CME8418 : Environmental Technology for Advanced Conversion of Emissions and Effluents
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Sharon Velasquez Orta
- Lecturer: Prof. David Werner, Dr Evangelos Papaioannou, Dr Elisa Lopez-Capel
- Owning School: Engineering
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
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).
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 60:00 | 60:00 | Preparation and completion of assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Reviewing Lecture notes and course materials |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Preparation of risk assessment forms and recording tables |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 6:00 | 6:00 | Research facility |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | Preparation of industrial advanced treatment solutions. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Tutorials on effluent pollution |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 12 | 2:00 | 24:00 | Preparation for tutorials on effluent pollution |
| Total | 200:00 |
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 Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Examination | 1 | M | 50 | 15 min oral examination on the investigation and design of a specified unit operation for waste treatment. Delivered by groups but marked individually. |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 50 | 5 pages group assignment on a specified unit operation for waste treatment to be submitted in their portfolio |
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
| Description | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | M | Pass/Fail Individual participation in discussion boards on Canvas |
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).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- CME8418's Timetable