Develop your career as a highly sought after environmental engineer 

Suitable for graduates in engineering, science, and geography, the Environmental Engineering MSc will help you enhance your career by specialising in environmental engineering studies, involving the application of scientific and engineering principles to protect and improve the environment. Accredited by CIWEM and IAgrE, this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to solve a wide range of environmental engineering challenges and make a real difference to the planet, - including municipal and toxic waste management and disposal, process emissions, contaminated land and water, waste disposal, energy, and resource recovery. Cranfield offers a unique, postgraduate-only environment where you will learn from a teaching team with extensive experience of solving real-world environmental 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?

The Environmental Engineering MSc is designed for science, engineering, and geography graduates who are passionate about the protection and improvement of environmental quality alongside enhancing the quality of human life.

We also welcome graduates currently in employment who are keen to gain further qualifications or to pursue a career change, or individuals with other qualifications and considerable relevant experience.

During the Environmental Engineering masters, you will learn principles of environmental improvements, including the protection of environmental quality at both local, landscape and global scales.

Your career

With the current global focus on the full range of environmental issues, graduates of this course can expect to be highly sought after by employers. Equipped with the advanced knowledge and management skills to analyse processes, principles, and practices essential to environmental challenges, you will have opportunities to pursue careers across a wide range of industrial and public organisations.

Successful graduates have been able to pursue or enhance careers in a variety of key areas such as:

Research Consultant, Environmental Scientist, Waste Consultant, Environmental Consultant, Site Engineer, Environmental Quality and Compliance Consultant, Risk Prevention & Environmental Engineer, Project Engineer, Research Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Environmental Project Manager, Supply Chain Manager, and Digital and Analytics Specialist.

Some graduates have also followed the academia route through progression onto PhD study.

Previous students have gone on to jobs within prestigious institutions including:

Golder Associates, Arup, Seche Environment, EnvironTec Gmbh, Deloitte, BP, Chevron, WSP, Jacobs, Viridor, Syngenta, SCOTEC UK, Mondelēz International.

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.

Cranfield supports international students to work in the UK after graduation

I love the variety of the modules in my Environmental Engineering MSc at Cranfield. I believe that the course provides state-of-the-art topics, that discuss the most critical environmental challenges in the world.

Cranfield University is unique in the UK because it focuses exclusively on graduate students. We need to work with some of the brightest and best scientists around the world, and Cranfield University are one of the partners that we selected to work with on a long-term strategic basis.
I couldn’t think of a better place to develop academic skills alongside exposure to industry leaders.
There are students that are coming up with ideas that I would never have thought of and I know that businesses who we collaborate with would never have thought of. So it’s really important to get idea generation, to get motivations and to get people engaged in what businesses need today.

Why this course?

A masters in Environmental Engineering will equip you with the knowledge and skills focusing on innovative approaches and technologies to solve a wide range of future sustainability challenges to fulfil sustainable development goals. The course covers municipal and hazardous waste management, process emissions control, contaminated land, water, wastewater, and waste disposal. The programme also addresses energy and resource recovery from waste materials.

  • Study a course with accreditation by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE).
  • Benefit from Cranfield’s applied focus by working on real-world problems faced in industry during your studies.
  • Participate in individual and group projects focused on your personal interests and career aspirations.
  • Learn from lecturers with extensive, current experience of working with industry on solving real-world environmental challenges.
  • Technical modules incorporate a range of industry relevant topics, including Process Emission and Control and Engineering Mathematics.
  • Management modules cover essential topics such as Waste Management in a Circular Economy: Reuse, Recycle, Recover and Dispose.
 

Informed by industry

The Environmental Engineering MSc is closely aligned with industry to ensure that you are fully prepared for your new career.

  • An Industrial Advisory Board for the programme scrutinises course content and ensures its relevance to the needs of global employers.
  • Industry practitioners contribute directly to the course by teaching alongside academics from Cranfield ensuring the relevance of course content to the professional world.
  • Sixty percent of the course is focused on applied research projects including group projects (20%) and an individual thesis project (40%); both also supported by industry and environmental sector organisations.

Course details

The modules include lectures and tutorials, and are assessed through examinations and assignments. There is an emphasis on analysis of real problems. Students undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) complete the seven modules and the group project. Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) students are required to complete six of the eight modules.

