Decarbonising Thermodynamics: Teaching mechanical engineering thermodynamics for a net-zero future

Finding new examples to teach engineering thermodynamics is an important task for engineering educators. Relying on 19th century fossil fuel technologies to teach the principles of this challenging subject may result in students perceiving a lack of relevance to the modern world and even less relevance to the 21st century challenges that many will spend their working lives addressing. Even recently updated thermodynamics textbooks from the major publishers show no significant updates to the examples used to teach thermodynamics over the last 15 years.
This project has replaced all of the fossil fuel examples in an introductory thermodynamics module with renewable and low-carbon technologies. Organic Rankine cycles using solar and geothermal heat sources, and hydrogen internal combustion engines replace the coal and oil fired steam turbines and the petrol and diesel engines that are the examples that are almost exclusively used in standard thermodynamics textbooks. This required the introduction of new materials, some from research and some from established energy technologies, and in particular needed the creation of worked examples and practice questions using new and future technologies.
Students found the new material engaging and appreciated the relevance to current and future engineering challenges, and the examples were at least as helpful in illustrating the property relations, first and second laws and equations of state that form the foundations of the subject. Indeed the relevance of the second law is easier to discuss when talking about distributed renewable energy sources in comparison to the more concentrated fossil fuel sources they are replacing. More work is needed to decarbonise thermodynamics, but this work suggests that it can also enhance discussion opportunities and improve engagement