COURSE SPECIFICATION FORM,

approved by the Academic Council 17.06.2015 (#39)

SECTION A: DEFINITIVE
Items in this section may be reviewed and developed within Schools as part of the Annual
Program Monitoring Process and in line with the Guidelines to Modifications to Programs and
Courses.

1. General course information

1.1 School: Engineering and Digital Sciences 1.6 Credits (ECTS): 6
Course Title: Course Code: CHME400
1.2 1.7
Process Design and Simulation
Pre-requisites: CHME 300 Heat and Mass Effective from: 2021
1.3 Transfer (year)
1.8
CHME 304 Chemical Reaction Engineering
1.4 Co-requisites: NA
Chemical and Materials Engineering
Core Elective
1.5
Programs:
(in which the course
is offered)
2. Course description (max.150 words)
This course focuses on the development of process flowsheet, their implementation into
commercial software and their use for process evaluation. The course starts with a brief review of
applied chemical engineering thermodynamics focusing on process simulation thermodynamics.
The students will be trained on selecting a proper thermodynamic model for a given process or a
mixture of compounds. The principles for process design including synthesis of separation and
reaction systems will be discussed. A novel approach in modeling separation units namely “Rate-
Based Model” is introduced to the students. Then, several unit operation models (mixers and
splitters, pressure change units, heat exchangers, phase separation, distillation columns, chemical
reactors) are presented, with focus on their use for solving rating and design problems. The
sequential-modular approaches to simulation of the entire flowsheet are discussed and some
troubleshooting methods to deal with convergence failures for Design Spec, Calculator Blocks and
Recycle streams are presented.

3. Summative assessment methods (tick if applicable):

3.1 Examination 3.5 Presentation
3.2 Term paper 3.6 Peer-assessment
3.3 Project 3.7 Essay
3.4 Laboratory Practicum 3.8 Other (specify) Homework

4. Course aims
1. Synthesizing the separation and reaction units to produce a given product.
2. Rearranging a Process Flow Diagram (PFD) into a Process Simulation Model (PSM), to

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perform steady state mass and energy balances of chemical processes, using a commercial
software.
3. Implementing steady-state models and analyzing convergence problems at the level of unit
operation using commercial simulation software
4. Evaluating PFDs in terms of raw materials, energy and economic efficiency.
5. Critiquing limited information in order to improve creative thinking and decision-making
abilities.
5. Course learning outcomes (CLOs)
5.1 By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Select the most suitable thermodynamic models for predicting mixture phase equilibrium.
2. Design a process using Enhanced Distillation concept, Distillation/Extraction Ternary
Diagram, Rate-Based model for reactive absorption and reactive distillation, and catalytic
reactors.
3. Build a simulation model of an entire chemical process including material recycle and
perform convergence troubleshooting.
4. Critique the key design variables and suggest design changes, with the aim of individual
unit operation and process optimization.
5. Present technical results verbally and in written as a team.

5.2
CLO Program Learning Outcome(s) to Graduate Attribute(s) to which
ref # which CLO is linked CLO is linked
1 1 1
2 2 1,3-4
3 2 5,6,8
4 2,3 1,3-4
5 4,6,7 1,3-4

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 COURSE SPECIFICATION FORM,
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SECTION B: NON-DEFINITIVE
Course Syllabus Template
Details of teaching, learning and assessment
Items in this Section should be considered annually (or each time a course is delivered) and amended
as appropriate, in conjunction with the Annual Program Monitoring Process. The template can be
adapted by Schools to meet the necessary accreditation requirements.

6. Detailed course information

6.1 Academic Year: 2023 6.3 Schedule (class days, time): Online

6.2 Semester: Summer 6.4 Location (building, room):

7. Course leader and teaching staff

Position Name Office Contact information Office hours/or
# by appointment

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Course Leader Dhawal Shah 3e563 Dhawal.shah@nu.edu. by appointment
kz
Course Instructor(s) Dhawal 3e563 Dhawal.shah@nu.edu. by appointment
kz
Teaching Assistant(s)

8. Course Outline
Session Date Topics and Assignments Course Aims CLOs
(tentative) (ref. # only,
see item 4)
See
attached
file

9. Learning and Teaching Methods (briefly describe the approaches to teaching and learning to be employed
in the course)
1 Lectures (Problem Based Learning)
2 Computer Lab. (Problem Based Learning, Problem Classes)
3 Independent study (Individual Problems, Team Homework and Projects)