MSc course structure:

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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 experience is highly valued by both students and prospective employers. It provides students with the opportunity to take responsibility for a consultancy-type project, working within agreed objectives, deadlines and budgets. For part-time students a dissertation or projects portfolio can replace the group project.

Recent group projects include:

Individual project

The individual thesis project, usually undertaken in collaboration with an external organisation, offers you the opportunity to develop your research capability, your understanding of the subject and your ability to provide solutions to real-world problems in environmental engineering.

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.

Principles of Engineering

Module Leader
  • Dr Sagar Jain
Aim
    Applied science and engineering requires a solid understanding of engineering principles, necessary for working in energy, water and environmental sectors. This diverse module aims to develop an understanding of the core principles of engineering and enables learners to apply their knowledge to real-world case study examples. You will be required to understand how to work with gas, liquid and solid systems to determine heat transfer dynamics, chemical mass, hydraulics, structural mechanics/integrity, power grids and electrical systems. As the module progresses through the taught material, you will be introduced to applying their understanding to full system designs and how the theory informs industrial-scale applications
Syllabus

    You will cover a number of fundamental aspects of engineering, applied to sustainable development systems. This will include applications in the energy, water and environmental sectors, thus will focus on sustainable development goals and the net zero targets. Topics covered throughout the module will include:

    • Mass balance and reaction engineering.
    • Heat and mass transfer.
    • Hydraulics.
    • Fundamental concepts in structural mechanics and design for structural safety.
    • Power grids and electrical processes.
    • Full engineering systems.
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Apply technical skills to subsystems of each case study, incorporating engineering principles including heat transfer, structural mechanics, hydraulics and engineering mathematics.
  • Determine fluid mechanics of high-pressure and multi-phase processes.
  • Critically appraise complex engineering case studies, analysing interconnectivity between engineering disciplines for delivering large-scale projects. This includes the application of basic structural mechanics and integrity analysis principles in sustainable development engineering contexts.
  • Evaluate subsystem integration and consider project and H&S risks and mitigation, including structural failure theory.

Pollution Prevention and Remediation Technologies

Module Leader
  • Professor Frederic Coulon
Aim

    The module introduces the extent and consequences of pollution in the environment, identifies and evaluates technologies for prevention and remediation and exposes students in using decision support tool and modelling to deal with pollution prevention and remediation. 


Syllabus
    • Environmental pollution and prevention technology.
    • Contaminated land issues and market size.
    • Soil and groundwater remediation technologies.
    • Sustainable remediation practices.
    • Monitoring and modelling contaminants.
    • Hazard appraisal and risk assessment.
    • Decision support tools.
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Define and discuss the key issues related to environmental pollution prevention and remediation.
  • Critically appraise the range of remediation technologies for soil and groundwater.
  • Appraise the key indicators for sustainable remediation approach.
  • Select and evaluate accepted decision tools to assess remediation performance and end-points.

Health, Safety and Environmental Risk

Module Leader
  • Dr Gill Drew
Aim
    Health, safety and environment risk are all key considerations when working in the renewable energy and other industrial sectors. These four topics are also broad and cover many aspects.  The module is therefore designed to provide you with the competencies to assess and evaluate the relevant international standards as well as the legislation and regulatory requirements. The module covers key topics including conceptual model development, probability, risk characterisation, and Geographical Information Systems. In doing so, this module aims to provide you with the capability and capacity to assess the wide range of increasingly complex risks and hazards facing organisations, policymakers and regulators. There is a strong focus on the use of case studies to provide examples of how standards and legislation are implemented in practice.
Syllabus
    • Introduction to the International Standards, including the ISO 14000 family and ISO 45001.
    • Environmental legislation and voluntary standards.
    • Environmental risk assessment.
    • Problem definition and conceptual models.
    • Spatial analysis and informatics.
    • Risk screening and prioritisation.
    • Assembling strength and weight of evidence.
    • Review of major accidents: such as the Oroville Dam collapse, Piper Alpha disaster and the Deepwater Horizon incident.
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Critique the ISO standards relevant to occupational health, safety and the environment.
  • Differentiate between voluntary requirements and legal or regulatory requirements for health and safety, and the environment.
  • Critically evaluate the decision process underpinning the management of a wide range of risks and provide justification for the prioritisation and application of different risk management strategies.
  • Examine and interpret the relationship between risk, social, economic, political and technological trends and be able to provide appropriate suggestions for communication of assessment and management of environmental risks related to the influencing factors.
  • Design or critique health and safety policies for infrastructure installations.

