Learn from net-zero chemical engineering experts who are decarbonising industry one reaction at a time
Chemical engineers and chemical engineering play a pivotal role in net-zero energy transition and the future of the planet, alongside mitigating the impact of traditional oil and gas. This is because industrial decarbonisation around the globe will heavily rely on the availability of affordable low-carbon sources of energy and the development of hydrogen as a clean fuel for example, advanced energy conversion and storage technologies, as well as carbon capture, storage and utilisation. Chemical engineers possess the unique set of skills to imagine, design, optimise and commercialise such innovative technologies in the drive to achieve net zero. Do you see yourself as a future chemical engineer making a positive impact to climate change? Join our MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering and work alongside world-leading chemical engineering experts who are actively engaged in researching and developing the innovative materials and processes essential for net-zero energy transition.
Whilst studying with us, you will experience our applied approach to learning. Using our world-class campus pilot plant facilities and benefiting from Cranfield’s strong industry links, you will gain the essential skills and experience to develop a successful career in a thriving discipline with its high demand for postgraduate level engineers. You will also benefit from professional development, career mentoring and teamwork to transform you into an engineering leader who will solve global challenges.
Overview
- Start dateFull-time: October. Part-time: October
- DurationOne year full-time, two-three years part-time
- DeliveryTaught modules 80 credits/800 hours, Group projects 40 credits/400 hours, Individual project 60 credits/600 hours
- QualificationMSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Study typeFull-time / Part-time
- CampusCranfield campus
Who is it for?
A distinguishing feature of this course is that it is not exclusively designed for chemical engineering graduates. Suitable for all engineering and applied science graduates, this MSc will provide you with the skill sets that employers actively seek in highly desirable engineering graduates, enabling you to embark on a successful career as a chemical engineering professional in industry, government or research.
You will learn state of the art chemical engineering methods, apply them to real world problems via industrially focused modules and research projects, whilst gaining the essential management skills to bring your ideas to life.
Your career
The Advanced Chemical Engineering MSc has been developed based on Cranfield’s industry driven research, which makes our graduates some of the most desirable in the world by companies competing in a range of industries, including conventional and clean energy, materials, environments, biorefining, biochemicals, petrochemicals, waste management and consultancy and management.
Those wishing to continue their education via PhD or MBA studies in the chemical or energy sectors will be well prepared by the interdisciplinary, project-oriented profile that they will have acquired throughout this course.
Cranfield Careers and Employability Service
Cranfield’s Career Service is dedicated to helping you meet your career aspirations. You will have access to career coaching and advice, CV development, interview practice, access to hundreds of available jobs via our Symplicity platform and opportunities to meet recruiting employers at our careers fairs. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. Support continues after graduation and as a Cranfield alumnus, you have free life-long access to a range of career resources to help you continue your education and enhance your career.
Why this course?
Chemical engineering is a continuously evolving discipline which is linked to a variety of industries. Chemical engineers are leading the design of large-scale facilities in the chemical, petrochemical, and industrial biotechnology sectors.
With this in mind, we recognise the importance of an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore the modules and their content, have been carefully developed with our industry connections to meet the engineering skill shortage currently faced within the sector.
By combining advanced chemical engineering topics, with a thorough underpinning of the management skills required to lead large, complex projects, this course will prepare you for a successful chemical engineering career.
- Prepare for real-world chemical engineering challenges via our practical focused modules, using on-campus pilot-scale facilities,
- Participate in individual and group projects to explore areas of particular interest and develop a track record of project management and delivery,
- Develop your technology leadership capabilities with the world-renowned Cranfield School of Management.
This MSc is supported by our team of professorial thought leaders, including Professor Vasilije Manovic, who is influential in the field of chemical engineering, and an integral part of this MSc.
During a module we learned about the combustion process of coal and other biomass feedstocks, and were able to carry out a pilot-scale test in the laboratory. Then we visited the biomass power plant at Cranfield to see the system that provides heating for our campus, to really see theory in practice.
