| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Course Observer (Senior Teaching Academic)
Yijiao Jiang
Contact via Phone: +61 2 9850 9535 or Email
Room 294, Level 2, 9 Wally's Walk
By appointment
Jincheol Kim
Yijiao Jiang
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
MECH3002
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit builds on the fundamental principles of heat and mass transfer in engineering systems, with an emphasis on advanced analysis and application. You will study the three primary modes of heat transfer (conduction, convection, and radiation) and examine how these processes interact in complex thermofluidic systems. Throughout the unit, you will develop the ability to analyse and predict heat and mass transfer behaviour in both local and large-scale systems. You will evaluate heat and mass transfer coefficients, interpret system performance, and design experiments to optimise engineering systems involving thermal and mass‑transport processes. Learning activities focus on problem-solving, critical thinking, and applying theory to contemporary engineering challenges. By the end of the unit, you will be able to apply heat and mass transfer principles to analyse, design, and improve engineering systems across a range of applications and industries. This unit also highlights connections to global sustainability challenges, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) of Affordable and Clean Energy, and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
To pass this unit, students must obtain a mark of 50 or more for the unit (i.e. obtain a passing grade P/ CR/ D/ HD). There are no hurdle assessment tasks.
The University's standard late penalty applies to all eligible written assessments in the unit. For further information, please refer to the University's Assessment Policy: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/assessments
Unless an approved Special Consideration request has been granted, a 5% penalty of the total available marks per calendar day (including weekends) will be applied to late written assessments for up to 7 days after the due date. Assessments submitted more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0. This policy supports the timely return of assessment results to all students.
The submission deadline for all written assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to accommodate unforeseen technical issues.
For time-sensitive assessments, such as examinations, late submissions are not permitted. Students who are unable to attend must submit an approved Special Consideration request.
In this unit, late submissions are considered as follows:
• Assignment – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies
• Practical lab report – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies (attendance requirements still apply)
• Final examination – NO, unless an approved Special Consideration has been granted
All assessments will be marked according to the published marking rubrics. Students will receive a numerical grade for each assessment which will be representative of a Fail (0-49%), Pass (50-64%), Credit (65-74%), Distinction (75-84%) or High Distinction (85-100%) as defined by the university grading scheme.
Assessment rubrics and grading criteria will be made available on iLearn long before the relevant assessment due date.
Assignment
This individual assignment assesses students' ability to apply heat and mass transfer principles covered in lectures to the design of a functional thermal product. Students will use concepts such as conduction, convection, and insulation to develop a design that effectively manages heat transfer. The assessment emphasises the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical engineering design through analytical calculations, design justification, and, where appropriate, prototype development or performance evaluation.
The submission will include analytical calculations, system design, and a technical report. A detailed marking rubric will be provided with the assessment instructions.
Practical Lab Report
Students are required to submit one individual laboratory report based on a practical laboratory session.
Attendance at the practical class is compulsory. Students who do not attend the laboratory session will receive a mark of 0 for the lab report, regardless of whether the report is submitted by the deadline. Students unable to attend a practical class must obtain approved Special Consideration to arrange an alternative session.
Details of laboratory times and locations will be provided on iLearn. The report will be assessed using a marking rubric available on iLearn.
Final Examination
A 2-hour final examination will assess students' understanding of all unit content covered during Weeks 1–13.
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment based on design implementation | 35% | No | 18/10/2026 | Individual | Yes | Open |
| Practical Lab Report | 25% | No | 08/11/2026 | Individual and Group | Yes | Open |
| Final Exam | 40% | No | Exam Period | Individual | No | Open |
Assessment Type 1: Creative task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: 18/10/2026
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open
Apply deep understanding into designing and creating a heat transfer system.
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: 08/11/2026
Weighting: 25%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual and Group
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open
Experiments to explore and investigate heat transfer systems. One single report will be submitted.
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 2 hours
Due: Exam Period
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open
You will undertake a final examination during the formal examination period.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.
3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.
Week 1 classes
In Week 1, only the lecture will be held. There are no tutorials, SGTA sessions, practical classes, or other non-lecture activities during this week. All non-lecture activities will commence from Week 2, as outlined in the unit timetable.
Method of Communications
We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.
Please stay up to date with announcements on the iLearn platform. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the course content, feel free to post them in the General Discussion Forum on iLearn. I will respond to your questions as soon as possible after they are posted.
Useful References
There is no prescribed textbook for this unit. However, the following texts are recommended as useful references:
These texts provide good coverage of the fundamental principles and applications of heat and mass transfer and will serve as valuable resources throughout the unit.
|
Week |
Topic |
Lecturer |
Laboratory/Tutorial |
Assessments |
|
1 |
Introduction to heat transfer, basic modes of heat transfer, steady-state conduction |
Dr. Joe Lin |
No tutorial |
|
|
2 |
Conduction equations, thermal resistance network |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
3 |
Overall heat transfer coefficient, thermal contact resistance |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
Assignment task released |
|
4 |
Introduction to heat convection, Buckingham-pi Theorem, thermal boundary layers |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
5 |
Convection analysis, external forced convection |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
6 |
External forced convection (continued) |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
7 |
Internal forced convection |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
8 |
Natural convection |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
9 |
Radiative heat transfer, black bodies, solar energy |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
10 |
Heat exchangers, log-mean temperature difference method and NTU approach |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial
|
Assignment due |
|
11 |
Overall heat transfer equations, fouling, heat transfer effectiveness, Practical design of heat exchangers |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
Practical session |
|
12 |
Mass transfer, boiling, condensation, evaporation |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
|
|
13 |
Unit review and examination preparation |
Dr. Joe Lin |
Tutorial |
Practical lab report due |
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Unit information based on version 2026.04 of the Handbook