CHEMMAT 306 : Process Design 2

Engineering

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The nature and function of design – process conception, alternatives, constraints and their simulation. Raw materials, safety and environmental considerations. Flow sheet representation of information. Separation systems, heat exchanger networks, and specification of equipment. Process economics and project documentation.

Course Overview

  • The Design Process
  • Working in Teams
  • Safety in Engineering Design, including a module on Food Safety
  • Simulation and Flow-sheeting
  • An introduction to Process Integration and Heat Exchanger Networks
  • An introduction to environmental considerations and life cycle analysis
  • Process Economics and initial feasibility estimation

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: CHEMMAT 201 or 211, and CHEMMAT 205 or 232 Restriction: CHEMMAT 331, 756

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the nature and function of design (Capability 8.1 and 8.2)
  2. Develop an initial economic feasibility assessment of a simple process incorporating environmental and ethical considerations (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
  3. Develop an initial flowsheet for a new process design considering alternatives and incorporating separation systems, heat exchanger networks, and specification of equipment. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
  4. Simulate a process design in a commercial process simulator (e.g., HYSYS) (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  5. Perform an initial safety assessment, and an initial hazards identification and consequence analysis (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
  6. Communicate engineering knowledge in the form of written documentation (e.g., block diagrams, PFDs, reports) and oral presentations (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  7. Establish and monitor team’s organizational structure and promote team effectiveness through individual action (Capability 5.1)
  8. Plan and manage engineering activities within time and resource constraints (Capability 5.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Individual Assignments 55% Individual Coursework
Group Assignments 35% Group Coursework
Test 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Individual Assignments
Group Assignments
Test

Please note that Individual Assignments will include key lectures that students must attend, and group assignments will include peer assessment.

Also please note that a passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy.

And please note that late submission of assignments will incur penalties of 50% penalty per day late.

Teaching & Learning Methods

Lectures, In Class Tutorial Activities, Class Discussions, Plant Visit

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For each week in this course, you can expect 4 hours of class lectures and discussion, 1 hour of reading and thinking about the content, and 5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled lecture and in class tutorial activities
Lectures will be available as recordings. 
The course will include live online events including group discussions.
Attendance on campus is required for a test.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

The following reference texts are recommended:
1) Sinnott's and Towler's Chemical Engineering Design
2) Perry's and Green's Chemical Engineers' Handbook

Health & Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy. 
No laboratory workshops or labs.
However, the course includes significant HSE learnings.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Changes or improvements to the course that will be made in the coming year based on feedback from students this year.

In 2025 we will endeavor to be quicker in providing question responses and feedback on assignments as a response to student feedback from 2024. 

Other Information

A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to university policy. Students must sit the test and submit the assignments to pass the course. Otherwise, a DNS (did not sit) result will be returned. Late submissions are not allowed for the Assignments and the Test. Late submission penalties will be applied for Peer Assessments. The penalties will be listed on Canvas. Also, please note, according to policy, any group assignment that has a weight higher than 30% will necessarily include an individual contribution of at least 40%.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.