OENOLOGY 7540WT - Engineering for Viticulture & Oenology

Waite Campus - Semester 2 - 2023

This course aims to provide students with an overview of engineering concepts and applications used in viticulture and wine production. Topics covered within viticulture include irrigation system design, vineyard automation and emerging technologies. Engineering topics related to wine production include: winery design, mass and energy balances, fluid and heat transfer systems, solid separation processes, refrigeration and instrumentation. Practical sessions provide students with an opportunity to apply engineering principles to vineyard and winery operations. Application of experimental design methodologies and engineering process economics is also addressed.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code OENOLOGY 7540WT
    Course Engineering for Viticulture & Oenology
    Coordinating Unit School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
    Term Semester 2
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s Waite Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 7 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites VITICULT 7002WT, OENOLOGY 7028WT
    Assessment Exam, individual project report, group project report, S-component, online quiz
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Richard Muhlack

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Appraise aspects of vineyard irrigation design and scheduling;
    2. Describe the application of vineyard automation and advanced technology including robotics and vineyard instrumentation;
    3. Explain how fundamental principles of process engineering are applied to viticulture and wine production;
    4. Apply engineering methodology and safe work practices to winery cellar operations;
    5. Measure and analyse experimental data and observed phenomena;
    6. Communicate experimental findings and associated conclusions/recommendations via written scientific reports;
    7. Employ experimental design principles to assess economic and technical improvement opportunities associated with the operation of a vineyard or winery.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    1, 4, 5, 6, 7

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    4, 5, 6, 7

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    4, 6, 7

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    4, 6, 7
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course will be delivered in the following means:

    2 lectures of 1 hour plus 1 hour of tutorial per week plus 9x4 hours of practical sessions throughout the course.

    Lectures are supported by formative tutorials which reinforce student knowledge in each of the subject areas addressed by the course. Formative practical sessions provide students with a hands-on demonstration of application of the course material, together with the opportunity to participate in group learning “in the field” (vineyard and/or winery). Two individual and one group project allow students to apply course learning to set topics of research interest and industry relevance.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required.
    This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

    Learning Activities Summary
    Lecture/Tutorial Topics                                                                                                                                    

    Material balances & Solid/Fluid Transfer Systems
    Energy balances & Heat Transfer Systems
    Solid-liquid separation – Centrifugation, Filtration & Membranes
    Electrical Systems, Refrigeration and Winery Instrumentation
    Winery designEngineering Experimental Design
    Process Economics and Optimisation
    Vineyard Spatial Maping & Remote Sensing
    Irrigation systems design
    Vineyard automation – harvesting, pruning
    Advanced vineyard technology – robotics, berry sorting, fruit processing, instrumentation

    Practicals – Vineyard (week 1-5)

    Irrigation design & vineyard instrumentation
    Vineyard automation
    Advanced vineyard technologies

    Practicals – Winery (week 6-12)                                                                                                                   

    Winery design                                                                                                              
    Electrical systems and instrumentation                                                                            
    Refrigeration and Heat transfer                                                                                      
        

    Specific Course Requirements
    Clothing restrictions apply for laboratory and winery work. A laboratory coat, enclosed footwear and safety glasses are mandatory for entry into the laboratories. Enclosed footwear, high visibility vest and hard hat are required when working in the University winery.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary


    Assessment task Type of Assessment Percentage of total
    assessment for
    grading purposes
    Hurdle Yes/No Learning outcome
    Final exam Summative 40% No 1-7
    Individual Project Report Formative and Summative 15% No 1-7
    Group Project report Formative and Summative 25% No 1-7
    Online Quiz Summative 10% No 1-5
    S-component Formative and Summative 10% No 1-7
    Assessment Detail
    Final Exam (40%)
    A 3 hour final summative exam (consisting of short and long answer questions) will be given at the end of the semester to ensure summative knowledge of all course material (lectures, background reading and practicals).
     
    Individual Project Report - Vineyard Tech (15%)
    Students will prepare an individual project report (approx. 1500 words) on a Vineyard Ag-Tech Innovation, which will be submitted in week 7.

    Group Project Report - Winery Design (25%)
    Students will work in groups to prepare a 2500 word project report detailing results of the group’s winery energy audit and associated winery design, which will be submitted in week 13. A single report is to be handed up by the group and all group members will receive the same mark.
     
    Online quiz (10%)
    Submitted via MyUni, the quiz covers material from the weeks preceding the quiz. The Quiz will be available online during week 4.

    S-component (10%)
    Each student will research a winery process improvement technology innovation, which is to be presented by the student as a video submission with an accompanying short written critique (500 words). This assignment is due in week 11.




    Submission
    Late Submission
    If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply.  A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.