Safety and Mechanical Design

Overview

Staff:
Dr K Morgan 12 Lectures, 4 Tutorials: Mechanical Design Codes
Dr D Poulidi
d.poulidi@qub.ac.uk 15 Lectures, 4 workshops, 4 presentations: Process Safety Management
Dr R Curry
r.curry@qub.ac.uk 8 Lectures, 2 Tutorials / Seminars: Environmental Management


Lectures: 48 hours
1.Mechanical design codes (12 hours and 4 tutorials):
* Standards, codes and codes of practice.
* Design considerations.
* Material selection of construction materials.
* Mechanisms of failure.
* Design of process equipment (Stress Analysis, Dimension sizing).
* Design of auxiliary equipment.
* Design of internal and external fixtures & fittings.
* Critical Analysis Design.
2.Process safety management – Accident and Loss (13 hours 2x2 hour presentations + 2x2hour workshops):
* Overview and historical development of Process Safety Management.
* Risk management: eliminating consequences, evaluating safeguards, assessing risk, implications of residual risk, control of land use, notifying neighbours and authorities, planning for emergencies, case studies; Hazard Identification (HAZID) studies, hazard and operability studies (HAZOP),
* Mechanical integrity and Quality Assurance.
* Τhe management of change.
* Process safety. * Electrical and Fire Hazards and Control.
* Chemical and Biological Health Hazards and Controls.
* Physical and Psychological Health Hazards and Controls.
* Accident Investigation, Recording and Reporting 3.Environmental Management (8 lectures + 2 tutorials hours)
* Overview of the historical development of Environmental Management and recent developments such as Corporate Sustainability Appraisal.
* Environmental Impact Assessment (EMA), guidance and approaches, identifying impacts and amelioration measures, recent developments in EMA and related policy and legislation.
* Key metrics available for environmental management and wider sustainability appraisal including resource efficiency Sustainable Production and Consumption and Climate Change.
* The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) framework and recent developments.
* Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and their relationship to wider management systems and corporate environmental policy.
* The wider role of Chemical Engineers in Renewable Energy, Sustainable Production and Consumption and Climate Change. COURSEWORK: 150 hours:
* Mechanical design of process equipment and ancillaries (55 hours): Process equipment used in the chemical industry often operates under severe conditions handling highly toxic, inflammable or hazardous substances. Students are required to take a pragmatic approach to the mechanical design of process equipment (e.g. absorption column/distillation tower) and auxiliary equipment (e.g. reboiler, condenser). Students will work in groups to complete a design problem related to the mechanical design of a piece of process/ancillary equipment. Students will be expected to research existing process equipment used in the chemical industry, material selection, complete analysis and evaluate design principles, complete design calculations (e.g. stress analysis, corrosion factors, geometry), critically evaluate their designs, apply BS EN 13445-3:2014 standards and select a suitable material to use in each problem. The final solutions will be reported in a written technical report of “professional standards” including calculations, references and graphical representation of designs using 2 or 3D CAD skills from CHE2018. This will prepare students for Mechanical Design in Level 3 Design II (CHE3014).
* Accident case study report (55 hours): Students will be given a past industrial accident to investigate. Students will prepare a report including the following. A HAZID study of the process in question, a ‘what went wrong’ report including suggestions on measures that should have been taking in order to avoid the incident. A HAZOP study of the equipment responsible for the failure including the extra safeguards proposed by the students. This is a group project with individually marked elements.
* Environmental Management (42 hours): Students are required to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment for a sample company in the process industries and report on the key environmental metrics for company reporting. The students will work in groups for this.
Note: Details on all coursework will be given out in the form of a coursework brief during term time. All coursework must be submitted electronically via QOL in the format specified in the coursework brief. Peer evaluation mark will contribute to 10% of the assignment mark unless differently stated in the coursework brief. Group reports may also include individual parts and part of the coursework may include other forms of assessment (e.g. presentations, class quiz); this will be detailed in the coursework brief.

Learning Objectives

Learning outcomes:
Students develop an awareness of the safe design, environmental impacts and operation of chemical process plants. By the end of this module students will be able to:
• recognise the importance of safety and environmental management in chemical engineering design;
• appreciate the impact of safety management incidents on the company, its employees, the wider public and the environment and of the ethical responsibility of engineers in preventing such incidents;
• identify the various hazards associated with chemical processes;
• discuss the range environmental impacts with chemical processes and more general plant operation;
• apply the key aspects of Environment Impact Assessment;
• employ key metrics available for environmental management;
• relate the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) to wider management systems and corporate environmental policy;
• apply the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) framework in chemical plant design;
• recognise the wider role of Chemical Engineers in Renewable Energy, Sustainable Production and Consumption and Climate Change;
• use the relevant design codes, standards and legislation in chemical engineering design;
• develop engineering judgement to support decision-making skills in ideas development and selection of appropriate materials and design calculations;
• complete design calculations of chemical engineering equipment (stress analysis; equipment dimensions, pressure requirements)
• critically evaluate the outcomes of mechanical design calculations and material selection;
• understand mechanisms of failure, the mechanical design of process and auxiliary equipment;
• select the appropriate materials for the design of process equipment;
• appreciate the key aspects of Process Safety Management;
• carry out a HAZOP study to identify and evaluate hazards in chemical processes;
• carry out a risk assessment in a workplace environment

Skills

Skills acquired with module:
An understanding of the use of design codes and the systematic use of process safety and environmental management and measurement procedures. The students will obtain the necessary theoretical background to carry out the mechanical design of process equipment and critically evaluate the safety and environmental hazards of a given chemical process. Via the range of required continual assessment the students will develop skills in report writing, group work and time management.

Assessment

Assessment:
Continual Assessment 100 %

The module is assessed by continuous assessment (100% coursework). The mark breakdown of the assignments is as follows:

• Environmental Management report (group + peer evaluation): 30%
• Process Safety report (group + peer evaluation): 35%
• Mechanical Design report (group + peer evaluation): 35%

Peer evaluation mark will contribute to 10% of the assignment mark unless differently stated in the coursework brief. Group reports may also include individual parts and part of the coursework may include other forms of assessment (e.g. presentations, class quiz); this will be detailed in the coursework brief.

Course Requirements:
Module Pass Mark Veto 40 %
Coursework Pass Veto 40%