Integrating the mechanical engineering curriculum using a long-term green design project part 1: The hybrid powertrain

Subjects that are separate in the curriculum, such as thermodynamics and mechanical design, are integrated in practice, since thermal and mechanical systems must function cohesively in real mechanical systems (e.g. an air conditioner). With this in mind, we are beginning the implementation of a novel, potentially transformative approach to integrating coursework through five semesters of the core mechanical engineering curriculum. The centerpiece of this research is a long-term design/build/test project that will be developed by students over the course of five semesters. The project, a bench-scale hybrid powertrain, is implemented in modules, so that parts of the project may be completed in disparate courses such as Thermodynamics, System Dynamics and Control, and Fluid Mechanics. This paper describes each module, and provides information on how the modules are integrated into a cohesive system at the end of the project.