Before coming to Cranfield, I studied human nutrition at the University of Westminster in London, and I saw that sustainability in diet also translates to global sustainability in energy and resource management. This is why I came to Cranfield, because chemical engineering offers me a pathway into this. I decided to come to Cranfield because of its state-of-the-art research facilities as well as its industrial links.
The main reason why I chose Cranfield was because I visited the University when I was quite young, and I really liked the facilities. There was a lot of focus on sustainability and power, and the environment, which is something that I wanted to pursue in my master's.
Course details
The taught programme is delivered from October to February and is comprised of eight modules.
The modules, except Research Methods for Chemical Engineering, are taught mainly over two weeks, with the assignment completed during that period. The first week is mainly allocated to structured teaching, with the following week largely free of structured teaching to allow time for more independent learning, reflection, and completion of assignments. Research Methods for Chemical Engineering module is delivered over six weeks.
Course delivery
Taught modules 80 credits/800 hours, Group projects 40 credits/400 hours, Individual project 60 credits/600 hours
Group project
The group project runs from late February until early May, and enables you to apply the skills and knowledge developed during the taught modules into practice in an applied context, while gaining transferable skills in project management, teamwork and independent research. Projects are often supported by industry and potential future employers value this experience. The group project is normally multidisciplinary and shared across the Energy MSc programme, giving the added benefit of working with students with other academic backgrounds.
Each group is given an industrially relevant problem to solve. During the project you will develop a range of skills including learning how to establish team member roles and responsibilities, project management, and delivering technical presentations. At the end of the project, all groups submit a written report and deliver a poster presentation to industry partners. This presentation provides the opportunity to develop presentation skills and effectively handle questions about complex issues in a professional manner.
Part-time students are encouraged to participate in a Group Project as it provides a wealth of learning opportunities. However, an option of an individual dissertation is available if agreed with the Course Director.
Recent Group Projects include:
- Green hydrogen production via pressure swing adsorption with CO2 capture,
- CO2 adsorption processes, materials development and testing,
- Gap analysis for synthetic aviation fuel manufacturing routes from biomass/waste,
- Design appraisal for a large scale anaerobic digestion plant for treatment of organic residue from municipal waste,
- Study of bio-conversion processes for biofuel production from Algae biomass,
- Fuel cell technology coupled with dry reforming of biogas,
- Performance Analysis and Technical Evaluation of Micro Combined Heat and Power (mCHP) Systems for Domestic Applications,
- Utilising biomass-derived fuels for CHP generation,
- Improving the quality of products generated from Mixed Plastic Waste,
- Conversion of consumer waste plastic into new plastics,
- Engineering Assessment of Alternative Greenhouse Gas Removal Technologies,
- Optimal Design for Hydrogen Combustion Burners in a Domestic Setting,
- Design specification of pilot scale 142 kWth air/rock.
Individual project
The individual research project allows students to delve deeper into an area of specific interest. It is very common for industrial partners to put forward real world problems or areas of development as potential research project topics. The individual research project component takes place between May and September.
If agreed with the Course Director, part-time students have the opportunity to undertake projects in collaboration with their place of work, which would be supported by academic supervision.
Individual research projects undertaken may involve feasibility assessments, reviews, practical evaluations, designs, simulations, and experimental investigations.
Previous individual research projects include:
- Microwave-assisted hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae,
- Co-pyrolysis of biomass and oil sand bitumen,
- Production of a H2-rich gas from steam gasification of biomass with CO2 removal,
- Techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production from steam gasification of fast pyrolysis bio-oil,
- Co-upgrading of heavy oil and bio-oil: synergies and challenges of the technology,
- Design and simulation of a process plant to obtain jet fuel from microalgae biomass,
- Design of a lab scale setup for Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of Isochorysis and Pavlova, algae species and analysis of the products obtained from the process,
- Comparison of microalgae biomass production using organic manure and anaerobic digestate organic fertilisers as nutrient sources,
- Developing a technology platform for large scale ultrasonic-assisted extraction of chemicals from olive mill waste,
- Applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an estimator in chemical process systems,
- Greenhouse gas removal to offset CO2 emissions from NLG,
- A quantitative approach to catalyst design in reforming using QSPR analysis,
- Techno-economic assessment of hydrogen/ammonia production using solid oxide electrolysers,
- CFD modelling of hydrogen-enriched methane combustion,
- CFD modelling of swirl reactors for process intensification,
- Continuous Bioethanol production from cheap feedstock by yeast,
- Life Cycle Analysis of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Aircraft.
