Module manager: Keeran Ward
Email: k.r.ward@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module will foster practical skills required for a chemical engineer including work on bench and pilot-scale equipment, use of industry standard software for process simulation, and a group design project.
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- evaluate and appreciate all elements of flowsheeting from conceptual process design to scale-up.
- apply chemical engineering principles to process design using simulation tools.
- develop practical chemical engineering laboratory skills and participate collaboratively in groups
- operate process equipment and diagnostic tools by performing laboratory experiments in heat exchanger systems, industrial process control, centrifugal pump characteristics, an air flow in a duct, and thermal conductivity and radiation unit.
- analyse experimentally obtained data and contrast to published literature with awareness of the quality of data generated and sources of error.
- communicate experimental findings to an academic audience in the form of report writing.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Have a knowledge and understanding of laboratory practice, and ability to operate bench scale chemical engineering equipment.
2. Be able to design, plan and undertake experimental or plant work and critically interpret, analyse and report on experimental data.
3. Have developed a range of effective communication skills including written reports.
4. Be able to find and apply, with judgement, information from technical literature and other sources.
5. Understand the principles of risk assessment and of safety management, and be able to apply techniques for the assessment of process hazards.
6. Understand that design is an open-ended process, lacking a pre-determined solution, which requires: synthesis, innovation and creativity; choices on the basis of incomplete and contradictory information; decision making; justification of the choices and decisions taken.
7. Understand the importance of identifying the objectives and context of the design in terms of the technical requirements.
8. Be able to deploy chemical engineering knowledge using rigorous calculation and results analysis to develop a design and with appropriate checks on feasibility and practicality.
9. Understand the principles on which processing equipment operates to determine equipment size and performance of common items such as heat exchangers.
10. Be able to work in a team and understand and manage the processes of: peer challenge; planning, prioritising and organising team activity; the discipline of mutual dependency.
11. Be able to communicate effectively to: acquire input information; present the outcomes of the design clearly, concisely and with the appropriate amount of detail, including flowsheets and stream data; explain and defend chosen design options and decisions taken.
12. Be able to reflect on their own work and implement strategies for personal improvement and professional development.
13. Be aware of the benefits of continuing professional development and of personal development planning.
14. Be competent in the use of numerical and computer methods, including commercial software for solving chemical engineering problems.
15. Be able to adopt an inclusive approach to chemical engineering design practice and recognise the responsibilities, benefits and importance of supporting equality, diversity and inclusion.
16. Understand systems thinking, including the interdependence of elements of a complex system, being able to synthesise a conceptual multi-step process and apply analysis techniques to it.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills:
A- Communication, interpersonal skills and teamwork
B- Decision making, time management and reflection
C- Critical thinking and analytical skills
D- Information searching and academic writing
E- Digital creation and problem solving
Introduction: Overview of course structure, lab-based exercises, simulation and process design strategies.
Process flowsheeting: basic protocols and heuristics in process flowsheeting.
Process Simulation: Introductory skills in Aspen HYSYS, navigating the software, building conceptual flowsheets, optimizing processes, advanced flowsheeting with Separations- absorption and stripping, distillation sequencing, shortcut and rigorous column designs.
Process Synthesis and Design: process synthesis and design rules, including levels to be acknowledged, deriving block-and-line diagrams and solving mass and energy balances across synthesis levels (1-4) using Aspen HYSYS to appraise solutions.
Laboratory Practicals: Fundamentals of fluid mechanics, pump characteristics, heat exchanger systems, packed tower gas absorption for mass transfer.
Methods of assessment
The assessment details for this module will be provided at the start of the academic year
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 2 | 0.5 | 1 |
| Lecture | 8 | 2 | 16 |
| Practical | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Practical | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Practical | 8 | 2 | 16 |
| Independent online learning hours | 20 | ||
| Private study hours | 138 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 42 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Formative feedback will be given during lab practicals and question/answer sessions during Aspen HYSYS sessions, Design Consultancies and Individual Group Sessions.
There is no reading list for this module
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team