Programme And Module Handbook
 
Course Details in 2024/25 Session


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Module Title Design Project
SchoolChemical Engineering
Department Chemical Engineering
Module Code 04 17133
Module Lead Andy Ingram
Level Masters Level
Credits 40
Semester Full Term
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions None
Contact Hours Lecture-4 hours
Seminar-2 hours
Project supervision-44 hours
Practical Classes and workshops-10 hours
Guided independent study-340 hours
Total: 400 hours
Exclusions
Description In this important module, students work in groups (generally of around 5-6 students) to produce group and individual reports concerning the design of an industrially relevant chemical, biochemical or minerals process. They also deliver formal and informal oral presentations. All reports and presentations are to be to a commercial, professional standard. The design work is supported by frequent classes and seminars, and if possible, a site visit. In most cases, a manufacturing /commercial organisation will provide background material and data, and the supporting involvement of staff from such organisations is encouraged. The output is a complete chemical process design that meets certain technical and commercial specifications while also taking into consideration safety, health and environmental factors; the requirements and interests of the work force; the community; national and local government; other statutory / regulatory authorities and standard setting agencies.

The project is entirely student lead with each student group reporting to a 'Board' (group of supervising academic staff). The projects are open ended with many possible solutions. The students are given a very high level brief which, over the course of the project, they close down to a single concept and final design through informed decision taking facilitated by their own literature research and appropriate questions to the Board. The role of staff is to offer guidance where appropriate, administer the project, supervise its progress, ensure the welfare of the design teams and grade submissions.

The Design Project exploits much prior learning, being the culmination of the students' learning. It is this module above all that requires a holistic approach to chemical engineering. It is necessary to pass the individual components of this module to fulfil the taught design requirement of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, for subsequent achievement of Chartered Engineer status. The nature of the tasks to be undertaken, and the learning to be achieved, justify this module being at Level M. However, most students will take the project in Year 3. Students who have taken Year 3 out of the University without completing the equivalent of a Design Project in their host Institution must generally do this module in Year 4. (This is necessary to obtain exemption from IChemE examinations, for example.) It is desirable that students on this module have taken Year 2 Computing for Design and the Product Design Exercise, although these are not prerequisites. However, any student wishing to take this module without Computing for Design and the Product Design Exercise will be advised to complete additional guided learning to ensure they are familiar with design software and shortcut design methods.

More detail is provided in the Project Manual (pdf document) and on Canvas. Individual projects have specific Canvas section where relevant information is posted as appropriate.
Learning Outcomes By the end of the module students should be able to:
  • Critically assess process safety using Hazard Study techniques; in particular, recommend process improvements from the use of Hazard and Operability Study;
  • Gather, apply and present knowledge from disparate sources such as earlier course work, external experiences, literature research and contact with other team members and staff in order to generate both a process engineering specification of a process or plant and communicate technical and commercial decisions to the client;
  • Compare and contrast potential solutions to open ended design problems (where many right answers are possible and often insufficient and conflicting information) and hence make informed and justified decisions that close the problem down and enable a valid design solution;
  • Assess the commercial attractiveness of an engineering project, with consideration of, in particular, capital and operating costs, market conditions, profitability and business implications;
Assessment 17133-01 : Coursework : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions Assessment:
Various group and individual reports: Group reports (37.5%), Group presentation (7.5%), 45 page Individual Report (50%) and Individual viva voce (5%). Timetable of submissions is provided in the Project Manual and on Canvas.
Other None
Reading List · Sinnott, R.K. (1999) Coulson and Richardson's Chemical Engineering: Chemical Engineering Design, vol. 6, 3rd. edn. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
· Gerrard, A.M. (ed.) (2000) Guide to capital cost estimating, 4th ed. Rugby: Institution of Chemical Engineers.
· Seider, W.D., Seader, J.D. and Lewin, D.R. (1999) Process Design Principles: Synthesis, Analysis, and Evaluation. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
· Crawley, F. (2000) HAZOP : guide to best practice : guidelines to best practice for the process. Rugby: Institution of Chemical Engineers.