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Department of Chemical Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2011/12


XX20165: Design & safety

Click here for further information Credits: 6
Click here for further information Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Click here for further information Period: Semester 2
Click here for further information Assessment: CW 20%, EX 80%
Click here for further information Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Click here for further information Requisites:
Click here for further information Description: Aims:
The aims are (i) to increase awareness about the importance of safety in the design and operation of process plant, (ii) to introduce techniques that can be used to make assessments of safety, (iii) to introduce the principles of mechanical engineering design, including the interpretation of engineering drawings, and (iv) to introduce use of a commercial process simulation package.

Learning Outcomes:
After successfully completing this unit, students should be able to:
* Study a section of a process flow sheet and a description of operations, and hence to make a formal assessment of risks and how to mitigate them (e.g. perform a HAZOP analysis, and make an assessment of event frequency, magnitude and effect);
* Understand the concept of Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) for hazard evaluation and risk assessment;
* Understand safety issues during plant maintenance, start-up, shut-down and emergency relief;
* Understand, interpret and apply legislative principles governing safety in the design and operation of processes (e.g. COMAH);
* Understand how to use a process simulation package (e.g. ASPEN) to represent an individual process unit (e.g. a heat exchanger) and how to represent connected units in a simple process flow diagram; and
* Prepare sketches and outline engineering drawings of process equipment, including the performance of preliminary design calculations to estimate the thickness of the walls of a pressure vessel and its flanges.

Skills:
Analysis and problem solving (taught/facilitated and assessed) including recognition of good and bad safety practice and how to apply best practice.

Content:
Part A
* Inherent nature of safety and principal hazard sources including flammability, explosivity and toxicity;
* Safety related legislation;
* Risk & hazard analysis, including HAZOP and HAZAN, LOPA, and other safety assessment techniques;
* Safe practice including lessons learned from past incidents (e.g. Flixborough) and other incidents and accidents presented as case studies;
* Safe operations, including maintenance and work permits, flares, line purging.
Part B
* Process simulation using computers, including how to simulate individual units (e.g. heat exchangers, distillation columns, reactors);
* Process simulation of individual units combined to create a simple process;
* Information retrieval from physical and chemical property databases.
Part C
* Engineering drawings, including the presentation of sketches and drawings, such as 3D, plan, side, cross-sectional and magnified views, the interpretation of more complex mechanical engineering drawings, as well as mechanical design including choice of materials, stress and strain, effects of temperature and pressure, corrosion allowances, wall thicknesses, safety factors, vessel ends and pressure vessel design codes.
Click here for further informationProgramme availability:

XX20165 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Chemical Engineering
  • UECE-AFB03 : BEng (hons) Chemical and Bio Process Engineering (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UECE-AKB03 : BEng (hons) Chemical and Bio Process Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UECE-AFB05 : BEng (hons) Chemical Engineering (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UECE-AKB05 : BEng (hons) Chemical Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UECE-AFM01 : MEng (hons) Biochemical Engineering (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UECE-AKM01 : MEng (hons) Biochemical Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2
  • UECE-AFM05 : MEng (hons) Chemical Engineering (Full-time) - Year 2
  • UECE-AKM05 : MEng (hons) Chemical Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 2

NB. Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.