Course Title: Physiological Flows

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Physiological Flows

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

OENG1073

City Campus

Undergraduate

172H School of Engineering

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Khashayar Khoshmanesh

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2851

Course Coordinator Email: khashayar.khoshmanesh@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Melbourne City Campus

Course Coordinator Availability: By email appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Pre-requisites:
None

Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities:
Ordinary and partial differential equations, Vector calculus.


Course Description

More than 60% of our body is filled with liquid. In fact, liquids facilitate many processes and reactions in our body. This includes the delivery of oxygen, communication of signalling molecules such as hormones and activation of immune cells through the blood vessels, exchange of gasses through lungs, and conversion of food into nutrients through the digestive system, without which we cannot survive. All of these complex processes and reactions can be defined by fundamental rules governing the balance of mass, momentum, energy and transport of species in liquid environments. This course will introduce you to such fundamental rules, using which you can better understand your body activities, study various diseases and eventually develop effective treatments for them.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes:

1.3: In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline

2.1: Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering solving

2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools, and resources

3.3: Creative, innovative, and pro-active demeanour

3.6: Effective team membership and team leadership


On completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Analyse the thermo-physical properties (density, viscosity, thermal conductivity) of physiological liquids.
  • Study the balance of mass, momentum, energy, and species inside your body.
  • Evaluate the flow of physiological liquids, exchange of heat and transport of chemicals within your body.
  • Develop and analyse basic, proof-of-concept experiments mimicking the complex liquid-based processes, reactions within your body. 



Overview of Learning Activities

The course will provide an interactive and hands-on learning experience:

  • Lectures (pre-recorded and face-to-face lectures along with interactive tutorial components)
  • Computer-based lectures (instructor guided)
  • Assignments to provide training on theoretical/numerical analysis and integrated understanding of the subject matter
  • Guest lectures to provide an overview of an emerging research topic in biomedical engineering
  • Group projects to provide training in literature review, research and writing skills


Overview of Learning Resources

Course-related resources will be provided on “myRMIT”:

  • Lectures will be pre-recorded and uploaded to Canvas.
  • Lecture notes, as prepared by the teaching staff and guest lecturers.
  • Course materials, as provided and available online via myRMIT Studies.
  • Lists of relevant reference texts, library resources and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Task 1: Assignment

Students need to solve a few problems related to ‘Dynamics of Flow’ individually and submit their assignments via Canvas.
Weighting 25%
Due week 6
This assessment task supports CLO 1 and 2

 

Assessment Task 2: Assignment

Students need to solve a few problems related to ‘Heat and Mass Transfer’ individually and submit their assignments via Canvas.
Weighting 25%
Due week 10
This assessment task supports CLO 1, 2 and 3

 

Assessment Task 3: Project report, demonstration, and presentation

Students will be divided into groups of up to 3-4 individuals to develop a simple fluidic device for pumping, mixing, particle separation, and heat transfer. Given the simplicity of the system, its components can be acquired, assembled, tested, and analysed off-campus. The progress of the project will be monitored via on-line meetings.

Students who cannot form a group can perform this project individually.
Weighting 50%
Due week 14
This assessment task supports CLO 4