Unit Synopsis
This unit develops fundamental and applied knowledge of thermofluids, energy systems, and sustainable energy technologies, with a strong emphasis on engineering analysis and professional practice. Students will examine thermofluid properties and apply engineering principles to solve problems involving fluid flow, friction losses, and the performance of fluid machinery in aviation hydraulic and lavatory systems. The unit also explores thermodynamic, heat transfer, and psychrometric processes that underpin cabin environmental control, focusing on maintaining air quality and thermal comfort in aircraft. In addition, students will analyse energy conversion cycles to evaluate the performance of combustion engines and propulsion systems used in aviation applications. Emerging and sustainable energy solutions, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen, solar, and wind energy, are critically evaluated in the context of aviation decarbonisation. The unit further develops students’ professional skills in teamwork, communication, and technical documentation. Students will work collaboratively to produce high-quality engineering reports using appropriate terminology, diagrams, and standard engineering symbols. Overall, the unit integrates theoretical knowledge with practical and sustainability-focused applications relevant to modern aviation engineering practice.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 3 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 2 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
There are no pre-requisites for the unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 3 - 2026
Term 2 - 2027 Profile
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Online Quiz(zes) | 30% |
| 2. Written Assessment | 30% |
| 3. Project (applied) | 40% |
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Source: As per unit coordinator's evaluation.
More sustainable energy-related examples are to be practiced in the tutorials.
The tutorials should practice sustainable energy-related examples from the recommended textbooks and up-to-date research articles.
Tutorials have been updated to include sustainable energy-related examples drawn from the recommended textbooks and current research articles, ensuring alignment with contemporary practices and enhancing student learning.
Source: Student Unit and Teacher Evaluations (SUTE)
The unit is well-designed, and students are highly satisfied.
This is positive and motivating feedback. This practice should continue moving forward.
The professional practice has been maintained and will continue to be implemented in future terms to support ongoing student engagement and satisfaction.
Source: In-class student feedback
Students expressed a preference for more hands-on activities to complement the unit's theoretical content.
It is recommended to incorporate additional practical exercises or project-based activities to enhance experiential learning and better engage students with the unit content.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Analyse thermofluid properties and solve engineering problems involving fluid friction losses and fluid machinery performance in aviation hydraulic and lavatory systems
- Analyse thermodynamic, heat transfer, and psychrometric processes to ensure cabin air quality and thermal comfort
- Analyse energy conversion cycles to evaluate the performance of combustion engines and propulsion systems
- Evaluate the feasibility of sustainable aviation energy pathways, including SAF, hydrogen, solar, and wind technologies, for aviation decarbonisation
- Demonstrate teamwork and professional communication through high-quality technical documentation using appropriate engineering terminology, diagrams, and standard symbols.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Intermediate
1.1 Comprehensive, theory-based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4I )
1.2 Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences that underpin the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4I )
1.3 In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1N 2I 3I )
1.5 Knowledge of engineering design practice and contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline. (LO: 3I )
1.6 Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline. (LO: 2I 3N )
2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. (LO: 1I 2I 3I )
2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. (LO: 4I )
2.3 Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes. (LO: 4I )
2.4 Application of systematic approaches to the conduct and management of engineering projects. (LO: 4N 5I )
3.1 Ethical conduct and professional accountability. (LO: 1I 5I )
3.2 Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. (LO: 5I )
3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour. (LO: 5I )
3.4 Professional use and management of information. (LO: 5I )
3.5 Orderly management of self and professional conduct. (LO: 5I )
Advanced
1.4 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3A 4N )
3.6 Effective team membership and team leadership. (LO: 5A )
Note: LO refers to the Learning Outcome number(s) which link to the competency and the levels: N – Introductory, I – Intermediate and A - Advanced.
Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for further information on the Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers and course level mapping information https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=1511
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | • | • | |
| 2 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | • | |
| 3 - Project (applied) | • | • | • | ||
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | • | ||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • | • | |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | • | • | ||
| 5 - Team Work | • | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | • | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | • | ||||
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |