Bio-engineering
Part 5: Bio-engineering –
engineering report
Acknowledgments
This publication is copyright Learning Materials Production, Open
Training and Education Network – Distance Education, NSW
Department of Education and Training, however it may contain
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Materials development:
John Shirm
Coordination:
Jeff Appleby
Content review:
Stephen Russell
Illustrations:
Tom Brown
DTP:
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Copyright in this material is reserved to the Crown in the right of the State of
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© Learning Materials Production, Open Training and Education Network –
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Revised 2003
Part 5 contents
Introduction ............................................................................... 2
What will you learn? .........................................................................2
Engineering report ..................................................................... 3
Aims of an engineering report ..........................................................3
Structure of an engineering report ....................................................4
Developing an engineering report ....................................................6
Sample engineering report ...............................................................7
Exercises ................................................................................. 17
Progress check ....................................................................... 19
Exercise cover sheet ............................................................... 21
Bibliography ............................................................................ 23
Module evaluation ................................................................... 25
Part 6: Lifting devices – engineering report
1
Introduction
In previous modules of the Preliminary course you have compiled
engineering reports which focus on an engineered product. In this
module you will produce an engineering report which focuses on
bio-engineering.
In this part you will examine the components of an engineering report,
and nominate and investigate one area of bio-engineering and detail
current projects and technologies in the areas.
What will you learn?
You will learn about:
•
engineering report writing
•
communication
–
research methods including the Internet, CD-ROM and libraries
–
collaborative work practices.
You will learn to:
•
•
complete an engineering report on the bio-engineering profession
with reference to
–
the nature of the work done
–
ethics related to the profession.
apply appropriate technologies to produce a report.
Extract from Stage 6 Engineering Studies Syllabus  Board of Studies NSW, 1999.
Refer to <http//www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au> for original and current documents.
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Lifting devices
Engineering report
An engineering report is a formal, considered document which draws
together information gained about a product or filed, through research
and analysis, to arrive at a conclusion or present recommendations based
on investigation.
Engineers do not communicate with words alone. In an engineering
report, technical information is presented using a combination of text,
tables, graphs and diagrams.
An engineering report for an application module involves:
•
outlining the area under investigation
•
collecting and analysing available data
•
drawing conclusions and/or proposing recommendations
•
acknowledging contributions form individuals or groups
•
recording sources of information
•
including any relevant additional support material.
An engineering report for a focus module involves covering additional
aspects such as:
•
examining the nature of the work done by the profession
•
discussing issues related to the field.
Aims of an engineering report
A well structured engineering report aims to:
•
demonstrate effective management, research, analysis and
communication skills related to the content
•
include data relevant to the area under investigation
Part 6: Lifting devices – engineering report
3
•
present information clearly and concisely so that it is easily
understood by the reader through the use of tables, graphs and
diagrams to illustrate mathematical and scientific facts
•
justify the purpose using observations, calculations, or other
evidence, to support a conclusion or recommendations.
•
document contributions and sources of information.
Structure of an engineering report
An engineering report generally includes the following sections:
•
title
•
abstract
•
introduction
•
analysis
•
result summary
•
conclusions/recommendations
•
acknowledgments
•
bibliography
•
appendices.
Title page
The title page gives the title of the engineering report, identifies the
author and gives the date when the report was completed.
Abstract
The abstract is a concise statement that describes the content of the
engineering report. It covers the scope of the report (what it is about) and
the approaches used to complete the analysis (how the information was
assembled).
The purpose of the abstract is to allow a reader to decide if the
engineering report contains relevant information.
The abstract should be no more than two or three paragraphs – shorter if
possible.
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Lifting devices
Introduction
The introduction provides an overview of the subject, purpose and scope of the
engineering report. It may contain background information regarding the topic.
It also outlines the sections of the engineering report including why the
investigation was undertaken, what research occurred, how data was collected
and what analysis was conducted.
Analysis
The analysis is the body of the engineering report and should show evidence of
research and experimentation. Information about materials and the mechanics
of products should be collected or calculated for all engineering reports. This
section must contain information required to satisfy the aim and purpose of the
report.
