Senior Capstone Project: A Classroom Heat Exchanger Demonstration Kit

Funded by an Undergraduate Program Equipment Grant from ASHARE, five undergraduate students in Mechanical Engineering were tasked to design and build a heat-exchanger demonstration kit as a teaching aid for classroom usage. The students were allotted one semester for design and one semester for assembly. The team researched existing products, performed theoretical calculations, and further identified their constraints with student surveys. The team also consulted several faculty members who are teaching Heat Transfer and Thermal Science Lab to get their input in order to provide a design and construction that best serves the teaching purpose. The final product is a rolling display board (approximately 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall) featuring a concentric tube heat exchanger prominently. An LCD screen allows students to see real-time temperature readings at four predetermined locations. Flow meters output the individual fluid flow rate of the coolant contained in two discrete piping loops. The fluid in these loops can operate in either parallel or counter-flow modes with the flip of a switch. Provisions were made to ensure sustainability and environmental consciousness, such as serviceable components and non-toxic coolant. The project concluded on time and under budget. This teaching kit is expected to help implementing active collaborative learning (ACL) activities in the classroom.