48821 Principles of Environmental Engineering
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2022 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 48350 Environmental and Sanitation Engineering
Description
This subject teaches fundamental chemical, physical and biological principles which can be used to analyse data and formulate design solutions to environmental problems particularly related to water and air quality. The subject covers fluid flow in reactors, kinetics, material balances, nutrient cycles, transformation processes, and water and air resources and pollution. The way this knowledge is utilised by engineers for water and air quality engineering is examined.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Describe fundamental environmental engineering concepts and apply these to environmental problems |
|---|---|
| 2. | Design and evaluate a waste treatment system |
| 3. | Carry out simple material balances relevant for environmental systems |
| 4. | Communicate engineering investigation outcomes in professionally varied ways |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design and decision-making methodologies to develop components, systems and processes to meet specified requirements. (C.1)
- Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply abstraction, mathematics and discipline fundamentals, software, tools and techniques to evaluate, implement and operate systems. (D.1)
- Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies
This subject contributes to the development of the following Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies:
- 1.1. Comprehensive, theory based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline.
- 1.6. Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline.
- 2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.
- 2.3. Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes.
- 3.2. Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains.
Teaching and learning strategies
Student learning in the subject is facilitated through a combination of online (via Zoom) and face-to-face sessions, recorded workshop content and concept videos, tutorial exercises, laboratory practicals and project-based assessment tasks. Both online and face-to-face sessions are designed to have a combination of taught materials and in-class activities. At the end of each week, recorded workshop and tutorial videos are provided on Canvas. In-class activities will include problem solving strategies, research skills, practice design problems and critical review of anonymised student exemplars of the assessment tasks. The knowledge generated in the laboratory sessions are utilised during in-class discussions, the design of group projects, and in the weekly formative quizzes to gain a greater understanding of the subject matter. Other out-of-class activities include peer review of student work. Significant opportunities for assessment feedback occur and are discussed further under that heading in this subject outline.
As an indication, a typical 6cp subject would normally assume a total time commitment (including class time) of approximately 150 hours, for an average student aiming to pass the subject.
Content (topics)
Technical knowledge/skills:
- Chemistry fundamentals: Units and nomenclature, Stoichiometry, Chemical equilibrium, Chemical kinetics
- Chemical transformation processes: volatilisation/evaporation, acid-base chemistry, precipitation/dissolution, sorption/ion exchange, oxidation-reduction
- Fundamentals of Environmental systems: Soils, hydrology, nutrient (C, N, P, S) cycles and their measurement, water quality parameters
- Material Balances: Mass balances, Mass balance with reactions, Reactors
- Water Quality engineering & management: dissolved oxygen management for river, nutrient management, acidity management
- Air resources and quality engineering
- Noise pollution and control
Professional knowledge/skills:
- Data handling
- Report analysis
- Multimedia communication.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Online Exercises
| Intent: | This task is designed for students to develop their understanding of key theoretical and practical concepts that are applied in the field of environmental engineering practice. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 5 pages in length for each exercise set |
Assessment task 2: Waste Treatment Design Project
| Intent: | This assessment task is designed for students to engage with the knowledge from fundamental concepts on reactors, reaction kinetics and chemical transformations, and integrate this with their laboratory experiences to create a conceptual design and evaluation program for a waste treatment system. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 15 pages in length excluding references |
Assessment task 3: Project Presentation and Reflection Report
| Intent: | This assessment task is designed for students to communicate key findings and knowledge from their project to an end user and to facilitate reflection of the group design journey, their learnings and experiences. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): E.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | Multimedia presentation is limited to 5 minutes. Written reflection report is limited to 5 pages in length. |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.
Recommended texts
Davis , Masten (2014) Principles of environmental engineering and science, 3rd edition, Imprint New York, NY : McGraw-Hill, In UTS library at 628 DAVM also LDC
Mihelcic, Zimmerman (2010), Environmental Engineering: Fundamentals, sustainability, design, John Wiley & Sons, In UTS library at 628 MIHL
Many other Introductory Environmental Engineering texts are available
Nazaroff, W. W. (2001) Environmental engineering science, Imprint New York : Wiley, In UTS library at 628 NAZA
Mihelcic, J.R. (1999) Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, In UTS library at 628 MIHE
References
Learner Resource Material (LRM) will be provided through Canvas to help students with the necessary technical knowledge needed to undertake the required design tasks. The LRM will comprise text and multimedia resources.
Other resources
Canvas - for announcement, assignment submissions and links to resources
Access and use of the Canvas site is a key requirement for being able to successfully complete the course