Modelling Environmental Processes

Module Leader
  • Professor Ronald Corstanje
Aim

    An introduction to the full suite of environmental models and modelling methods that are currently used to describe and predict environmental processes and outcomes. The objective of this module is to give an overview of the different types of models currently being used to describe environmental processes and how they are being applied in practice.

    The module will offer you the opportunity to strengthen their analytical abilities with a specific mathematical emphasis, including programming and modelling, which are key skills to launch future careers in science, engineering and technology. In addition, throughout various interactive learning events, your social skills will be intensively trained.


Syllabus
    • Introduction to the wide range of applications of numerical models in environmental sciences. Lectures will cover examples of models applied in climate, soil, water, natural ecosystems and atmosphere and others.
    • Overview of the types of models applied; mechanistic, semi-empirical and empirical models. Why these different forms exist, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they are applied?
    • Introduction to systems analysis. Overview of the basic concepts and how this relates to model design.
    • Introduction to numerical solutions and empirical solutions to model parameterization and calibration.
    • Identifying what makes models powerful. Predictions, Scenario and Sensitivity testing.
    • Recognising limits and uncertainties; validating the model. Recognising the importance of good data.
    • Practical applications of environmental models. How this is done, in what programming language?
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Identify and evaluate the standard types of numerical models in use in environmental sciences (including soil, water, ecosystems and atmosphere).
  • Formulate the generic process of model design, building, calibration and validation. Recognize some of the uncertainties introduced in this process.
  • Assess the model building process in the context of the system under consideration.
  • Construct a model of environmental processes and modify it into a user-friendly environment.
  • Evaluate the impact and relevancy of environmental models to plan scientific discourse.

Sustainable Environmental Solutions

Module Leader
  • Dr Andrea Momblanch
Aim

    This module aims to introduce you to the real-world environmental solutions that are being developed and/or already in use, to enable them to enter a number of sectors with up-to-date knowledge of current approaches.

    The module will provide you with an overview of policies, practices and solutions to minimise the impacts of environmental challenges related to climate change, water quality, air quality, land, biodiversity and marine environments, keeping in view the environmental targets and standards.

    You will work on case studies of sustainable solutions (e.g. in air quality, water quality, soil, etc.) and evaluate the potential of these solutions to contribute to building healthy and resilient environments.    

Syllabus
    • Environmental challenges in a wide range of sectors; e.g., water and wastewater, air quality, soil, agriculture and food, transport, energy systems, biodiversity decline, etc.
    • Policy and regulatory frameworks – National and international, including climate, water, air, soil, biodiversity, the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.
    • Systems thinking approaches to environmental solutions.
    • Sustainable environmental solutions to address key environmental challenges: nature-based solutions, sustainable technology entrepreneurships, LivingLabs.
    • Tools to assess the effectiveness of environmental solutions towards the achievement of policy goals.
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Examine and interpret the linkage between drivers of major environmental challenges and their societal impacts.
  • Evaluate data and evidence on potential solutions to a real-world environmental challenges.
  • Critically analyse environmental solutions based on appropriate metrics and tools in the context of policy goals.
  • Critically appraise and synthesise complex environmental information to determine sustainable solutions to global environmental challenges through case examples.

Elective modules
One of the modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course.

Air Quality Measurements and Management

Module Leader
  • Dr Zaheer Nasar
Aim

    This module aims to provide you with a specialist understanding of major air pollutants, their regulation, monitoring and management approaches both outdoors and indoors. The module will cover principal air pollution issues including an introduction to understanding the sources, sinks and distribution of major air pollutants, indoor–outdoor air quality issues (UK and global), Air quality and climate change, monitoring techniques, analytical methods, data analysis, health contexts and current policy and regulatory systems for statutory air pollutants.

    Practical work will include field investigation of air pollutants and data analysis and management solutions for improving air quality. This will involve measurements of air pollutants at various indoor and outdoor locations on the Cranfield campus.

