MSc Advanced Process Integration and Design / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Computer Aided Process Design

Course unit fact file
Unit code CHEN64291
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

  • Introduction to Process Modelling
  • Model Calibration and Validation
  • Linear Algebraic Modelling
  • Nonlinear Algebraic Modelling
  • Flowsheet Structural Modelling
  • Optimisation: Concept & Basics
  • Optimality Conditions and One Dimensional Unconstrained Optimisation
  • Multi-dimensional Unconstrained Optimisation
  • Theory of Constrained Optimisation
  • Linear Programming
  • Non-linear Programming (NLP) with Constraints
  • Mixed Integer Programming (MIP)

 

Aims

  • Develop student’s understanding of and skills in building mathematical optimisation models for chemical process synthesis and design including chemical process modelling and flowsheet structural modelling
  • Develop students’ understanding of and skills in process optimisation including optimisation theory, algorithms, and techniques for optimal chemical process synthesis and design
  • Develop students’ skills in commercial modelling and optimisation software such as GAMS for implementation of mathematical models and generation of optimal results

 

Learning outcomes

Category of outcome

Students shouldbe able to:

Knowledge and understanding

  • Demonstrate understanding of process and structural modelling concepts, principles, and limitations
  • Appreciate process and structural modelling approaches and techniques in developing mathematical optimisation models for chemical engineering design problems
  • Demonstrate understanding of process optimisation theory, methods, algorithms, and techniques
  • Appreciate various optimisation methods and algorithms in solving mathematical optimisation models

Intellectual skills

  • Apply process and structural modelling approaches and techniques to develop mathematical optimisation models including linear, nonlinear, mixed-integer linear and mixed-integer nonlinear programming models for process synthesis and design
  • Apply optimisation theory, methods and algorithms to analyse and solve developed mathematical models for optimal synthesis and design of chemical processes.
  • Analyse optimisation results/data using computer programs such as GAMS, taking account of practical constraints.

Practical skills

  • Use commercial modelling and optimisation software such as GAMS to implement and solve developed mathematical models with suitable optimisation solvers.
  • Obtain credible data from relevant sources to support model development and optimisation

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Demonstrate skills for problem definition, analysis, and solving.
  • Acquire the ability to apply the concepts of model building and optimisation for process synthesis and design and to appropriately evaluate the relevant numerical results.
  • Demonstrate skills in computer programming using commercial modelling and optimisation software such as GAMS

 

Teaching and learning methods

The lecture notes, along with computer-based tutorials, solved problems and course work, will be uploaded on Blackboard. A number of demonstrators will also be able to answer practical questions during tutorials and at their office hours. 

 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written exam 75%
Written assignment (inc essay) 25%

Feedback methods

Feedback will be made available via the virtual learning environment following marks release.

Recommended reading

Edgar, HIMMELBLAU, LASDON, L., Optimisation of Chemical Processes, 2 edition, 2001, McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0-07-039359-1

Hangos, K., Cameron, I. Process Modelling and Model Analysis, Volume 4, 2001, Academy Press, ISBN0121569314

Williams, H. P., Model Building in Mathematical Programming, 5th edition, 2013, Wiley, ISBN1-118-44333-0 [Online access available via MyiLibrary]

Biegler, L. T., Grossmann, I. E., Westerberg, A. W., Systematic Methods of Chemical Process Design, 1997, ISBN0134924223

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 45
Independent study hours
Independent study 105

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Nan Zhang Unit coordinator
Jie Li Unit coordinator

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