Module Catalogue 2026/27

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

To identify the suitability of effluents for biological or physicochemical treatment.

To introduce conventional technologies utilised for the treatment of gaseous emissions, wastewater, and control of emissions.

To revise latest Net Zero technologies for the conversion of greenhouse gases, wastewater into renewable energy, chemicals and materials as part of a circular bioeconomy.

To understand analytical techniques used for environmental monitoring.

To develop an understanding of key challenges for the environmental remediation of industrial effluents, pollution control, legislation, and permitting.

Outline Of Syllabus

Core concepts:

Treatment based on effluent properties;

Conventional liquid effluent treatment technologies:

Preliminary and primary treatment;

Aerobic wastewater treatment;

Anaerobic wastewater treatment;

Tertiary treatment.

Gas effluents treatment technologies:

Air pollution emissions from industrial point sources

Dispersion of emissions from a point source.

Scrubbing, adsorption and filtration;

Catalytic converters.

Advanced dual treatment and conversion technologies:

CO2 capture with high temperature membranes;

Bioelectrochemical systems;

Algal technology: CO2 to oxygen processes for waste conversion;

Yeast technology: bioethanol production from wastes;

Bioleaching technology for metal recovery.

Environmental pollution control:

Drivers and controls for treatment technologies;

Emissions monitoring and pollution control strategies;

Circularity models applied to effluent materials.



Industrial challenge activities:

Career opportunities and skills development.

Placement opportunities and study abroad event (linked to Careers fair)

Teamwork and multidisciplinary skills

Student selection of companies challenge topics linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and effluent treatment

Students split into groups to work on a specific treatment challenge. Lecture and
activities on problem solving, enterprise, and the UN sustainable development approach.

Research skills (finding information on innovations) and development of research ideas; student teams meet their challenge industrial sponsors to discuss ideas and gain early feedback. Independent team-based study

Skills development on how to pitch ideas (Pecha-Kucha video) and how to write a company project report. Independent team-based study

Development of ideas / case supported by meeting with the academic team and pitch practice.

Student teams pitch their ideas and receive sponsor feedback.

Company project report submission, group peer assessment, and self-reflection (Skills profile in line with the graduate framework and the UNESCO student key competencies for Sustainability).

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of this module students will be expected to be able to:

Evaluate the use of conventional technologies for the remediation of waste effluents and new technology trends to develop circularity models for waste flows (AHEP4 M2, M4);

Critically assess biological, chemical or physical technologies to be used for a particular solid, liquid, or gaseous waste and its opportunities for circularity (AHEP4 M2, M4,);

Understand online and offline methods used for monitoring emissions and pollution control (AHEP4 M2, M7).

Synthesize appropriate engineering tools for waste treatment, valorisation and control (AHEP4 M2, M4, M7).

Intended Skill Outcomes

Students should be able to:

Devise strategies and best practices for monitoring of emissions and pollution control (AHEP4 M2-M7);

Design unit operations for waste treatment following engineering guidelines and standards (AHEP4 M2, M7);

Apply industrial tools for the long-term running of a waste recovery plant (AHEP4 M2,M7).

Use interpersonal communication skills and presentation skills to collaboratively develop and pitch an idea. (AHEP4 M4, M17);

Demonstrate the ability to work successfully in a multidisciplinary team and evaluate their individual role and contribution (AHEP4 M4, M16);

Provide solutions according to current industrial and business needs by considering the sustainable development goals (AHEP4 M4, M7)

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Students will learn fundamental and advanced concepts on waste treatment and valorisation through lectures, tutorials and the development of an industrial solution. With this, students will be exposed to an array of learning pathways that require different levels of interaction.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The group assignment allows students to demonstrate their learning in on a specified unit operation for waste treatment (AHEP4 M2, M4 M7, M16, M17). Students should be able to orally defend the investigation and design of a previously specified unit operation therefore demonstrating achievement of learning and skills outcomes beyond the submission of their written work (AHEP4 M2, M4, M7, M16-17).
Engagement with the module material will be assessed on a pass/fail basis through participation in discussion boards on Canvas (AHEP4 M2, M4, M7).

General Notes

N/A