Syllabus

    Series of lectures and interactive learning sessions covering:

    • Basics of air pollution science, types of air pollutants and their sources.
    • Indoor–outdoor air quality issues (UK and global).
    • Measurement methods, monitoring approaches, air quality standards, and  health and environmental impacts.
    • Gaseous (NOx, SO2, NH3, NMVOC, CO, O3) and Particulate (PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and UFPs).
    • Bioaerosols monitoring and control (with a focus on regulated facilities in the UK).
    • Indoor air quality measurement and management.
    • Air quality controls and management systems.
    • Air quality and climate change.
Intended learning outcomes
  • Interpret the drivers, extent and implication of major air pollutants in ambient and indoor environments and the air quality regulatory framework.
  • Critically assess the measurement techniques and approaches for key gaseous and particulate pollutants (including bioaerosols)
  • Design appropriate sampling strategies to meet the practical requirements for ambient and indoor air quality monitoring.
  • Evaluate data and generate data products in the context of a monitoring strategy and objectives.
  • Critically appraise complex environmental information to propose tailored air quality monitoring and management solutions to manage air quality in different indoor and outdoor environments through case examples.

Biofuels and Biorefining

Module Leader
  • Dr Vinod Kumar
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.

    The aim of the module is to provide you with advanced knowledge of the sources of biomass available for production of a range of high value chemicals and technologies used for conversion of the biomass. The module covers characteristics of biomass as potential feedstock, bioproduction of fuel and chemicals, types of biorefineries, conversion processes and existing technologies. In addition, an introduction to the Biorefining concept will be provided.

Syllabus

    Raw materials for production of bio-based chemicals, characterization and assessment
    Biofuel feedstocks and characteristics: starch- and sugar- based biomass, oleaginous-based biomass, lignocellulosic biomass, glycerol and algae.
    Sugar, Fatty acid, and Syngas platforms technologies

    First generation biorefinery
    Bioethanol production
    Biobutanol production

    Biodiesel production
    Biodiesel production technologies: biochemical, and catalytic and non-catalytic chemical processes. 
    Biodiesel production: biochemical aspects.
    Biodiesel production: chemistry and thermodynamic aspects.

    Lignocellulosic biorefinery
    Bioethanol production
    Bioproduction of succinic acid
    Bioproduction of 2,3-Butanediol
    Bioproduction of Lactic acid

    Algal Biorefineries
    Technologies for microalgal biomass production
    Algal biofuels conversion technologies

    Food waste biorefineries
    Manufacturing Platform Chemicals from food wastes

    Glycerol-based Biorefineries
    Bioproduction of 1,-3-Propanediol
    Bioproduction of 3-Hydroxypropionic acid

    AD-based biorefineries
    Biofuel production by AD
    Possible feedstocks and challenges

    Biorefining
    Classification of Biorefineries
    Economic, social and environmental impacts of 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.

Waste Management in a Circular Economy: Reuse, Recycle, Recover and Dispose

Module Leader
  • Professor Frederic Coulon
Aim

    The aim of this module is to provide you with specialist understanding of the major processes used for municipal waste management and their role within an integrated – circular - waste management system. In particular the module will focus on the bottom three points of the waste hierarchy: recycle, recover and dispose.


Syllabus
    Integrated waste management: appraisal of national and international legislation and policy.
    Circular economy in the waste context.
    Waste properties and characterisation. Mechanical biological treatment, pre-treatment, biodegradable wastes, coupled technologies, technology performance and managing environmental impacts.
    Landfill: biochemistry, leachate and gas production.
    Biowaste technologies: composting, AD and other biorefinery processes.
    Thermal treatment: incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, combined heat and power, waste to energy, solid recovered fuel.
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Appraise the role of waste treatment technologies under the circular management agenda - drivers, selection, pre-requisites requirements, waste types treated.
  • Apply the concepts and principles of the biological processes for treating organic waste to the waste degradation context and evaluate and calculate energy potential.
  • Explain why landfill gas (LFG) is treated and how to control, collect and treat the gas. Appraise the parameters contributing to LFG production and composition, the risks and production controls and calculate their potential impact.
  • Critically assess specific waste/feedstock treatment processes involved into a circular economy (e.g. MBT, AD, biorefinery).
  • Apply the concept and principle of waste management into a circular economy.

