Chemical Engineering with Chemistry MEng

This module covers four areas of physical chemistry: Units, Conversions and the Properties of ideal and non-ideal Gases, Solution Chemistry of Acids, Bases and Salts, Reaction Kinetics and Catalysis, and Introductory Thermodynamics

This module introduces you to the industrial manufacture of important chemicals and prepares you to formulate and solve material and energy balances on chemical systems. It also lays the foundation for subsequent courses in unit operations and chemical reaction engineering. It introduces the principles of operation and analysis of operations in chemical processes and the use of computer software packages including chemical engineering simulation software.

This module introduces you to the fundamental concepts of fluid flow and heat transfer with emphasis on practical design and rating calculations.

This module covers two distinct areas of learning relevant to chemical engineers: (i) practical chemical engineering laboratory skills; and (ii) an introduction to the chemistry of the elements. The chemical engineering laboratory component of the module gives you the opportunity to engage with the practical laboratory skills in a chemical engineering context. You'll have the chance to learn the skills of safe laboratory practice; data recording, analysis, presentation and interpretation; practical application of fundamental chemical engineering knowledge; and basic technical report writing skills. The inorganic chemistry component of the module introduces you to the chemistry of the elements. Starting with the earliest known chemical events in the universe, this module discusses the elements, their origin, structure and properties before looking at the structure and bonding in and reactions of chemical compounds. The module also encompasses a number of areas of (mostly) main group chemistry including, but not limited to, the constituents of the earth's crust and the chemistry of the atmosphere.

In this key first year module you will gain fundamental knowledge and practical techniques in Engineering Mathematics to deal with analytical modules in the subsequent years of your course. Amongst the subjects you will study will be: functions, linear mathematics, calculus and numerical techniques to solve real world engineering problems.

This module develops a basic understanding of key mass transfer unit operations of distillation and absorption, including skills for the calculations of binary distillation, and absorption processes. The module provides an introduction to these separation processes based on the principles of mass transfer theory. Methods of operation, phase equilibria and separating agents are also examined. Overall, the module provides the basis for the building of simple mathematical models to represent the operation of the key mass transfer-based separation processes. The module also develops fundamental concepts in transport phenomena and process development, building on earlier modules in fluid flow and heat transfer. Transport phenomena is principally concerned with the unified study of three physical transport processes: momentum, heat and mass transfer. These processes are closely aligned because they often occur together, are described by closely related equations, rely on the principle of conservation (of mass, energy and momentum) and have similar underlying molecular mechanisms. This module develops a physical picture of laminar and turbulent flow and its implications for transport processes.

This module provides the basic knowledge for the design and analysis of chemical/biochemical reactors. It also provides the basis to acquire further skills needed for the solution of quantitative problems encountered in the process industries. Effects of non-ideal flow conditions, ideal mixing and fixed or fluidized bed catalytic reactors will be covered.

This module provides the knowledge and understanding of chemical engineering design in practice mainly in the aspects of process design. It also extends the use of essential chemical engineering design tools for process simulation.

This module provides an introduction to fluid and particle mechanics, methods of solid-liquid and solid-gas separation. It provides basic concepts related to particle-fluid motion and solid handling including size analysis. It describes principles and calculation methods for separation, filtration, flow of fluids through packed beds of solid particles, fluidised beds, comminution, mixing, storage and rheology.

This module provides coverage of the more important methods of forming carbon-carbon single and double bonds. Following on from year 1 carbonyl chemistry, some more advanced aspects of carbonyl chemistry will be discussed. Main-group elements and their role in synthesis will also be considered. Retrosynthetic analysis will be introduced in the context of carbonyl chemistry and will be developed to enable you to plan some complex multistep syntheses. The synthesis and reactions of the main classes of simple heterocyclic compounds will be covered. The chemistry of other biologically-important compounds such as carbohydrates amino acids will also be detailed. More advanced aspects of stereochemistry are covered, and the relationship between conformation and reactivity is explored. The module has a practical component which focuses on the use of more advanced techniques for the preparation, isolation and analysis (IR and NMR) of target molecules. A part of the practical session is devoted to the isolation of stereochemically pure products.

From the IChemE Accreditation Guide: “In order to meet the learning outcomes associated with the systems approach, the design portfolio must include a major design exercise which addresses the complexity issues arising from the interaction and integration of the different parts of a process or system. It is expected that this major project will be undertaken by teams of students and that this will contribute significantly to the development of the students’ transferable skills such as communication and team working.” A minimum of 30 UK credits of Design Project work is required for IChemE accreditation.

This module provides knowledge and understanding of process control and issues and engineering approach to process safety in chemical industry. The module will also introduce the concept of process control, explain the need for process control, explore applications and develop control strategies for specific problems. This will include the study of P, PI, PD and PID controllers for the control of flow rate, level, pressure and temperature in process plant unit operations, controller tuning strategies, methods for the testing of process plant control systems and advanced control strategies.

