Environmental Process Engineering MSc

This module covers the following:

• Risk assessment principles (source, pathway, receptor) including conceptual frameworks, Greenleaves III, risk based regulation and environmental protection
• Risk characterisation, hazard identification, consequences, significance, handling uncertainty
• Tools and techniques: Qualitative risk assessment. Quantitative risk assessment, ie hands-on risk assessment modelling
• Risk management
• Fate and transport of contaminants, speciation of contaminants, environmental partitioning (fugacity)
• Health impact assessment: Public health, occupational health studies, toxicology, perception, exposure, causality, odds ratios, epidemiological studies, scientific evidence for landfill versus energy from waste (comparative assessment), odour

Students undertaking this module will complete a group design project with a large individual component. The module is student-lead under the guidance of a group of academics.

Method and Frequency of Class:

Activities may take place every teaching week of the Semester or only in specified weeks. It is usually specified above if an activity only takes place in some weeks of a Semester.

Method of Assessment:

This module will concentrate on water treatment technologies covering those applicable to both the treatment of wastewater and the treatment of water for potable (drinking water) use. The first part of the module will review current practice and scientific principles in water treatment.

Case Studies across the water industry will be utilised to demonstrate problems and potential solutions and gain an understanding of design considerations and operation of water treatment processes. You’ll study emerging issues in water treatment and how developing technologies are addressing them. Guest speakers from industry and two site visits will support the module delivery. You’ll spend three hours in lectures per week.

The aim of this module is to give students an in depth understanding of the physical and chemical principles behind the selection and design of various processes that may be employed to control atmospheric pollutants.

Students will be introduced to the scientific and engineering principles behind the design, costing, commissioning and operation of particulate and gaseous control devices. Students will study the application of these principles to the design of pollution control devices, and stack designs for a range of engineering processes.

The module covers two main topics:

Topic 1: Control of Particulates, including

• Cyclone design 
• Electrostatic Precipitator Design 
• Fabric Filter Design 
• Particulate Scrubbers

Topic 2: Design of Auxiliary Equipment, including:

• Hoods
• Ducts
• Fans
• Coolers

Delivery

Assessment method

This module develops a risk based framework for the assessment of contaminated land based on the characterization and modelling of contaminant sources, pathways and receptors and the remediation of such linkages.

Case studies are used to illustrate the application of this approach, the typical uncertainties and the management of risk. A range of physical, biological, chemical and thermal in-situ and ex-situ remediation technologies are covered. The application of these technologies is demonstrated by case studies including design studies based on the emerging concept of sustainable remediation.

You will gain skills in planning, executing and reporting on an individual research study thereby developing your powers of analysis, independence and critical judgement.

This is a combined design and research project undertaken by a team of 2-5 students, and involving both group and individual working. The basic elements of the project involve a critical review of the literature to provide the background to the initial group design element, followed by the group design part of the project.

The design element will involve the selection of an appropriate, initial process scheme following by preparation of a process flowsheet with associated mass and heat balances. The design will also include control, operational, safety, environmental and economic aspects in addition to the design of important plant items.

This will then be followed by the research element, which will be based on a topic with the aim of eventually aiding the individual design process. The research segment will consist of a critical review of relevant literature and subsequent research work, which may be experimental, computational or theoretical in nature.

The final element of the project is a re-evaluation of the previous design in the light of information gleaned from the research segment.

This module will introduce you to a range of knowledge and skills applicable to water and wastewater treatment. You'll gain an understanding in water availability, sources of pollution and the legislative framework for water quality from an EU perspective.

Municipal water and wastewater treatment processes will be covered, focusing on key unit processes including sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. You’ll spend three hours per week studying for this module. Teaching is also complemented by site visits.

This module covers underpinning aspects for bio-processing technologies including: an overview of microbes, including structure, function, kinetics and components; metabolism and biomolecules; microbial technology including industrial biosafety and reactor systems; and industrial enzyme biocatalyst technologies with applications.

 Method and Frequency of Class:

Method of Assessment: one 2-hour exam (100%).

