BIOE 246 - Bioengineering Thermodynamics
Spring 2025
Instructor
Inês J. Seabra, Sinclair Lab, 205 B
610-715-5450, ijs218@lehigh.edu
Office hours: TBA
Course
Information
Class hours:
Lectures M/W 9:20 am - 10:35 am
Recitations F 7:55 am - 9:10 am, 10:45 am -12:00 pm
Number of credits: 4
Course format: 2 lectures + 1 recitation period
Prerequisites: PHY 11 and MATH 22
Corequisites: CHM 31
Compulsory Text
Thermodynamics - An Engineering Approach, 9th ed.
Çengel, Y., Boles, M., Kanoglu, M.
McGraw-Hill, 2019
The solutions manual is not required but is highly recommended.
Related Texts
and
Recommended
Reading
Bioengineering Fundamentals
Saterbak, A., San, K.-Y., Mcintire, L. V.
Pearson, 2018
Modern Engineering Thermodynamics
Balmer, R. T.
Elsevier, 2011
Biothermodynamics – Principles and Applications
Ozilgen, M., Sorgüven, E.
CRC Press, 2017
Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, 9th ed.
Moran, M. J., Shapiro, H. N., Boettner, D. D, Bailey, M. B.
WILEY, 2014
Course Objectives
This course deals with the fundamentals of thermodynamics including thermodynamic
systems and properties, relationships among the thermophysical properties, the laws
of thermodynamics and applications of these basic laws in thermodynamic systems
with emphasis on bioengineering applications.
Course Contents
The main topics covered are:
1. Energy, energy transfer, and general energy analysis.
2. Properties of pure substances.
3. Energy analysis of closed systems. Moving boundary work.
4. Mass and energy analysis of control volumes.
5. Second Law of Thermodynamics.
6. Entropy. The increase of entropy principle.
Expected
Learning
Outcomes
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explain fundamental concepts relevant to thermodynamics.
2. Apply first-law and second-law analysis principles to engineering and biological
processes.
3. Formulate conservation laws (i.e., material and energy balances) for engineering
BIOE 246 - Bioengineering Thermodynamics
and biological processes.
4. Determine thermodynamic properties of pure substances and mixtures.
5. Understand thermodynamic aspects of biological processes.
In addition to the above content-related objectives, students will also:
6. Develop creative thinking and an intuitive understanding of thermodynamics.
7. Develop and apply mathematical and physical reasoning skills.
8. Acquire and apply formal problem-solving techniques that can be applied to
generalized problems throughout engineering and applied science.
9. Integrate the above principles to analyze complex bioengineering processes.
Assessment
1. Homework
To encourage you to closely follow the material covered and provide you with
opportunities to practice the concepts taught in class through problem solving, six
homework assignments will be given throughout the semester every other week on
Fridays. The homework problem set will be posted on the Course Site. It is to your
benefit to make a serious attempt at solving the homework problems. Failure to do so
will most likely result in poor performance on quizzes and the final exam. Solutions to
homework problems and other problems will be posted on the Course Site.
Homework assignments should be handed to me on the following Friday or
submitted on Course Site and will be graded as soon as possible. They will count
toward your final grade as indicated below. Half the homework points will be given for
each problem seriously attempted; the other half will be based on successful solution
of the problem.
The purpose of homework in this course is also to develop skills in clearly, logical, and
completely communicating problem-solving methodologies. Therefore:
• Each problem must have sections: “Given,” “Find,” “Assumptions,” and “Solution.”
Sketches must be employed to illustrate the system in question, whenever the
spatial relationships of quantities are not obvious.
• The units must be clear for every numeric value. Real values must have at least
three significant digits for intermediate results to avoid excessive error
accumulation due to truncation. Final answers must have significant digits that
reflect the known precision of the solution.
• Submitted work must be neat. Use a ruler and compass for diagrams; underline or
put boxes around answers.
• Convince me you have the correct answer!
2. Quizzes
Six half-hour quizzes will be given throughout the semester (on Fridays), every other
week starting on February 7.
