Advance your career and change the world, by working to reduce or eliminate one of the major global causes of carbon emissions
With sustainable development goals in mind, the heat and power sector is undergoing a revolutionary transition towards greener energy, and global businesses must adapt to meet the ever increasing current and future needs. Domestic and industrial heat is responsible for a very significant percentage of global GHG emissions and rectifying that represents a key challenge for future engineers to create a greener society.Highly skilled, passionate and knowledgeable heat (thermal) engineers are urgently needed to transition our heat systems to a green, sustainable footing. Accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Energy Institute, the Advanced Heat Engineering MSc will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to help achieve energy efficiency improvements, reduce waste generation, and recovery waste heat to reduce environmental pollution. Closely aligned with industry, with real-world case studies and research projects (nuclear power generation to district heating and cooling) at its core, this course will enable you to develop a successful and rewarding career as an environmentally aware heat engineering professional, able to make a significant contribution towards a greener, net zero future.
Overview
- Start dateFull-time: October, part-time: October
- DurationOne year full-time, two-three years part-time
- DeliveryTaught modules 40%, group project 20%, individual project 40%
- QualificationMSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Study typeFull-time / Part-time
- CampusCranfield campus
Who is it for?
This course is interdisciplinary and designed for engineering graduates, practising engineers or physical science graduates who wish to develop a successful career as an environmentally aware heat systems professional.
The course will equip you with knowledge that can be directly applied to help various sectors with their process heat efficiency, heat systems engineering, competitiveness, energy costs and pollution control standards.
Your career
The growing concern of global warming is changing the operation mode of industry towards low carbon solutions. In addition, there is a considerable, and increasing demand for environmentally aware energy specialists with in-depth technical knowledge combined with practical and management skills. This course will provide know-how on the low carbon heat and energy systems both at the system and component level, to prepare you as a graduate engineer to meet under-served market requirements.
Cranfield graduates have been successful in gaining employment in energy organisations, industrial producers and manufacturers, environmental and engineering consultancies, design companies, research organisations and government departments. Whilst we focus our courses on real-world commercial situations, preparing you to make rapid and meaningful contributions for your next employers, and improving your employment and career prospects, our courses also prepare you for further studies such as PhD’s for those minded towards a career in academic research.
Successful graduates have gone onto work in a range of roles, including:
Business Development Manager, Research Associate, Project Manager, Senior Project Engineer, Solutions Development Engineer, Operational Planning Engineer, Customer Application Engineer; Battery Test Deliver Engineer, Process & Project Engineer, Junior Project Engineer, Product Manager, PhD Researcher, Engineering Graduate.
Within prestigious institutions including:
Alstom Power, British Gas, BELECTRIC UK, Blue Circle Cement, Centrica, Coca Cola, Ceylon Electricity Board, Danfoss, DELPHI Automotive Systems, ENGIE Laborelec (Mexico), Electrolux (Denmark), Energy Saving Trust, Environmental Agency, Honeywell, Jaguar Land Rover, London Business School, Ministry of Energy (Botswana, Jordan, Tanzania, Uganda), Powergen, Petrofac, Scottish Power, Transport for London and Unilever.
Cranfield Careers and Employability Service
Cranfield’s Careers and Employability 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. We will also work with you to identify suitable opportunities and support you in the job application process for up to three years after graduation.
Why this course?
Previously known as the MSc in Energy Systems and Thermal Processes, Advanced Heat Engineering MSc has evolved over the past 40 years to meet the industry needs and demands of today. The course has been developed based on ongoing discussions with industrial experts, employers, sponsors and previous students, with the drive towards net zero and sustainable business, making it more relevant than ever.
The ethos of the course is to provide you with the professional skills you will need to develop a successful career improving the management of heat processes and energy, designing energy-efficient systems, utilising renewable energy sources, and reducing and controlling pollution. The course will provide opportunities to:
- Access world-class, pilot-scale facilities that are unique to the UK higher education sector,
- Study modules including District Heat Networks, Thermal Energy Systems, Advanced Heat Exchanger Design, Industrial Thermal Operations and Applied Thermal Energy Systems,
- Develop your technology leadership capabilities with the world-renowned Cranfield Energy and Sustainability team,
- Participate in individual and group projects focused on your personal interests and career aspirations - with many supported by industry,
- Learn from world-class lecturers with extensive, current experience of working with industry on solving real-world mechanical/chemical engineering challenges,
- Benefit from our extensive industry links and alumni community, to develop your network and advance your career.
This MSc is supported by our team of professorial thought leaders, including Professor Nigel Simms, who is influential in the field of energy systems and thermal processes, and an integral part of this MSc.