Elective modules
One of the modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course.

Land Engineering Principles and Practices

Module Leader
  • Dr Lynda Deeks
Aim

    Natural landscapes and built environments can be engineered to optimise the goods and services delivered to society, including provision of natural resources and the regulation of water and carbon. Technologies that prevent and/or reverse land degradation can be devised and implemented to ensure sustainable use of finite land resources. Environmental engineers and land managers need sound understanding of the environmental properties that determine land capability for any given desired end use, as well as the interrelationships between soil, water, vegetation and built structures. This understanding is grounded in basic soil physics, hydrology, hydraulics, geotechnics and agronomy. With this background, appropriate interventions such as soil erosion control and slope stabilisation can be designed and implemented to improve inherent land quality. The required skills set also informs the management of environmental projects involving land forming, reclamation, restoration and protection, which require selection, design, engineering and maintenance of appropriate structures.

Syllabus

    Site Assessment: Concept of land capability and land quality
    Criteria used for assessing land capability and its classification. 
    USDA scheme, Canadian Land Inventory, urban land capability scheme.

    Land forming, earth moving and landscape modification
    Earth works design
    Defra recommendations
    Water retention - ponds
    Machinery and equipment used (+ visit to Tarmac or similar)

    Geotechnics: Slope stability
    The stability of shallow and deep slope failures
    Methods of slope stability calculations
    Finite slope analysis etc.
    Slope engineering for slope stability
    Bunds and berms
    Bioengineering
    Biotechnical engineering

    Surface erosion of slope forming materials
    Soil erosion processes
    Soil erosion consequences
    Surface soil erosion control
    Terraces
    Check dams

    Agronomic techniques (bioengineering)
    Vegetation as an engineering material (bioengineering and biotechnical engineering)
    Geotextiles

    Top and sub soil management
    Vegetation establishment
    Site maintenance

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Apply the concept of land capability to site assessment and carry out land capability classifications.
  • Explain how to design earthworks and select appropriate land-forming machinery / equipment.
  • Calculate the stability of slopes and design of simple support and stabilisation systems.
  • Devise strategies for the long-term management of top soil and subsoil in land engineering projects.

Environmental Water Quality

Module Leader
  • Dr Pablo Campo Moreno
Aim
    Water of good quality is necessary for domestic, environmental, industrial, recreational and agricultural applications. As a result of the conditions prevailing in the catchment area, natural and anthropogenic constituents in water bodies will define potential uses according to established criteria. Hence, for those working in water science, a comprehensive understanding of regulations applicable to water quality is needed. This module provides you with an overview of Water Framework Directive and other relevant water quality regulations and policies that govern the management and assessment of surface waters. If quality is to be adequately monitored, it is also important to acquire knowledge about sampling and measurement of water parameters and interpretation of acquired data. It also provides background in ecological processes, aquatic communities, and survey design and data analysis to help those working in environmental water management to interpret water quality data in the context of the catchment characteristics and pressures.
Syllabus
    • Importance of water quality for human health, drinking water and the environment.
    • Water quality regulation and standards.
    • UK methods to assess the status of surface water bodies.
    • The physical and chemical attributes and processes structuring the biological community in aquatic ecosystems in the landscape (e.g. rivers, lakes, floodplains, estuaries and coastal zones).
    • Design of water quality monitoring programmes: sampling strategies, sampling methods, quality assurance, and data handling.
    • Water quality sampling & analysis: field sampling techniques and laboratory analysis methods.
    • Statistical analysis of ecological and water quality data.
Intended learning outcomes
  • Evaluate the chemical, biological and hydromorphological processes and their interactions that determine the ecological status of a surface water body.
  • Critically analyse water quality based on knowledge of the sampling and data analysis methods, and analyse them to identify significant spatial and temporal differences.
  • Classify major point and non-point sources of water pollution derived from natural sources and human activities, and identify emerging threats to water quality.

