Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course the student will learn the theoretical basic principles of Applied Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow with reference to the agro-food sector. He will acquire basic and applicative knowledge related to the energy balance, heat transfer phenomena with reference to conduction, convection and radiation and measurement methodology of physical and thermal properties.
Applying knowledge and understanding: The student will acquire applicative knowledge, especially in relation energy balances applied to closed and open systems, heat transfer and measurement of physical and thermal properties of food products. Making judgments:
By the end of the course the student will have the tools perform measurement of physical and thermal properties and evaluation on heat transfer phenomena applied to the agro-food chain. Communication skills: Through the frontal lessons and the assistance of the teacher, the student acquires the specific vocabulary inherent to Heat transfer and Fluid Flow. The student must possess the ability to present and discuss phenomena
of the agro-food chain. Learning skills: The student who has attended the course will be able to deepen his knowledge of heat transfer and fluid flow through the autonomous consultation of specialized books or divulgative journals, even outside the topics explained during lectures also in view of the entrance in a job environment.
Prerequisites
To follow the course with profit requires the knowledge of the basic concepts of Mathematics and Physics of higher school.
Course unit content
The module aims to provide the students with basic and applicative knowledge on heat transfer and fluid flow important for the correct understanding of phenomena and processes of the food chain. The theory lectures cover the following subjects: Systems of Units. The SI system. Intensive, extensive, specific state properties. Energy balance of closed and open systems. Thermophysical properties of food products and their measurement. Rheological properties of food fluids and their measurement. Modes of heat transmission: conduction, convection, radiation. Illustration of simple heat exchange problems with application to processes in the food industry and the agro-food chain. Practical lessons are integral part of the course, and they are dedicated to numerical exercises that provide the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in the course.
The module contents are closely integrated with those proposed in the laboratory module.
Full programme
Units of measurement and the SI system. Elements of Thermodynamics. Intensive, extensive, specific state properties. Energy balance of closed and open systems. The properties of humid air. Thermophysical properties of food products and their measurement. Rheological properties of food fluids and their measurement. Modes of heat transmission: conduction, convection, radiation. Illustration of simple heat exchange problems with application to processes in the food industry and the agro-food chain.
Bibliography
The notes of the lectures and exercises, and all the supporting material are available to students and shared on Elly platform. In addition to the shared material, the student can personally study some of the topics discussed during the course in the following books: F. P. INCOPRERA, D P DE WITT: " Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer ", John Wiley & Sons, New York;
S. Yannotis: Solving Problems in Food Engineering - Spimger
Teaching methods
The module counts 3 CFUs (one CFU, University Credits equals one ECTS credit and represents the workload of a student during educational activities aimed at passing the exams), which corresponds to 24 hours of lectures. The theoretical part of the module is illustrated by frontal lessons. The part devoted to the exercise activity also involves an activity carried out by the students themselves, followed by the elaboration and discussion of the results. The notes and texts of the proposed exercises/tutorials will be uploaded to the Elly platform.
To download the material you need to apply to the online course on the same platform.
If conditions are favorable, seminars, held by R&D managers of companies, are additionally proposed to the students with the aim of reporting concrete experiences of real case studies in the field of agro-food industry processes and phenomena.
Assessment methods and criteria
The exam is based on an oral test preceded by a written test requiring resolution of one or more exercises also referred to the laboratory module. The correct resolution of at least 50% of the exercises proposed in the test is an admission constraint to the oral exam. In the oral exam the correct and complete response to the theoretical questions and exposure property are evaluated.
The results of the written test is communicated within a few days after the test itself, through publication on Esse3 Platform; The final vote, that consider the vote of the written test (max 10 points) and of the oral test (max 20 points) shall be communicated immediately at the end of the oral exam before the registration.
The Laude is added in case of excellent score in each item (written test and oral exam) and in case of particular communicative and speaking ability with reference to the specific field.
Please note that online registration is compulsory for the written test; Different dates are proposed for the oral exam depending on the students' requests.
During the course, partial, formative tests are given, useful for monitoring the achieving of the learning goals and for providing feedback to students before the official call. The dates of the partial tests will be communicated by the teacher during the lessons.
Other information