Tables and graphs, used to summarise detailed data in a concise form, are
common features of an engineering report.
Result summary
The result summary should present the results concisely and note any
limitations on the investigation.
The results inform and support the conclusions and recommendations.
Conclusions/recommendations
The conclusions/recommendations summarises major points or issues in earlier
sections of the engineering report.
This section requires the author to draw conclusions or make recommendations
based on data collected. If the purpose of the engineering report was to ‘select
the best…..’, then the selection should be stated and the reason for the choice
explained.
Acknowledgments
The acknowledgment section provides the opportunity to credit other people’s
work that has contributed to the report.
Bibliography
The bibliography demonstrates that the report is well researched – all
references need to be included. Bibliographic entries should follow established
guidelines.
Part 6: Lifting devices – engineering report
5
A standard approach for referencing bibliographic entries includes identifying
the name of the author, the year of publication, the title of the work, the name
of the publisher and the place of publication.
For example:
Johnston, S. Gostelow, P and Jones, E 1999, Engineering and
Society, Addison Wesley Longman Australian Pty Ltd, Melbourne.
This information allows the reader to source the information for confirmation
of the details or conduct further research.
Appendices
The appendices should contain detail that has been separated from the main
body of the engineering report. The information in this section is not essential
but enhances the other data. Examples could be engineering drawings of
products being compared, where the overall dimensions of the product may not
have been part of the report, but may be relevant to some readers.
During the engineering course this section may contain a technical drawing and
could include information collected from organisations.
Developing an engineering report
Research and collaboration are the keys to developing an accurate and
informative engineering report.
Research methods
Research is a critical function for professional engineers. The process
involves:
1
Clarifying the issue
The first step involves clarifying the issue under investigation and
selecting an approach. This may require selecting sample materials,
experimentation, working collaboratively with others.
2
Collecting data
The second step involves collecting data. Sources such as the
Internet, CD-ROM, encyclopedia, texts and journals are all locations
where information can be gathered.
6
Lifting devices
NOTE:
Take care when gathering information from the Internet. Verify the
accuracy and reliability of the information by checking the
qualifications of the source, it cannot be assumed that the person(s)
placing the information on the Internet is an expert on the subject.
3
Analysing and interpreting information
The third step involves relating the evidence collected to support
conclusions drawn or recommendations made.
Collaborative work practices
Collaboration involves working with others. It is an effective and
efficient means of obtaining information and support during a project.
The degree of collaboration can range from including the contribution of
others through discussion to the involvement of a team depending on the
project.
Sample engineering report
The following section contains a sample engineering report on a the
profession of bio-engineering.
The sample engineering report provides a general overview of the field of
bio-engineering then focuses on a specific area – the bio-engineering
environmental management.
You can use the sample engineering report as a guide when presenting
your work.
Part 6: Lifting devices – engineering report
7
8
Lifting devices
Bio-engineering
Title:
Bio-fuels
Author/s:
D. Iesel
Date:
January 2000
Abstract
This report will examine the possible role that an environmental
bio-engineer could play in assessing the potential for developing
sustainable alternatives to the current use of fossil based fuels.
Introduction
The realm of the bio-engineer is particularly wide and can cover areas
ranging from cutting edge experimental medical technology, refining
existing medical technologies and practices through to the genetic
modification of plant crops to enhance harvest quality and quantity
and environmental management.
This report, developed by a bio-engineer specialising in
environmental management will show that the continued use of nonrenewable fossil based fuels is environmentally disastrous, and the
continued use of such fuels without modification and exploring
alternatives is ethically irresponsible. It will be shown that the
burning of fossil fuels is a significant contributor to the air pollution
levels in major cities and is responsible for numerous serious medical
conditions throughout the world. As such engineers are ethically
bound to explore and find alternatives that will result in an improved
and sustainable living environment.