"Thermodynamics and thermal engineering have always sparked my attention, and I've always desired to grasp both the practical and theoretical aspects of the sciences. The course gives a comprehensive overview of both industry and scholarly viewpoints on issues such as nuclear energy and desalination. The power industry in India has grown rapidly, but the task of decarbonising it and achieving a net zero aim is what interests me the most. Based on my experience here, I can state that the quantity of information and opportunities accessible is genuinely limitless."
"I chose Cranfield because of the percentage of world-class research that’s taking place here. Also that it’s an exclusively postgraduate university and the diversity of the staff, the students and alumni. What has really stood out for me was during the taught modules – the vast knowledge and experience that the teaching staff have is incredible."
"Cranfield University is world renowned for its facilities and development of new technologies. I'm a Nigerian, and a scholar of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). Back in my country we are trying to integrate new technologies into existing plants, to provide alternative solutions to the flaring of natural gas. Two months into my course I have already learned so much, and can see possibilities of how to achieve both my own goals around climate change, and make improvements back home in Nigeria.”
Informed by industry
The Advanced Heat Engineering MSc is closely aligned with industry to ensure that you are fully prepared for your career.
- Close engagement with the energy sector has produced long-standing strategic partnerships with a wide range of prominent organisations, including Alstom Power, BP, Cummins Power Generation, Doosan Babcock, E.ON, Npower, Rolls-Royce, Shell, Siemens and Total,
- Knowledge gained working with our industrial clients is continually fed back into the teaching programme to ensure that you benefit from the very latest knowledge and techniques affecting industry,
- We have a world-class reputation for industrial-scale research facilities and pilot-scale demonstration programmes in the energy field,
- Our strategic links with industry ensure everything taught on the course is relevant, timely and meets the needs of organisations competing within the energy sector, making our graduates some of the most desirable in the world,
- The course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Energy Institute, ensuring professional recognition and relevance to employers.
Course details
The taught programme is delivered from October to February and comprises eight modules.
Each module is typically delivered over two weeks. Generally the first week involves intensive teaching while the second week has fewer teaching hours to allow time for more independent learning and completion of the assessment.
There are three modules that take place later in the academic year and involve more active problem-based learning and typically include practical or laboratory sessions, case studies or group work. These are an opportunity for you to apply and integrate your knowledge. These modules are all assessed by assignments that are completed during the two-week period. The focus on group work and application within these modules provides a valuable transition into the group project.
Course delivery
Taught modules 40%, group project 20%, individual project 40%
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:
- Techno-economic analysis of small modular reactors with sCO2 and thermal storage for grid flexibility,
- Design and engineering development of cold thermal energy system,
- Performance assessment of a cold thermal storage system integrated into a CSP plant,
- Development of a comprehensive model for CSP plant annual performance and water consumption,
- Performance assessment of an absorption chiller and a desalination unit integrated to renewable plants.
Individual project
The individual research project allows you to delve deeper into a specific area of interest. As our academic research is so closely related to industry, it is common for our industrial partners to put forward real practical problems or areas of development as potential research topics. The individual research project component takes place between May and August.
For part-time students, it is common that their research project is undertaken in collaboration with their place of work.
Research projects will involve designs, computer simulations, techno-economic, feasibility assessments, reviews, practical evaluations and experimental investigations.
Typical areas of research include:
- Techno-economic feasibility assessment of clean energy systems,
- Modelling of energy-conversion systems and thermal processes,
- Renewable energy utilisation schemes,
- Control of environmental pollution,
- Combustion and heat transfer processes.
Recent individual research projects Include:
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- Techno-economic of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Recompression Closed Brayton Cycle,
- Novel green power-to-ammonia to power system: reversible solid oxide cell for power and hydrogen production coupled with an ammonia synthesis unit,
- Design and investigate the transient response of compact heat exchanger for the flexibilisation of fossil power plant,
- Recovering liquefaction cost of captured carbon dioxide by cold energy utilisation and electric power generation,
- Development of new control design methods for pressurised water reactors (PWR): application to temperature control,
- Optimisation of combined heat and power (CHP) co-generation in student accommodation and private rental schemes,
- Thermochemical Hydrogen Production,
- Assessment of fuel cell integration in absorption refrigeration system,
- Modelling the impact of small domestic batteries installation on the wider electrical grid dynamics.
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.