Energy Systems Case Studies

Module Leader
  • Dr Peter King
Aim
    The module aims to provide you with a deep understanding of the truly multidisciplinary nature of a real industrial project. Using a relevant case study, the scientific and technical concepts learned during the previous modules will be brought together and used to execute the analysis of the case study.
Syllabus

    Design of an appropriate analysis toolkit specific to the case study.

    Development of a management or maintenance framework for the case study.

    Multi-criteria decision analysis [MCDA] applied to energy technologies to identify the most preferred technology.

    Energy technologies and systems: understanding the development and scaling/design of the technologies by applying an understanding of the available resources in the assigned location.

    Public engagement strategies and the planning process involved in developing energy technologies.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

  • Critically evaluate available technological options, and select the most appropriate method for determining the most preferred technology for the specific case study;
  • Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a group to achieve the stated requirements of the module brief;
  • Organise the single-discipline activities in a logical workflow, and to define the interfaces between them, designing an overall multidisciplinary approach for the specific case study. 

Elective modules
One of the modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course.

Energy from Waste Operations

Module Leader
  • Dr Stuart Wagland
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.  The module 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
    • Policies driving and regulating thermal conversion (gasification and pyrolysis) and incineration technologies.
    • Understanding how and why waste composition changes and the effects of these changes on the energy potential.  Explored further as part of a practical session covering waste and waste-derived fuel characterisation.
    • Material characterisation (elemental analysis, calorific value, thermal decomposition (TGA) and analytical skills for fuel products characterisation).
    • Principles and reaction mechanisms of Gasification, pyrolysis and Combustion.
    • Design principles of thermochemical processes and appropriate full energy system integration.
    • Facility management challenges including process and emissions monitoring, health and safety compliance, and maintenance routines.
    • Management of post-energy recovery residues (bottom ash, fly ash, digestate etc).
    • Complex chemical and thermal process modelling using ASPEN Plus.
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this study the student should be able to:

  • Characterise and select the most appropriate biomass and waste materials for energy conversion applications.
  • Design and assess appropriate energy conversion systems for bioenergy production from biomass and waste.
  • Develop and apply analytical skills to carry out process simulation for design of energy conversion systems.
  • Critically evaluate the main operational challenges in operating thermochemical processes, reviewing current practice to identify potential areas for research and development.
  • Critically evaluate the application of software packages relevant to chemical engineering for upscale design from pilot-scale results to demonstration and commercial scale plants.

Catchment Management

Module Leader
  • Dr Robert Simmons
Aim

    The catchment is often the unit of landscape at which environmental planning, engineering and management takes place. Understanding the intra and inter-field hydrological and hydraulic processes and factors affecting these operating on hillsides and in channels is essential to ensure the delivery of ecosystem goods and services, including the provision, regulation and protection of natural resources such as water, land and soil. The aim of this module is through applying the source, pathway, receptor approach improves understanding of the drivers of catchment hydrological processes with regard to water quantity and quality, and how these can be managed through engineering practices including drainage, irrigation and soil erosion control.


Syllabus

    Principles of catchment hydrology and hydraulics
    Problems of catchment management:
    Water quantity
    Prediction of peak runoff (Rational) and catchment yield
    Water flow in structures e.g. channels, porous media
    Prediction of irrigation demand 
    Water quality 
    Sources of contamination / pollution, and consequences
    Surface erosion of slope forming materials
    Soil erosion processes
    Soil erosion consequences

    Catchment modelling:
    Purposes of catchment modelling
    Types of models and examples (e.g., SWAT and MIKE-SHE)
    Catchment modelling challenges
    Soil erosion risk assessment and modelling USLE, MMF

    Water quantity control
    Investigation of land drainage status:
    Required site moisture conditions for desired end uses.

    Drainage design: types of drainage:
    Role and design of surface drainage 
    channels: natural channels; engineered channels, diversion drains etc.
    Role and design of subsurface drainage systems.  
    Moles, tiles, pipes 
    Water table control: use of Hooghoudt and Glover Dumm equations; the Miers approach; 
    Hydraulics calculation of channel / pipe discharge capacity using Mannings Equation.
    Practical issues of drainage design: selection of materials, drainage maintenance, pipe surround, backfill and pipe sizing

    The design of control structures including culverts:
    Water storage structures, including ‘green’ infrastructure e.g., green roofs

