Duration
10h Th, 90h Proj.
Number of credits
| Master of Science (MSc) in Chemical and Materials Engineering | 4 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The theoretical course consist in about 10h theoretical sessions, mostly at the beginning of the semester. This will include lectures presenting the basics of economic analysis (following and extending on PROJ0012 course) with a focus on industrial chemical processes.
Then, in the project hours, students work in group (ideally 4-5 students per group) to perform a techno-economic evaluation of a process of their choice. This process will address the European Student Contest Problem published each year by the Eurecha Association:
https://www.wp-cape.eu/index.php/student-contest-problem/
This contest is organized by the Eurecha association in collaboration with the Working Party CAPE (Computers Aided Chemical Engineering) of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE), and with the Energy Section of the EFCE.
In the theoretical lectures, methods for the evaluation of total equipment cost, raw materials costs, labor costs, utility costs... will be presented, to finally allow students to calculate the capital expenditures and operational expenditures of their process. Different methods are proposed for estimating total equipment costs, including the method of similarities (scale-up or numbering-out) and the bare module cost method. The results of the cost evaluation are exploited to produce a discounted cash-flow diagram of the project. Beyond cost estimates, the course sessions will support the process design project thanks to regular face-to-face interactions between the students and the teaching team.
In the project, students will first select an application addressing the Eurecha contest based on a short literature review. To support this literature review, a short exercise of critical literature review will be organised at the beginning of the semester. Then, students will apply the theoretical concepts to their selected case study and several objectives will be considered:
- Efficient process design (possibly adaptation of an existing process)
- Process modeling using commercial simulation software, including detailed design of equipment
- Process integration (heat integration, valorisation of waste heat...)
- Techno-economical evaluation, including a profitablity analysis of the project
- Process optimisation (deepening of the concepts seen in CHIM0696)
- Life cycle assessment (in case students follow the course CHIM0699 in parallel)
The final results will be reported following high-level scientific communication standards to be submitted to the Eurecha Student Contest Problem.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The goal of the lecture is to promote the acquisition of basic knowledge and skills in the field of process design and techno-economic analysis, with a focus on low-carbon industrial processes. Technical skills are also consolidated through the modelling approach and applied to a selected case study. Soft skills are also used through group work, project management and possible interactions with external experts.
At the end of this lecture, students should be able to:
- Perform a critical review of the literature, recognize the need for information, to identify efficient sources for valid information and to collect information from these sources
- Design and/or adapt a process flowsheet for a selected industrial process, including equipment sizing and choice of operating conditions
- Evaluate the cost of the required equipment, as well as the process utilities (energy, water, ...) and perform a techno-economic analysis of the project, including profitability analysis
- Manage a process design project and report about it using high-quality scientific standards
- Address transversal issues related to process design and including technical, economical and environmental perspectives
- Use their power of judgment as engineers in order to work with complex and possibly incomplete information, to recognize discrepancies and to deal with them
This course contributes to the learning outcomes I.2, II.1, II.2, II.3, III.1, III.2, IV.1, IV.3, IV.4, V.1, V.3, VI.1, VI.2, VI.3, VI.4, VII.1, VII.2, VII.4 of the MSc in chemical and material science engineering.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Basics of chemical engineering (transport phenomena, chemical thermodynamics, physical unit operation design, catalysis, process modelling and design...) are required. All these skills can be acquired within the Master in Chemical Engineering and Materials science, at the University of Liège.
Previous attendance of PROJ0012 (Integrated project) is definitely useful, but not absolutely mandatory.
Students from other master programmes willing to attend the class may contact G. Léonard for admission to the class.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The lecture will consist in about 4h theoretical classes and 90h of project. Weekly mentoring will be offered for the project part.
At the end of the project, a 15-page report (including figures, but not annexes) will be delivered. After receiving feed-back of the professor on their report, students will have to submit a corrected version of their report.
If quality suffices, this report will be considered for submission to the EURECHA student contest, organized within the framework of the Europen Federation of Chemical Engineering, Working party on Computer aided process engineering:
https://www.wp-cape.eu/index.php/student-contest-problem/
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Theoretical classes (possibility of presentations by academic and industrial experts), written and oral feedback on deliverables, office hours.
Recommended or required readings
Lecture materials will be uploaded on e-campus. Reference book:
Turton R., Shaeiwitz J., Bhattacharyya D., Whiting W., 2018. Analysis, Synthesis and Design of Chemical Processes, fifth edition, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-417740-3, ISBN-10: 0-13-417740-1
Description of the Eurecha contest as well as past winning submissions are available here:
www.wp-cape.eu/index.php/student-contest-problem/
Written work / report
Additional information:
Written work / report
Additional information:
The assessment is based on two written reports:
1. an individual report consisting in a critical review of scientific articles (beginning of the semester) => 15% of the grade
2. a group report delivered at the end of the project:
2a) First version (mid-December, to be discussed) for review by the teaching assistant and the professor: 30% of the grade
2b) Final corrected version (end of December, to be discussed): 55% of the grade
A second session may be organized, in which case students must correct and resubmit the failed report(s) by August 25th.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Group work, organised during the first semester. Report submission in December.
Final report must be delivered by December 31, 23.59 (date to be agreed together). In case of second session, final report must be delivered by August 25, 23.59.
First class timetable: See Celcat calendar.
Contacts
Prof. Grégoire Léonard, B6a 0.68. g.leonard@uliege.be