10. Summative Assessments

# Activity Date Weighting (%) CLOs
(Tentative)
1. Homework/Assignments Alternative weeks 20% 1-5
2. Pop-Quizzes Alternative weeks 30% 1-5
4. Final Exam Final Exam period 50% 1-5

11. Grading

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The grading system and standards are as set forth in paragraphs 12 and 13, respectively, section 6 of
the NU Academic Policies and Procedures for Undergraduate Programs, as in force. All assessment
elements are originally graded in the scale of 0-100%.
Letter Grade Grade description (where applicable)
Percent
range
A 95-100 Excellent, exceeds the highest standards in the assignment of course
A- 90-94.9 Excellent, meets the highest standards for the assignment or course
B+ 85-89.9 Very good, meets the high standards for the assignment or course
B 80-84.9 Good, meets most of the standards for the assignment or course
B- 75-79.9 More than adequate; shows some reasonable command of the material
C+ 70-74.9 Acceptable; meets basic standards for the assignment or course
C 65-69.9 Acceptable; meets some of the basic standards for the assignment or
course
C- 60-64.9 Acceptable; while falling short of meeting basic standards in several
areas
D+ 55-59.9 Minimally acceptable; falling short of meeting many basic standards
D 50-54.9 Minimally acceptable; lowest passing grade
F 0-49.9 Failing; very poor performance

12. Learning resources (use a full citation and where the texts/materials can be accessed)
E-resources, including, Lectures (as pdf files).
but not limited to: Workshops
databases, animations, Aspen Tech. Knowledge based website
simulations, professional
blogs, websites, other e-
reference materials (e.g.
video, audio, digests)
E-textbooks
Laboratory physical
resources
Special software programs Aspen Plus, Aspen Exchanger Design and Rating
Journals (inc. e-journals)
Text books 1. R. Schefflan, Teach Yourself the Basics of Aspen Plus, J. Wiley & Sons, 1st
ed. (or 2nd ed.), 2011.
2. A.C. Dimian, C.S. Bildea and A.A. Kiss, Integrated Design and
Simulation of Chemical Processes (Computer-Aided Chemical
Engineering series, volume 35), Elsevier, 2014.

13. Course expectations

Homeworks: Several homeworks will be given to students which will be a group task.

Exams: The exams will be closed book and closed notes with a duration of approximately three hours
maximum. Use of scientific calculators is only allowed. Use of web pages, laptops, mobile phones of

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any kind or any other electronic media and devices are strictly forbidden.

Details for every task will be given to students in time. All marks will be provided in time to students
via moodle.

Late submission/Penalties: In case of late submission, the provisions of paragraphs 32 and 33, section 8
of the SEng Undergraduate Student Handbook apply, as in force.

Absence from an Assessment Element: In case of absence from an assessment element, the provisions
of paragraph 31, section 8 of the SEng Undergraduate Student Handbook apply, as in force.

Passing Rules: For passing the course, students must obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% with at
least 30% of the marks in the midterm exam and at least 50% of the marks in final project and
homework, in conformity to the provisions of paragraph 19, section 6 of the SEng Undergraduate
Student Handbook, as in force.

Attendance Policy: In accordance with paragraph 24 of the SEng Undergraduate Student Handbook
and paragraph 7 of the NU Undergraduate Attendance Policy and Procedures, all students are
expected to attend all classes at the University. If attendance falls below 80% of scheduled classes, then
as authorized by paragraphs 8, 15, and 17 of the NU Undergraduate Attendance Policy and
Procedures, the aggregate mark of all assessments is reduced as following:

Attendance Penalty
80% - 70% 5%
70% - 60% 10%
60% - 50% 20%

In case of an attendance lower than 50%, the student cannot pass the course.

14. Academic Integrity Statement

Students have to adhere to all rules and procedures set by NU regarding academic integrity. They also
have to respect and follow entirely the Student Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, and
especially paragraphs 13-16 on plagiarism and cheating.

There is zero tolerance regarding any form of cheating; in case of cheating, copying, any attempt of
using mobile phones during exams, plagiarism or any academic misconduct, besides rejection of the
relevant task/exam, students will sustain possible penalties according to NU and SEng Policy. Copying
from web-pages, from other students’ solutions or any attempts to obtain the solution of the
assessments are considered as cheating.

15. E-Learning

16. Approval and review

Date of Approval: Minutes #: Committee:
Date(s) of Approved Change: Minutes #: Committee:

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