Teaching

Fall 2006, 07, 08

Combustion

This class is intended to provide an engineer with the basic understanding of various combustion phenomena. It will begin by covering fundamental governing equations for reacting flow, chemical kinetics, and mechanisms of hydrocarbon oxidation. The theory of deflagrations and detonations will be studied. The course will touch briefly on themes of combustion diagnostics, environmental issues, and power generation. Emphasis will also be given on the recent research interest on micro-scale combustion applications. The primary goal of the class is to provide students with tools and understanding to solve the basic problems in combustion, and to enable them to read and understand the literature in this broad field of study.

Textbook: S.R. Turns, An Introduction to Combustion.
Students can choose to use any of the books listed below as an additional reference.

1. I. Glassman, Combustion
2. F. A. Williams Combustion Theory
3. A. M. Kanury, An Introduction to Combustion Phenomena
4. J. Warnatz, U. Maas, and R.W. Dibble, Combustion : Physical and Chemical Fundamentals, Modeling and Simulation, Experiments, Pollutant Formation
5. K. Kuo, Principles of Combustion
6. R. Fristrom, Flame Structure and Processes
7. B. Lewis and G. von Elbe, Combustion Flames and Explosion of Gases

Use of Software: Gaseq a freely available chemical equilibrium program will be used as a supplement to classical problems in combustion

Teaching Assistant: Joel Sipe (2006), George Matook (2007), Kulbhushan Joshi (2008)

Spring 07 - current

Industrial Fire Protection

This class has the following objectives

  • To provide a scenario-based engineering framework for evaluating industrial fire hazards and determining appropriate fire protection measures.
  • To apply these engineering principles to generic industrial fire protection issues such as plant layout, warehouse storage, and flammable liquid hazards.
  • To review the historical and engineering basis of fire protection codes and standards and current practices applicable to these issues.
  • To anticipate changes in these standards evolving from current research and from technological and societal trends.

    Teaching Assistant: Joel Sipe (2006, 2008)

    Fall 2007, Spring 08 - current

    Explosion Protection

    This class has the following objectives:

  • Understand fuel - air explosion phenomena for both deflagrations and detonations.
  • Learn how to calculate unmitigated, closed vessel, explosion pressures and time scales.
  • Analyze pressure development in vented gas and dust deflagrations.
  • Design and specify deflagration vents per NFPA and other standards.
  • Understand the conceptual design and applications of explosion suppression and isolation systems, as well as inerting approaches to explosion protection.
  • Learn blast wave theory/correlations and their applicability to different types of explosions. Evaluate structural damage and injury potential of blast waves.