Module manager: Dr D Harbottle
Email: d.harbottle@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
CAPE3000 Design Project (BEng)
This module is not approved as a discovery module
The module involves a comprehensive, open-ended process plant design with elements of individual and group work. This capstone project is an opportunity to apply chemical engineering knowledge and skills to design a plant considering a range of factors including process feasibility, economic viability, and environmental sustainability.
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
- analyse and evaluate the technical and business requirements; sustainability; safety, health and environmental issues; public perception and concerns associated with the design of a major chemical manufacturing plant;
- apprise alternative processes for manufacturing a product and create an optimum process route based on sound scientific and engineering data and arguments;
- evaluate and synthesise unit operations into a manufacturing process to meet product specifications and environmental requirements;
- apply chemical engineering knowledge to carry out rigorous process calculations (e.g. material and energy balances, process integration) and design of plant equipment to meet the process and product specifications;
- analyse and evaluate results to develop a design with appropriate checks on feasibility and practicality to demonstrate a significant degree of engineering competence;
- work in a design team and communicate effectively within the team;
- create a project plan with timeline and milestones on a Gantt Chart for carrying out specific tasks and identify task leads; prepare a rota for the Project Managers;
- communicate project outcomes effectively in written and verbal form.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Understand the importance of identifying the objectives and context of the design in terms of: the business requirements; the technical requirements; sustainable development; safety, health and environmental issues; appreciation of public perception and concerns.
2. 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; working with constraints and multiple objectives; justification of the choices and decisions taken.
3. Be able to deploy chemical engineering knowledge using rigorous calculation, including mass and energy balances, and results analysis to develop a design and with appropriate checks on feasibility and practicality.
4. Be able to take a systems approach to design appreciating: complexity; interaction; integration.
5. Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of their design, including its immediate and life cycle environmental impacts.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Be able to find and apply, with judgement, information from technical literature and other sources.
9. Be aware of the benefits of continuing professional development and of personal development planning.
10. Be able to reflect on their own work and implement strategies for personal improvement and professional development.
11. Apply 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.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills:
a. Communication
b. Time management
c. Planning & organising
d. Teamwork/Collaboration
e. Technical/IT skills
f. Problem solving & analytical skills
g. Leadership
h. Critical thinking
i. Interpersonal skills
j. Decision-making
k. Systems thinking
l. Reflection
m. Presentation skills
n. Academic writing
o. Ethics
Design groups will undertake a comprehensive study to evaluate the build of a new chemical plant. Design groups will be supported through weekly consultancy sessions advising on process route evaluation, sustainability considerations, mass and energy balances, process integration, Safety, Health and Environment (SHE), equipment design, process control, plant layout, plant commissioning, and environmental and economic evaluation.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 20 | 0.5 | 10 |
| Group learning | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Lecture | 16 | 2 | 32 |
| Practical | 14 | 2 | 28 |
| Seminar | 20 | 1.5 | 30 |
| Private study hours | 280 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 120 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 400 | ||
Students will receive continuous formative feedback to support their learning and guide project progress. Each group will meet weekly with their assigned supervisor (30 minutes), who will help manage the group’s workflow and ensure alignment with project goals. These meetings will review the previous week’s progress, identify and resolve any challenges related to student engagement or completion of work, and establish clear, time-bound actions for the week ahead, including assigning responsibilities within the group. Supervisors will also assist students with planning and time management to help them stay on track and meet submission deadlines.
In parallel, each group will participate in a weekly 1.5-hour feedback meeting with the design consultants. These sessions are intended for groups to present their latest design developments, receive immediate feedback on technical aspects, and ask questions to address any design challenges. While consultants provide guidance and expertise, they are not there to offer direct solutions, students are expected to apply critical thinking and engineering judgement to resolve design problems independently.
Together, these weekly interactions with supervisors and consultants are structured to promote accountability, encourage collaboration, and ensure continuous development of both the design project and each student’s professional and technical skills. Students are expected to engage fully with the feedback provided and incorporate it actively into their project work.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Report 1 | 40 |
| Presentation | Presentation and Design Defence | 15 |
| Report | Report 2 | 45 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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