.edu/honorcode/.