Engineering

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the principles and applications of building energy systems. The course is for students in engineering and architecture, focusing on the intersection of energy efficiency, electrical systems, and building design. Topics include building energy analysis, psychrometrics, steady state and seasonal analysis, electricity supply system, electrical services in buildings, lightning protection.

Stochastic processes find applications in a wide variety of fields and offer a refined and powerful framework to examine and analyze time series. This course presents the basics for the treatment of stochastic signals and time series. Topics covered include models for stochastic dependence; concepts of description of stationary stochastic processes in the time domain including expectation, covariance, and cross-covariance functions; concepts of description of stationary stochastic processes in the frequency domain including effect spectrum and cross-spectrum; Gaussian process, Wiener process, white noise, and Gaussian fields in time and space; Stochastic processes in linear filters including relationships between in- and out-signals, autoregression and moving average (AR, MA, ARMA), and derivation and integration of stochastic processes; the basics in statistical signal processing, estimation of expectations, covariance function, and spectrum; and application of linear filters: frequency analysis and optimal filters.

This course introduces the concepts behind the analysis of renewable energy systems. Choice awareness of energy systems are considered in the uptake of renewable energy systems. The fundamentals of generation, cogeneration, and tri-generation are explored for low-carbon/renewable energy systems. Methods and tools for hybrid energy systems integration and optimization to provide specified service loads (electricity, heating, and cooling) are applied considering energy flows, energy systems integration, and bases for sustainable energy systems. Design and analyses of renewables is based on special purpose computer tools with capability for integration of renewable energy resources and/or conversion technologies for multiple energy systems/sectors including energy demand and supply modelling.

This course offers a study of the theory of automata and formal languages. Topics include: automata theory; finite automata; languages and formal grammars; regular languages; pushdown automata; Turing machine; computational complexity.

Mechanics of Materials utilizes models that drastically simplify the geometry of structures/components to be designed and the loading modes acting on them, while retaining their essential feature. Based on the simplified models the fundamental and necessary knowledge of their mechanical responses is derived and therefore provides the design of the structures/components. This course is intended as an introduction to mechanics of solids to engineering students. It presents the underlying theories and formulations for the description of stress/strain and deformations under various types of loading.
 

Mechanics of Materials II discusses the loading mode of bending in addition to tension/compression and torsion treated in Mechanics of Materials I. Beams subjected to bending moments are extensively analyzed. This course covers topics such as (1) Theory of beams, which allows us to calculate bending/shear stresses in beams and their deflections; (2) Energy methods such as Castigliano’s theorem, and (3) Compression-induced failure such as buckling. 

By the end of the course, students should be able to calculate the stresses and deformation and determine the condition of buckling in simple structures/components such as beams and frames. 

This course focuses on how a solar heating system can be integrated into and cooperate with a building's main energy system. An important part of the course is to teach the uses of simulation programs for investigating the performance of the solar system. The course covers the following topics: basic energy knowledge and the problems connected to the use of energy; radiation physics, the annual irradiance distribution and the climatic conditions for using solar energy in Sweden, calculation of solar angels and the irradiance on different surfaces; performance and efficiency of different types of solar collectors; material and optical properties of different types of energy-efficient surfaces; the function and performance of the components in a solar thermal system; system design of small and large solar thermal systems; building integration of solar systems; and the use of simulation programs for estimation of annual and monthly performance of solar thermal systems. The course includes laboratory lessons, computer simulations, and study visits to solar thermal installations. The recommended background is basic knowledge in mathematics, building and service installations, and thermodynamics as well as experience in using calculation programs such as e.g. Excel or Matlab.

This course discusses the evolution of industry, the production of goods through the transformation of raw materials or materials that have already undergone one or more transformations and the exploitation of energy sources. It focuses specifically on “Industry 4.0,” which refers to digital technological innovations. Additionally, the course covers lean management and its associated tools and methods. 

The Individual Research Training Senior (IRT Senior) Course is an advanced course of the Individual Research Training A (IRT A) course in the Tohoku University Junior Year Program in English (JYPE) in the fall semester. Though short-term international exchange students are not degree candidates at Tohoku University, a similar experience is offered by special arrangement. Students are required to submit: an abstract concerning the results of their IRT Senior project, a paper (A4, 20-30 pages) on their research at the end of the exchange term, and an oral presentation on the results of their IRT Senior project near the end of the term.