Modules
Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.
To give you a taster, we have listed the compulsory and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.
Course modules
Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course.
Advanced Reaction Kinetics for Energy
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
This module is designed to give the students an advanced understanding of reaction kinetics, catalytic and non-catalytic gas-solid reactions, heat and mass transfer phenomena governing chemical reactions in energy engineering applications and experimental methods for kinetic measurements. The module also provide them with transferable skills in applications of reaction rate in reactor design and machine learning technique for catalyst/material design. |
Syllabus |
You will understand basics of reaction kinetics and thermodynamics and will learn how to design appropriate experimental methods to measure kinetics.
You will learn how to model gas-solid reaction systems covering catalytic heterogenous reactions and non-catalytic reactions relevant to energy such as combustion, gasification, hydrogen production and CO2 capture. Within this breadth of systems, you will investigate the important role of mass and heat transfer in chemical reaction process in order to observe rate limiting steps to enhance/ chemical reactions.
You will learn new skills in using Chemkin to solve complex reaction systems and how to combine both reaction kinetics, transport and thermodynamic data into solving real problems that controlled by reaction kinetics such as hydrogen combustion and pollutants formation.
You will also learn the latest research that is being undertaken to design new catalytic materials involving first-principals modelling aided by machine learning. You will learn of catalytic material synthesis methods and how these processes can be optimised for industrial applications.
|
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Research Methods
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
The module provides you with the essential research techniques and hands-on skills to assess the technical feasibility and sustainability of chemical engineering processes through a combination of process simulations; techno-economic, life cycle, and social (sustainability) assessments; process safety; computational fluid dynamic modelling and machine learning. Considering, multidisciplinary nature of existing engineering challenges, this skill set is prerequisite for advancing research to enhance the performance of existing technologies, and offer innovative solutions for enabling emerging technologies. The module comprises skills training on computer-aided engineering tools and research analysis approaches that enable you to develop relevant competencies via hands-on experience. You will also work on a relevant case study that will take you through the entire assessment process. The acquired research techniques will be then used to design, develop, and assess a wide range of complex and innovative chemical engineering cases for industrial applications in the follow-on applied modules within the course, including catalytic process, separation and purification, biofuel production and conversion, thermochemical energy conversion, bioprocessing, and thermal storage and management. |
Syllabus |
Process modelling and techno-economic assessment, and process safety Life cycle, social assessment CFD modelling for engineering applications Machine learning for chemical engineering |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Separation and Purification Design
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
The module enables you to master the underlying mechanisms of sorption and separation processes, along with the required experimental characterisation and data analysis techniques, and computational modelling. This knowledge will then be applied to design, develop, and evaluate carbon dioxide separation in power (i.e. gas and coal power plants) and industrial (i.e cement, iron and steel) sectors; biogas upgrading; hydrogen purification, and carbon dioxide and hydrogen storage, as case studies. |
Syllabus |
|
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Biofuels and Biorefining
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
The Biofuels and Biorefining module focuses on bioproduction of fuels and chemicals as a sustainable, environmentally friendly and low cost route This bioproduction can contribute to decreased greenhouse gas emissions, by replacing petrochemical route and also fulfil the global goals on the use of renewable energy. |
Syllabus |
Raw materials for production of bio-based chemicals, characterization and assessment First generation biorefinery Biodiesel production Lignocellulosic biorefinery Algal Biorefineries Food waste biorefineries Glycerol-based Biorefineries AD-based biorefineries Biorefining Commercial biorefineries |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to: State and assess the range of biomass resources/ biowastes/ agro-industrial wastes available for biofuels and biochemicals production; Critically evaluate a range of technologies and biorefineries available for biofuels and biochemicals production from biomass and analyse the potential for future reduction in costs through technological development; Explain the main theoretical concepts and practical implementation associated with bioproducts engineering systems; Identify the high-value products that can be obtained from biomass feedstock. Construct simple biorefining schemes and critically evaluate the potential of biorefining processes. |