Environmental pollution has reached a level that impacts on all living
species on the planet and it is imperative that the sources of pollution
are identified and research be conducted into methods for reducing
the quantities of pollutants being emitted.
Air pollution can be described as the presence in the atmosphere of
any contaminates that may be injurious to the health or welfare of
animal and plant life.
Pollutants can be classified as either natural or human generated.
Natural pollutants can include volcanic eruptions and other significant
geological disasters. Our ability to manage these is negligible.
Human generated pollutants, on the other hand, may be able to be
managed. The transport, domestic and industrial sectors are the main
contributors towards the rise in global pollutant levels. Particularly
significant is the quantity of the fuel being consumed by motor
vehicles. A vast majority of these vehicles are consuming fossil
based fuels such as petrol and diesel.
Analysis
Vehicles, such as cars and trucks, with petrol and diesel engines are
increasing their numbers on the roads of the world today at ever
alarming rates. In the last 50 years their numbers have increased
dramatically and each one of these vehicles will produce significant
quantities of potentially harmful by-products.
Without some form of intervention into their pollution cycle the
quantity of pollutants will choke the cities and render them
uninhabitable.
Data from the US census Bureau indicates that there are currently
in excess of 221 475 000 vehicles on US roads at the moment which
are consuming more than 220 000 000 000 gallons or over
900 000 000 000 litres of fuel annually. These figures only account
for the US and considerable quantities of fuel would be used in
Europe and Asia as well. No matter how these figures are viewed,
this is a lot of fuel.
It has been estimated that for every mile traveled, vehicles emit 3.3
grams of volatile organic compounds, 27.52 grams of carbon
monoxide (CO) and 2 grams of Nitrous oxides (NOx). This means
that there will be at least 14 520 000 tonnes of volatile organic
compounds, 121 088 000 tonnes of CO and 8 800 000 Tonnes of NOx
released into the atmosphere annually.
The composition of global atmospheric pollution produced by
vehicles includes significant quantities of lead (used in fuel as a
lubricant), solid particulate matter (SPM), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides and carbon monoxide. Many of these pollutants can be
minimized by improving the efficiency of the fuel burn in the engine
combustion chamber and by modifying the chemical composition of
the fuel.
In Australia the significance of lead as a pollutant has been greatly
decreased as a result of legislation calling for the removal of the lead
from the fuel. However, globally lead is a significant pollutant and
along with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene
soluble organic matter (BSOM), other common by-products of the
combustion of fuel have been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in
nature.
Oxides of sulfur are linked with respiratory problems such as asthma,
bronchitis and in extreme cases emphysema and carbon monoxide
(CO) has been shown to have adverse effects on haemoglobin levels
in the blood.
Nitrous oxides when combined with oxygen and in the presence of
ultraviolet radiation will result in the development of photochemical
smog.
The quantities of pollutants produced are affected by the quality of
the fuel being used, the state of maintenance and the technology
employed in the motor. The importance of the relationship between
atmospheric pollution and the car was first recognised in America in
the 1940s but it was not until the 1970s that legislation, The Clean Air
Act was passed, initiating emission control for all vehicles.
Additionally, the long-term sustainability of the use of fossil fuels is
questionable. With the exponential growth in the number of vehicles
there has been a similar growth in the amounts of fuel supplies
needed. As the amount of fossil fuel is a limited resource, its
continued availability cannot be guaranteed.
Alternative fuels
The notion of sustainability resulted in the vehicle manufacturers
developing more efficient motors and experimenting with alternative
fuel supplies – liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural
gas (CNG). LPG is widely available across most areas of Australia
and has been proven as a reliable and cleaner fuel. Compared to
petrol-powered vehicles LPG produces about 12% less CO2, 30% less
NOx, CO and hydrocarbons and if compared to diesel vehicles it
produces about 90% less NOx and only 1/50th of the amount of
particles. As a result of the pricing structures it is more cost efficient
too.
CNG has been used in a number of bus fleets and by some councils in
Sydney, but the wide spread uptake has been hindered by the lack of
available purchase points for the public.
