2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Project Based Learning (PBL) techniques are used to teach students about energy conversion techniques and modeling and simulation. Students perform exergy simulations of geothermal steam turbines and then synthesize solutions to estimate recommended geothermal steam turbine replacements for coal-fired power plants on an island with geothermal wells. PBL techniques provide the basis for introducing the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM) to students. Student outcomes such as student Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value are part of the project. Student Curiosity and Connection is created with the context of the project. In the project scenario, student interns and are asked to perform modeling and simulation for the firm “Exergy or Lose It”. Students are given geothermal conditions for six wells on the island as well as the specification sheets for real geothermal turbines and asked for a recommendation to replace 200 MW of energy. Their simulation analysis is done with a series of MATLAB codes that help automate the analysis. Proper modeling and simulation technique are scaffolded within the project by requiring them to verify their code with a hand calculation, validate the code with output power from known steam turbines, and then do predictions for the geothermal steam turbines. The students finally Create Value in their recommendation for how to replace 200 MW of coal-fired power plants with geothermal energy.