    Case studies: SUDs Sustainable Drainage systems; Lined (grassed) waterways

    Management of irrigation systems in a catchment context; yield response to water, engineering, and technology options 

    Ernst equation for sub irrigation design

    Water quality control 
    Control of sediment, nutrients, agrochemicals, other contaminants:
    Surface soil erosion control (prevention)
    Buffer strips
    Grassed Waterways
    Filtersocks and other on-farm phosphorous removal structures and P-sorption mechanisms
    Tramline and wheeling management options
    SuDS

    Water treatment in the catchment (remedial):
    Water treatment works
    Contaminant sorbing materials

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Critically evaluate sources of sediment, nutrients and pesticides within a catchment, their pathways and receptors and identify management options.
  • Select appropriate input parameter values to apply soil erosion models to predict current erosion status and evaluate different soil conservation measures to control both water quality and quantity.
  • Design drainage systems, channels/ waterways and simple hydraulic structures including the calculation of peak runoff and total yield for a catchment.
  • Devise preventative and remedial techniques to improve catchment water quality, taking account of site location within a catchment and socio-economic conditions.
  • Evaluate the impacts and trade-offs between improving irrigation efficiency and catchment water resources.

Resource Recovery for Water and Wastewater

Module Leader
  • Professor Ana Soares
Aim
    The water sector is embracing sustainable practices to effectively manage water and wastewater, aligning with circular economy principles and striving towards NET-ZERO goals while promoting resource recovery. This paradigm shift entails comprehensive, interdisciplinary strategies that prioritize not only technological advancements but also the establishment of metrics and key performance indicators. Considering regulatory frameworks and engaging local stakeholders are pivotal aspects. This module offers insights into the latest advancements in resource recovery from water, municipal, and industrial wastewater. It explores the drivers, challenges, opportunities, success stories, and tools essential for evaluating resource recovery implementation within the water sector.
Syllabus
    • Sustainable practices to manage water and wastewater.
    • Circular economy.
    • Resource recovery strategies and processes.
    • Regulatory framework around resource recovery.
    • Nutrient recovery.
    • Energy recovery/net zero
Intended learning outcomes
  • Appraise sustainable practices in managing water and wastewater, including their alignment with circular economy principles and NET-ZERO targets.
  • Derive strategies for resource recovery technologies applicable to water, municipal, and industrial wastewater treatment processes.
  • Evaluate of drivers and challenges on the adoption of resource recovery practices.
  • Assess tools and metrics to explore opportunities for resource recovery within the water sector, including potential economic, environmental, and social benefits.

Attendance only module
Module can be taken as part of this course but will not count towards your award.

Engineering Design and Project Management

Module Leader
  • Dr Adriana Encinas-Oropesa
Aim
    The purpose of this module is to provide you with experience of planning a project that will involve scoping and designing a product.  The module provides sessions on project and planning, including sustainable design principles, project risk management and resource allocation. A key part of this module is the consideration of systems thinking approach for creating innovative solutions, ethics, professional conduct, and the role of an engineer within the wider industry context as well as considerations for equality, diversity and inclusion.
Syllabus

    Project Management,
    Ethics, EDI and the role of the engineering (ethics case study),
    Product development,
    Circular Economy,
    Systems thinking,
    Innovation.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

  • Apply design thinking methods and techniques to generate a product design concept that can be scaled up to a commercially viable solution.
  • Design and plan the product project including processes, resources required (human and material), product end-of-life and risk management.
  • Integrate systems thinking and circular economy approaches to develop sustainable and innovative products.
  • Evaluate ethical dilemmas, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and the role of the engineer within the context of their chosen industry.

Teaching team

You will be taught by industry-active research academics at Cranfield with an established track record, supported by visiting lecturers from industry. To ensure the course is aligned to industry needs, the course is directed by its own Industrial Advisory Committee.

The Admissions Tutor is Dr Chris Walton and the Course Director is Dr Zaheer Nasar.

Accreditation

The MSc of this course is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE).

Benefits of accreditation include: complementary student membership while on the course, the opportunity to join Young Professional Project Groups, thus giving access to mentoring opportunities, career talks, increased employability, access to free events, and free publications such as CIWEM’s magazine called The Environment.

    IAgrE logo          CIWEM logo

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.