REVERSE ENGINEERING IN THE DESIGN OF A SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER - A CASE STUDY OF THE HEAT TRANSFER COURSE

Nowadays there are diverse pedagogical models adopted worldwide by institutions of higher education (universities), which develop a new vision of the teaching of engineering. One of these models is the Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate, known by its acronym CDIO initiative, which counts with an adaptable structure that applies to the needs of each academic program. As part of this model, the stages of conceive and design can be carried through the reverse engineering methodology, which allows to understand the functioning, the final design and the materials used in the manufacturing of a commercially available product. Also, this methodology allows the student to acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge, reach new practical abilities and develop pertinent professional skills. In this article, is presented a problem of the subject heat transfer, and its solution applying the principles of the reverse engineering methodology as learning method. With this methodology, the student applies the theoretical knowledge to a shell and tube heat exchanger, with a U tube, allowing him to understand and use the theoretical concepts learned in class to the different elements that form the thermal device and in this way ascertain the principles that rule its functioning.