A practice for engineering students based on the control and monitoring an experimental biomass combustor using labview

The methods delineated herein enable students to acquire new knowledge and competences at a high academic level in an independent manner and to demonstrate competence in the current concepts and theories governing energy flows, heat transfer, and energy conversions. These methods have been used in the Energy Thermal Master class that is offered in the Engineering School at the University of Vigo. The study presents an innovative learning method in which two new pedagogical concepts are combined, “learning by doing” and “blended learning,” implying a modernization of the classical learning methods. Using the methodology described below, students are able to operate a biomass experimental as well as use numerous measuring devices to obtain the combustion parameters, which are the latest commercial technology. Furthermore, by using LabVIEW programming, students are able to realize the importance of automation in the facilities and to create a code that is responsible for the control, supervision and monitoring of the system. In addition to the purely experimental aspect, students must analyze the data acquired by LabVIEW, apply their theoretical knowledge and exchange data with other groups, improving their teamwork skills.