The cost of converting a vehicle to either LPG or CNG varies from
between $2 000 to $6 000 depending on the type of vehicle that it is
being fitted to and the type and number of storage cylinders that are to
be used. Both of these fuels reduce exhaust emissions, being dry
gaseous fuels they do not dilute the lubricating oil therefore reduce
engine wear and maintenance requirements. On the negative side
both of these fuels result in a loss of power when compared to the
petrol engine, can result in increased exhaust valve wear because of
the dry nature of the fuel and have the additional weight of the fuel
cylinders. Again they are still using finite resources.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a clean burning replacement diesel fuel suitable for all
compression ignition engines. Biodiesel can be made from either
pure (new) or recycled vegetable oils, animal fats or restaurant
greases.
Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum diesel and used in many
non-modified diesel engines. Commonly 20% biodiesel is mixed with
80% petroleum diesel, this blend is known as B20, whereas pure
biodiesel is designated as B100. Engines using B100 fuel may need
to be modified to take advantage of this type of fuel. The
transportation and storage of this fuel requires no special
requirements and in many instances is safer than petroleum diesel fuel
in that the flash point of biodiesel is 150o C rather than 77o C.
Independent tests have shown that biodiesel produces a significant
reduction in all aspects of emissions and that it does not pose a threat
to human health. In the year 2000, biodiesel was recognised as the
only alternative fuel to successfully satisfy the stringent test
requirements under the US Clean Air Act.
The use of biodiesel significantly decreases the exhaust emissions of
SPM and decreases the CO levels. The CO is converted to CO2
because of a more complete combustion and similar decreases in the
sulfur dioxide emissions are also observed.
The crops used to produce biodiesel absorb large amounts of CO2 as
they grow and as the fuel is non-toxic and biodegradable it is an
excellent fuel for use in fragile environments including estuaries,
lakes, rivers, and national parks.
Electricity
Electricity has been used to power transport networks for many years
– trains, trams and trolley busses. But these networks are limited in
that the vehicle must follow specific paths.
To allow for a wider ranging network electricity needs to be stored.
This storage has been through using batteries. Although there has
been significant research into the development of battery storage
systems they are still large and have limited applications.
At present most electric vehicles have a limited range because of the
storage capacity of the batteries and they need to be recharged at very
regular intervals. Development of the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)
is being carried out and many of the major vehicle manufacturers are
expected to have such vehicles available for personal transport within
the next few years.
There is also significant research currently being undertaken in the
development of the fuel cell. These cells produce electricity by the
electrochemical reaction that takes place between hydrogen and
oxygen in a fuel cell stack. The nonpolluting byproducts of this
reaction are heat and water. This makes it an extremely clean and
efficient fuel but currently this technology is only in its infancy.
Ethanol
The mixing of ethanol with diesel to produce E-diesel is a new
process and the results are not yet conclusive. The mixing of ethanol
with diesel lowers the flash point of the fuel making it more like
petrol to handle. This would necessitate the probable modification of
current diesel motors and would void the manufacturers warranty. As
yet this fuel has not passed the environmental regulations required by
the US Clean Air Act.
Recently in Australia there has been significant controversy over
some fuel distributors adding quantities of ethanol to the fuel
supplies. Vehicle manufacturers have declined to offer warranties for
their vehicles if they are operated with fuels containing significant
percentages of ethanol.
Solar energy and hydrogen
The use of solar energy and hydrogen are also seen as potential
sources of fuel but at present they are limited because of the storage
deficiencies associated with batteries.
Result summary
Historically there has been significant development of motors and
transport systems based on fossil fuels. Much of the recent activity
has resulted in motors becoming more efficient with their use of fuel
and decreasing the emission of pollutants. But from the shear
numbers of vehicles on the road today there is a need to actively
pursue developments focusing on renewable and nonpolluting energy
sources.
Whilst in the long-term fuel cell and solar technologies may be able to
sustain the fuel requirements it is apparent that short term solutions
need to be developed and implemented as soon as possible. Such an
alternative is the development of biodiesel. It uses existing motor
technology and the fuels are environmentally sustainable.