This module aims to provide you with a thorough understanding of how process, hygiene and material characteristics influence the total transformation design of chemical process plants via the reverse / forensic engineering based analysis of examplar plant designs. You'll learn how to:

• assess the physical-chemical basis for safe process design, including handling of extremely hazardous materials, appropriate safety and control measures and the effect that such considerations have upon influence of scale-up
• evaluate the basis for selection of construction material based on the characteristics of the materials being processed, conditions required to achieve the transformation, etc.
• critically evaluate physical-chemical basis for application of novel/alternative processes and plant designs (e.g. green chemistry/process intensification/process integration)
• explain the physical-chemical and practical factors which influence process economics, for example achievable yields, economies of scale of process, work-up and purification, sue stages
• demonstrate what influence whole system thinking, total life-cycle and critical analysis have upon the physical-chemical basis of process designs
• explain control choices with respect to the material, physical and chemical properties of the process relating them to product specifications and legislation requirements etc.
• evaluate interactive risk within a complex system
• understand the potential influence of that environmental impact and societal opinion has upon process design

Every week you'll have two hours of lectures and a one hour tutorial.

The following topics are covered:

• fossil fuels, occurrence, use and world-wide availability
• fossil power generation, conventional and advanced technologies
• current environmental/climate change issues in power generation using fossil fuels
• emission problems and reduction technologies
• climate-forcing carbon emissions and fossil energy de-carbonisation
• co-firing of fossil fuels and biomass
• carbon (CO2) capture and storage (CCS)

The challenges in tackling climate change call for a sustainable re-structuring of our energy infrastructure, particularly the fossil fuel fired power generation sector. The primary aim of this module is to address the major issues and challenges facing the power generation sector using fossil fuels. This will be related to emissions problems and their abatement technologies and will address both conventional and advanced power generation technologies.

There will be a particular focus on various aspects of CCS technologies and their application in a range of fossil energy sectors, from the technical and deployment status of CCS to related financial and environmental challenges and opportunities. You’ll have two hours of lectures a week for this module.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module focuses on providing high quality teaching materials on renewable energy from different waste streams. The module will look at the potential of various waste streams in industry, domestic sources, and agriculture, as well as the different combustion technologies available.

The module includes a strong international focus, particularly on small to medium scale renewable energy schemes in developing countries. The module will also have dedicated socio-cultural, socio-economic, policy and guidance and techno-economic seminars to introduce students to the interdisciplinary nature of the subject.

The module looks at:

• Indigenous fuels around the world
• Fuel Types Characterisation of Fuels
• Supply Chains for the Energy Sector
• Small Scale Energy Production
• Alternative Small Scale technologies for fuels production -
• Future Energy Sources
• New Technologies
• Ethics, Engineering and Waste Management
• Life Cycle Assessment, CCALC (Carbon Calculations over the Life Cycle of Industrial Activities)
• Techno, Socio and Economic Considerations

This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive and in-depth introduction of the major existing and emerging technologies/proof of concepts and underlying physical and chemical principles for the low-carbon manufacturing of fuels and vital chemicals and materials, which underpin the required low carbon transitioning of chemical and energy process industries to combat climate change for sustainable development.

The module will enable students to gain advanced knowledge and understanding of key low-carbon technologies/concepts and to develop key conceptual skills needed in assessing related sustainability, economic, societal and ethical aspects.

Delivery

Assessment method

The module will explore decision making in the presence of uncertainty. Risks of particular interest are those associated with large engineering projects such as the development of innovative new products and processes. The module will present and interpret some of the frameworks helpful for balancing risks and benefits in situations that typically involve:

• human safety
• potential environmental effects
• large financial and technological uncertainties

Case studies will be used to illustrate key points and these will centre on the use and recovery of plastics, metals, industrial minerals and energy. You’ll spend three hours in tutorials per week.

This module aims to provide students with the fundamental knowledge and practical skills in relation with energy storage science, engineering and technology.

It covers the following topics:

• Fuels storage (coal, oil, natural gas, biomass, hydrogen etc.)
• Mechanical energy storage (springs, compressed air, fly wheels etc.)
• Heat or thermal energy storage (phase transformation, endothermic and exothermic reactions etc.)
• Electricity storage (electrochemical means, such as batteries, fuel cells, redox flow batteries, supercapacitors).
• Integration of storage with supplier and users (power electronics for interfacing energy stores with power grid, renewable sources and users.

Delivery

Assessment method