Energy from Waste Operations
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
The module focuses on the opportunities for the conversion of biomass and waste to energy; industry-focused, providing you with a critical understanding of the key challenges in operating energy from waste facilities. The module consists of visits to modern waste management facilities which include talks from the managers at each site to cover the day-to-day management of such technologies and aims to provide you with advanced knowledge of the sources of biomass and waste, and the range of technologies available for their conversion into energy, particularly focused on thermochemical conversion whereby opportunities for producing alternative fuels and chemicals from wastes will be explored. You will conduct laboratory exercises to characterise solid fuels (e.g. waste feedstock and solid residues), assessing the composition and characteristics of waste materials to critically evaluate the fuel properties of the samples. Using analytical results to design thermochemical energy conversion systems using chemical modelling software (e.g. Aspen Plus).
Furthermore, the module provides you with a critical understanding of the key differences and challenges in pilot-scale working. The module will utilise several facilities at Cranfield as part of the taught sessions in addition to a visit to an external site, such as a waste management facility, to collect samples for analysis in the laboratory. As a practical module, you will gain significant practical experience through lab practical sessions, computer simulation and industrial site visits.
|
Syllabus |
|
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Engineering Design and Project Management
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
|
Syllabus |
Project Management, |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Elective modules
One of the modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course.
Thermal Systems Operation and Design
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
Design of optimum thermal and energy storage systems is one of the key prerequisites to enhance the performance and efficiency of conventional and future energy systems and chemical processes. This module aims to enable you to combine and apply the principles of heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics in the design and optimisation of commercial thermal systems. In addition, the module introduces you to a wide range of challenges and opportunities in waste heat recovery and energy storage, and provides practical approaches and solutions to enhance the system efficiency. |
Syllabus |
Heat exchanger Design and Operation Process integration: Problem table method. Heat-exchanger network. Utility systems. Fundamentals of pinch analysis and Energy Analysis. Application of refrigeration Vapour-compression refrigeration systems: Multi-stage compressor systems. Multi-evaporator systems. Absorption refrigeration: Absorption refrigeration for waste heat recovery. The absorption process. Properties of fluid-pair solutions. Design of absorption cycles. Double-effect systems. Advances in absorption-refrigeration technology. Heat recovery: Heat recovery for industrial applications. Thermal storage: Principles and application to hot and cold systems. Storage duration and scale. Sensible and latent heat systems. Phase-change storage materials. CFD modelling of thermal systems: Development and optimisation of CFD models for simulating thermal systems. Case studies for development of analytical solutions for design of thermal systems. |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Process Instrumentation and Control Engineering
Module Leader |
|
---|---|
Aim |
This module introduces a systematic approach to the design of measurement and control systems for industrial process applications. The fundamental concepts, key requirements, typical principles and key applications of the industrial process measurement and control technology and systems will be highlighted. |
Syllabus |
Principles of Measurement System Principles of Process Measurement and Control Practical of Process Control |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Teaching team
You will be taught by our internationally renowned research and academic staff. The Admissions Tutor is Dr Mingming Zhu and the Course Director is Dr Ali Nabavi.
Accreditation
The MSc of this course is accredited by The Energy Institute.
How to apply
Click on the ‘Apply now’ button below to start your online application.
See our Application guide for information on our application process and entry requirements.