Using Project-Based Education and Interactive Web Resources in Undergraduate Heat Transfer

Two approaches to increasing student retention and interest have been implemented in the undergraduate heat transfer course at The University of Texas at Austin. The first approach, under a Department-wide initiative in Project Based Education, is to assign a semester-long project that requires most of the basic material in the traditional heat transfer course to examine a practical engineering system. Three projects used to date will be briefly discussed. Second, a series of web-accessible interactive modules has been constructed. The objective is to develop intuitive understanding of phenomena generally taught in the undergraduate heat transfer course. These modules allow students to vary the important aspects of a problem and immediately see the result. For example, one module demonstrates the characteristics of fins added to a surface to improve heat loss. Envision the handle on a frying pan; the student can vary the handle material, the cooling of the handle by increasing air flow velocity over it, etc. and see the temperature that results along the handle length. Such effects are difficult to show with chalk and talk. The instructor may also use the modules in class with computer projection to demonstrate these effects. Nine modules have been developed to date. These demonstrate heat transfer by conduction through planar and cylindrical walls; heat transfer from materials with internal energy generation; fins; conduction in two-dimensional systems (under development); transient conduction in semi-infinite and finite-width slabs; convective heat transfer in flow over flat plates; convective heat transfer for flow in pipes; heat exchangers; and radiation in rectangular enclosures. Modules are programmed in JAVA for interactive use using any browser (Netscape or Explorer), and do not require a particular platform.