This module is designed to introduce and develop important concepts in catalytic reaction engineering and advanced mass transfer processes. The module will draw upon key knowledge and abilities gained in previous modules covering reaction engineering, mass transfer, heat transfer, process simulation and physical chemistry. The module will also cover fundamental principles of catalytic reaction engineering and gas-solid catalytic reactors, including the design of tubular fixed-bed reactors and the evaluation of catalytic performance from example laboratory data. The module will develop knowledge and abilities required for the advanced separation systems in which mass transfer is key, including complex distillation processes (distillation sequencing, azeotropic distillation), membrane processes and other selected separation systems. The introduction and development of these broad areas will be underpinned by the use of process simulation software to exemplify and reinforce key concepts and examples.

This module encourages you to develop your knowledge and understanding of sustainable development in industrial systems and to provide approaches to design and assess for sustainability. The module also encompasses large scale experimental work relevant to industrial practice in relation to sustainability. It aims to introduce the concepts of sustainability and carbon and water footprints and provide an overview renewable energy processes and carbon capture technologies. It also examines selected examples in detail, looks at process integration methodologies in design for sustainability and introduces techno-economic and life cycle assessments. The module also enables you to gain experience in experimental group work involving large scale equipment relevant to the technologies, industries and methodologies introduced in the module.

This module draws together the basic concepts of synthesis and reaction mechanisms in the context of providing methods for designing suitable synthetic routes to target compounds and also extends the range of reaction types to include pericyclic reactions. The module introduces contemporary preparative methods for the synthesis of organic compounds. Further aspects relating to designing a synthesis and the connection between design and retrosynthetic principles are covered. The selectivity of reactions and the concepts of regio-, chemo-, stereo- and enantioselectivity are developed as are the rules governing pericyclic reactions. The reaction mechanism component draws together concepts in both physical and mechanistic organic chemistry. This section provides techniques that can be used to differentiate between mechanistic types. The use of product analysis, activation parameters, linear free energy relationships and isotope effects to determine reaction mechanisms are described.

This module covers various aspects of advanced physical chemistry. Polymers are an industrially important material with applications in clothing, structural materials, coatings, data storage, etc. This module covers aspects of their synthesis and relates their chemical and structural properties to their applications. The properties of surfaces and the interaction of gas molecules with surfaces will be discussed. Different theories of adsorption will also be compared. The kinetics of surface reactions will be related to the mechanism of the reaction. The application of surface science type measurements in developing an understanding of how atoms and molecules adsorb on surfaces will be covered. Central to chemistry is being able to relate observation made in the laboratory to behaviour at the atomistic level and equally to use the interaction of atoms and molecules to derive quantities that can be measured at the macro-level. Thus statistical thermodynamics will be introduced and used to derive fundamental properties. Atomistic modelling also provides a view into the molecular world and after reviewing the fundamentals of quantum mechanics, the methods for approximating multi electron systems will be introduced and the applications in computational chemistry explored. The module will also provide you with a good knowledge in interfaces and catalysis, the principles of theoretical chemistry and further develop problem solving skills, especially to unfamiliar problems.

In this module you examine the molecular basis of product formulation and learn how to use advanced process simulation tools. You will also work in teams to complete an advanced design project. The advanced design project will involve comparing and critiquing different production routes for a speciality chemical. During the design project, you will work in small groups to generate an innovative product/process design to fulfil specific need.

This module is centred around the creation of detailed primer (report on recent review paper or book) that you'll have the opportunity to undertake on a specialist subject. In order to illustrate the learning purpose of this module, you'll be informed at the start of the module that the primers/reports submitted will be collated to form a textbook on “Recent Advances in Chemical Engineering” that will be made available to all students at the end of the course. The primer/report will also be peer reviewed by another student and also presented to the class by the main author. This will introduce the concept of peer review, provide additional quality control and allow the ideas gained to be effectively disseminated to and debated by the entire class. In addition to the book review, you'll also undertake to read articles in the IChemE monthly magazine, “The Chemical Engineer” (tce). This work will be demonstrated and assessed through a combination of monthly discussion groups and entries to their individual professional development portfolio.

An independent research programme in the broad area of chemical engineering, drawing on the School’s research activities in this area. Supervisors will outline the aims of the project and direct you to the most recent literature. You'll undertake a review of the literature related to your project in order to prepare a research proposal that presents a reasoned case for undertaking the research. You'll then plan your projects in light of the current state of the field of research and the opportunities within the School’s resources and activities. You'll be given advice on research methods but will also be expected to lead the planning yourself. The projects will show depth and will involve advanced laboratory, instrumental and/or theoretical or computational techniques. They will be open ended and you'll be expected to review progress regularly and modify research plans accordingly. Group projects will be encouraged, though individual students will work independently. You'll present your research outcomes orally at a mini-conference and on a poster, and also defend at a poster day once the project is completed.