Thermal Energy Systems
| Aim |
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|---|---|
| Syllabus |
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| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to: Debate issues related to the performance of conventional power-generation plants and identify appropriate routes for improving energy-utilisation efficiency. Critically evaluate the fundamentals and laws governing energy conversion, various fuels and their characteristics and the energy requirement of thermal energy systems by modelling the underlying power cycles. Critique the innovations in modern energy systems related to gas turbines, combined cycle and nuclear based power. Review critically technologies employed for non conventional thermal power generation systems (Geo, solar, ocean thermal) and their applications. Assess the importance of thermal energy systems in achieving energy security and low carbon economy. |
Process Design and Simulation
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
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| Syllabus |
Process Design Overview: Conceptual process design. Process flow-sheeting. Process synthesis: Overview of a process system. Recycle structure of the flowsheet. Design of reaction and separation systems. Process integration: Concepts of process integration for heat exchanger network design. Process Modelling, Simulation and Optimisation Modelling and simulation: Concepts of process modelling. General concepts of simulation. Introduction to steady and dynamic process simulation. Introduction to commercial simulation software packages (i.e. Aspen Plus/Hysys, Aveva Process Simulation) and open-source codes (DWSIM) for process flow-sheeting, design and analysis. Process optimisation techniques: Principles of optimisation. Case Studies (PC Lab and Demonstration Sessions) Process design, simulation and optimisation case studies based on industrial or research projects will be carried out using AspenOne, Aveva, and DWSIM. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
|
Computational Fluid Dynamics for Industrial Processes
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
This module introduces you to the CFD techniques and tools for modelling, simulating and analysing practical engineering problems with hands on experience using commercial software packages used in industry. |
| Syllabus |
|
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Industrial Thermal Operations
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
Heat consumption accounts for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial and commercial sectors use large quantities of heat in the preparation or treatment of materials used to manufacture goods and to provide services. This module is designed to provide working knowledge and understanding of: The module will cover a wide variety of recent developments in thermal driven technologies to enhance energy efficiency and to improve environmental performance. In addition, this module also evaluates usage of renewables to provide industrial process heat while replacing fossil fuels use. |
| Syllabus |
|
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Applied Thermal Energy Systems
| Aim |
This module provides in-depth applied knowledge of different thermal energy systems. You will learn the development of comprehensive plant design, thermodynamic modelling, data collection, analysis, and prediction of the performance and control of these advanced/applied thermal systems. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
Thermodynamic simulation tool selection: ASPEN Plus, Thermoflex, Ebsilon, MATLAB, EES, System advisor model, SolarPilot and/or combination of these software packages. Modelling of heat source: Coal-fired boilers, solar field, biomass incinerators, industry waste heat and nuclear reactors, and its typical operating conditions. Modelling of Thermal Storage System: steam accumulator, sensible heat storage including two-tank system, concrete, and packed bed, and phase change materials. Power block configuration for large Rankine cycle: Steam generators, Steam turbine, condenser, pumps, Deaerators, super heaters, pre heaters, heat exchangers, Control valves etc. Introducing the concept of Exergy and how it can be used to understand how processes can be made more efficient for large Rankine steam cycle Cooling technologies for heat rejection: Once through cooling, wet cooling towers, dry cooling towers, hybrid cooling systems, versatile coolers, Cold Thermal Energy Storage (cTES) systems, PCM storage, Water consumption calculations. Integration of components and systems: Integration of detail component model into global model for a flexible power plant (of heat source, power block, thermal storage and cooling systems), design, off design and annual simulation. Waste heat recovery systems: Absorption chiller simulations (components, working fluid pairs, fluid property functions, and, refrigerators), de-humidification calculations, desalination model development (Multi-effect distillation, Membrane distillation). Annual performance simulation: Annual performance of the developed thermal energy system integrated with solar field, power block and cooling system. Economics of thermal energy systems: Economic models for thermal energy systems, CAPEX and OPEX, Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) calculations. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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District Heat Networks
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
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| Syllabus |
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| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Advanced Heat Exchanger Design
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
Heat exchangers are critical to a wide variety of engineering applications and power to chemical and process plants. Any process changes lead to intensive replacement of these heat exchangers, hence this module provides in depth understanding of practically proven heat exchanger technologies and its limitations. This module will provide a good mix of state-of-the-art technologies and novel designs using interactive case studies and rigorous design strategies for efficient heat exchanger sizing, specification and its operational performance. |
| Syllabus |
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| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Engineering Project Management
| Aim |
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|---|---|
| Syllabus |
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| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Teaching team
You will be taught by our multidisciplinary team of leading technology experts including: Dr Kumar Patchigolla - Reader in Low Carbon Energy Systems. Our teaching team work closely with business and have academic and industrial experience. The course also includes inputs from industry that will relate the theory to current best practice. The Admissions Tutor is Kapil Garg and the Course Director is Dr Kumar Patchigolla.
Accreditation
The MSc of this course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and The Energy Institute.
How to apply
Applications need to be made online. Click the 'Apply now' button at the top of this page.
Once you have set up an account you will be able to create, save and amend your application form before submitting it.
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