Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Outline the need for numerical modelling in engineering practice.
• Justify the simplifications and limitations inherent to numerical modelling, and the consequences for the applicability and reliability of the resulting knowledge.
• Construct mathematical models describing heat and mass transfer in buildings, building zones and/or building components.
• Develop algorithms for the solution of spatially discretised – by control volumes or finite elements – continuum systems.
• Develop algorithms for the solution of temporally discretised – by explicit, implicit or Crank-Nicholson schemes – continuum systems.
• Evaluate spatial and temporal discretisation errors and their effect on the applicability and reliability of the resulting knowledge.
• Construct iteration procedures and convergence criteria for non-linear problems.
• Outline different algorithms for solutions of (large) systems of algebraic equations.
• Develop efficient program code for heat and mass transfer models in a MATLAB programming environment.
• Assess the accuracy and reliability of the developed numerical model by means of verification exercises and validation experiments.
• Evaluate the suitability of the different mathematical and numerical methods for the modelling and solution of heat and mass transfer in buildings, building zones and/or building components.
• Select the most suitable software platform for the modelling, implementation and /or solution of heat and mass transfer in buildings, building zones and/or building components.

Effective as of Fall 2011