When grading homework assignments and quizzes, I will be more focused on your
reasoning rather than in achieving a correct result. This means that you will need to
show what you really know. You may have a correct result for a particular problem and
have less than 50% of the total grade for that problem, if you don´t follow the following
procedures:
1. Represent the process using a clear schematic diagram, where the different states of
the system are represented. In that diagram you should include all the raw data given
and not the data from your own calculations (5-10% of the final grade).
2. Identify the type of system that you have (closed or open system) and all the
assumptions that need to be considered to solve the problem (5-10% of the final
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BIOE 246 - Bioengineering Thermodynamics
grade).
3. Write the mass and energy balances from scratch, identifying all the variables. Also ,
explicitly explain which variables are zero, if any (5-10% of the final grade).
4. Show all the equations that you are using and then plug in the values. Pay attention
to units (5-10% of the final grade).
5. When using data from the tables, explicitly describe which table you are using (5% of
the final grade).
6. In general, be rigorous about the problem-solving method you use (5-10% of the
final grade).
These are general standard good procedures to solve the problems during the quizzes
and final exam. I expect much more than a simple substitution of values in equations
and a right result at the end.
3. Attendance and
participation in
class
Regular attendance is highly recommended. Records of your attendance will be
maintained and will count towards your final grade, together with participation in class
as stated below. In case you must miss a class, you are responsible for keeping up with
the class work and being informed of all announcements made in the class concerning
homework, quizzes, etc. If you encounter difficulties of any kind, please come to office
hours – I will be happy to help you.
4. Examinations
There will be six quizzes during the Friday recitation period during the semester as well
as one cumulative final exam during the final exam period at the end of the semester.
While the quizzes and final exam are closed book and closed notes, equations may be
provided as deemed necessary by the instructor.
Make-up quizzes and final exam may be given for legitimate excuses if you contact the
instructor.
5. Final Grades
Homework
Attendance and participation in class
Quizzes
Final Exam
Total
15%
10%
50%
25%
100%
Letter grades are based on:
A
93-100%
A90-92%
B+
88-89%
B
83-87%
B80-82%
C+
78-79%
C
73-77%
C70-72%
D+
68-69%
D
63-67%
D60-62%
F
Less than 60%
Student Senate
Statement on
All members of the Lehigh community have a responsibility to maintain academic
integrity. Resources and details of expectations at Lehigh are available on the Provost’s
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BIOE 246 - Bioengineering Thermodynamics
Academic Integrity
website. It is expected that all students will abide by these standards throughout the
course (e.g., homework, quizzes, papers, exams, projects, etc.). Academic integrity case
studies will be discussed on the first day of class, and students are encouraged to ask
questions for further clarity throughout the semester. Violations of academic integrity
standards will not be tolerated and will be handled according to the guidelines in the
University’s Student Conduct System.
The Principles of
Our Equitable
Community
Lehigh University endorses The Principles of Our Equitable Community. We expect
each member of this class to acknowledge and practice these Principles. Respect for
each other and for differing viewpoints is a vital component of the learning
environment inside and outside the classroom.
Accommodations
for Students with
Disabilities
Lehigh University is committed to maintaining an equitable and inclusive community
and welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University’s educational
programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student
with a disability must contact Disability Support Services (DSS), provide documentation,
and participate in an interactive review process. If the documentation supports a
request for reasonable accommodations, DSS will provide students with a Letter of
Accommodations. Students who are approved for accommodations at Lehigh should
share this letter and discuss their accommodations and learning needs with instructors
as early in the semester as possible. For more information or to request services,
please contact Disability Support Services in person in Williams Hall, Suite 301, via
phone at 610-758-4152, via email at indss@lehigh.edu, or online.
Lehigh University
Policy on
Harassment and
NonDiscrimination
Lehigh University upholds the Principles of Our Equitable Community and is committed
to an educational, working, co-curricular, social, and living environment for faculty,
staff, and students. The University does not discriminate in its admissions practices,
employment practices, or educational programs or activities on the basis of age, color,
disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender expression, gender identity, genetic
information, marital status, national origin (including shared ancestry), pregnancy or
related conditions, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and veteran or military status.
Harassment or discrimination is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated. The
University strongly encourages (and, depending upon the circumstances, may require)
students, faculty, or staff who experience or witness harassment or discrimination, or
have information about harassment or discrimination in University programs or
activities, to immediately report such conduct.
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