The results from developing such a fuel would have immediate and
dramatic impacts on the quantities if fossil fuel currently being used
and the pollution profile of vehicles. Whilst diesel motors are
commonly used as truck motors they are becoming more widely used
in passenger vehicles. This trend is particularly apparent in Europe
and is spreading worldwide with the introduction of small highpowered turbo diesel engines for cars.
Conclusions/recommendations
The development of sustainable fuel supplies in both the short and the
long-terms is dependent on the involvement of bio-engineers in the
field of environmental engineering.
Initially the bio-engineer may be involved in developing a crop source
that could be used to supply oil for traditional motors. This may
involve developing better cropping methodology, production
techniques and possible genetic modification of the crop to increase
harvest and quality of the product.
Additionally the bio-engineer may be involved with the development
of recycling methods and reprocessing centers for the repurposing of
various oil products into usable fuels.
Bibliography
The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
<http://www.atse.org.au/publications/reports/urbair3.htm> (accessed
13.08.03)
The Energy and Resource Institute
<http://www.teriin.org/energy/cng.htm#intro> (accessed 13.08.03)
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
<http://www.dar.csiro.au/information/urbanpollution.html> (accessed
13.08.03)
Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/compressed.pdf
(accessed 13.08.03)
LP Gas Association <http://www.lpga.co.uk/LPGA.htm> (accessed
13.08.03)
Alternative Fuels and Data Center
<http://www.afdc.doe.gov/altfuels.html> (accessed 13.08.03)
The Energy and Resource Institute
<http://www.teriin.org/urban/air.htm> (accessed 13.08.03)
Public Access Networks Corporation <www.panix.com> (accessed
13.08.03)
US Census Bureau <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statisticalabstract-02.html> (accessed 13.08.03)
16
Part 5: Engineering report
Exercises
Exercises 5.1
Select a bio-engineering development that interests you and report on the
nature of the work done and the related issues.
Describe the project and the technologies that are associated with the
project.
Possible areas could include:
•
development of tap handles for the arthritic
•
use of biomass obtainable from recycling centers
•
generation of power from recycling centers.
Consider the resources you have available when nominating the
area for investigation.
Bio-engineering
17
18
Part 5: Engineering report
Progress check
In this part of the module you applied your knowledge and skills to
produce an engineering report on bio-engineering – the nature of the
work and the ethics related to the profession.


Disagree – revise your work


Uncertain – contact your teacher
Uncertain
Agree – well done
Disagree


Agree
Take a few moments to reflect on your learning then tick the box that best
represents your level of understanding.
I have learnt about
•
engineering report writing
•
communication
–
research methods including the Internet, CD-ROM
and libraries
–
collaborative work practices.
I have learnt to
•
complete an engineering report on the bio-engineering
profession with reference to
– the nature of the work done
– ethics related to the profession.
•
apply appropriate technologies to produce a report.
Extract from Stage 6 Engineering Studies Syllabus  Board of Studies NSW, 1999.
Refer to <http//www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au> for original and current documents.
Congratulations! You have now completed Bio-engineering.
Bio-engineering
19
20
Part 5: Engineering report
Exercise cover sheet
Exercises 5.1
Name:
_____________________________
Check!
Have you completed the following exercise?
 Exercise 5.1
•
title page
•
abstract
•
introduction
•
analysis
•
results summary
•
conclusions/recommendations
•
acknowledgments
•
bibliography
•
appendices.
If you study Stage 6 Engineering Studies through a Distance Education
Centre/School you will need to return the exercise pages with your
responses.
Return the exercise pages with the Title Page cover attached. Do not
return all the notes, they should be filed for future reference.
If you study Stage 6 Engineering Studies through the OTEN Open
Learning Program (OLP) refer to the Learner's Guide to determine which
exercises you need to return to your teacher along with the Mark Record
Slip.
Please complete and return the module evaluation that follows.
Bio-engineering
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Part 5: Engineering report