2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
CIVE5535M Advanced Wastewater Management
15 creditsClass Size: 55
Module manager: Dr Mohsen Besharat
Email: M.Besharat@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
This module is mutually exclusive with
| CIVE5534M | Advanced Wastewater Management |
Module replaces
CIVE5532M - Wastewater and Organic Waste ManagementThis module is not approved as an Elective
Module summary
The module provides a thorough overview of wastewater systems, covering the entire process from collection to treatment, and includes valuable insights into wastewater reuse. It delves into design methodologies for waste stabilization ponds, aeration systems, and attached growth biological systems. Additionally, the module explores energy recovery from wastewater and water reuse. The learning experience will be facilitated through engaging and interactive workshops.Objectives
To enable students gain deeper insights into engineering processes and systems for wastewater management, including energy and resource recovery; and apply knowledge gained to practical engineering problems culminating in the submission of a design coursework. The module reinforces the basic understanding of the design and operation of processes and systems for wastewater treatment. Furthermore, it provides recent developments and more advanced techniques in wastewater engineering to inspire more efficient and sustainable design approaches.The module keeps a good balance between biological and technical design aspects to enhance students holistic understanding. The students will develop deeper knowledge of the principles involved (physical, chemical and biological) in wastewater assessment and treatment. An engineering case-based problem is also being introduced, and this will be complimented with laboratory analysis.
Learning outcomes
On completion of the module, the students should be able to:
1. Apply a comprehensive understanding of design processes and methodologies along with mathematical and engineering principles to solve complex and unfamiliar engineering problems as well as selecting/sizing the key unit operations for wastewater treatment facilities (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M1 and M5);
2. Generate an innovative design of a wastewater treatment system while demonstrating awareness of wider engineering context and recent developments in the field (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M1 and M5);
3. Apply appropriate computational techniques and analysis methods to solve complex engineering problems by providing justification for chosen method (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M3);
4. Apply decisions on the design, maintenance and operation of wastewater systems supported by engineering justification while discussing technical limitations and constraints, where the available data and information might not be complete (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M2 and-M5);
5. Demonstrate understanding of opportunities offered from recovering and recycling of wastes, estimate energy value of wastes and propose energy and resource recovery from wastewater to improve sustainability and resilience of wastewater systems (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M1 and M7);
6. Synthesise a complex engineering brief on design of wastewater systems in a practical scenario while showing detailed understanding of wider contexts such as societal, environmental and economic impacts and discussing the implication of various stakeholders and suggest solutions for the complex problem posed (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M1, M2, M5 and M7);
7. Demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive literature review within technical literature showing critical awareness of new developments in the design and operation of wastewater systems (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M1, M4 and M5);
8. Demonstrate awareness of health and safety implications in wastewater and consider those understandings in design task while showing awareness of regulations and design standards (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M5);
9. Apply communication skills to effectively communicate a complex engineering solution with technical and non-technical audience in written report (AHEP 4 Learning Outcomes M17).
This module contributes to the AHEP4 learning outcomes M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M7 and M17.
Skills outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will have following set of skills:
Work ready skills:
- Communication: The ability to (both within verbal and written communication) be clear, concise and focused; being able to tailor your message for the audience and listening to the views of others.
- Problem solving and analytical skills: The ability to take a logical approach to solving problems; resolving issues by tackling from different angles, using both analytical and creative skills. The ability to understand, interpret, analyse and manipulate numerical data.
- Creativity: The ability to generate ideas, demonstrate originality and imaginative thinking, including the concept of thinking outside the box.
- Critical thinking: The ability to gather information from a range of sources, analyse, and interpret data to aid understanding and anticipate problems. To use reasoning and judgement to identify needs, make decisions, solve problems, and respond with actions.
- Working under pressure: The ability to tolerate pressure: to stay calm and level-headed whilst working to demands and deadlines.
- Decision making: The ability to consider options, use and apply your judgement, to create possibilities and solutions. The ability to make decisions, potentially under pressure.
Sustainability skills:
- System thinking: Recognises and understands relationships; analyses complex systems (environmental, economic and social systems and interdependencies across these); considers how systems are embedded within different domains and scales; deals with uncertainty; uses analytical thinking.
- Strategic practice: Develops and implements innovative actions that further Sustainable Development at the local level and further afield; manages and promotes change.
- Information searching: the ability to search for, evaluate and use appropriate and relevant information sources to help strengthen the quality of academic work and independent research.
Academic skills:
- Academic writing: the ability to write in a clear, concise, focused and structured manner that is supported by relevant evidence.
- Academic language: the ability to use the oral, written, auditory, and visual language proficiency needed to be able to learn effectively and demonstrate understanding.
- Academic integrity: the ability to engage in good academic practice. This involves essential academic skills, such as source management and accurate referencing.
- Referencing: the ability to know when, why and how to acknowledge someone else’s work or ideas.
Technical skills:
- Interdisciplinary thinking: the ability to understand links between different disciplines in a multifaceted complex engineering problem and have sufficient understanding of each discipline to explore problem from several lenses.
Syllabus
Beginning with an exploration of wastewater collection systems, this module will investigate the intricacies of flow, load, and composition at treatment works. The module encompasses the critical chemical, physical, and biological processes crucial for designing and operating treatment facilities. We will explore pre-treatment systems, clarification processes, and their applications, followed by a detailed examination of primary and final sedimentation tanks. Filtration design, membrane processes, and sludge production, treatment, and disposal will be thoroughly covered. The module will also delve into attached growth processes, suspended growth processes, microbial community dynamics, and metabolic principles. Additionally, we will explore measurement techniques for microbes and examine extensive systems like reed beds and constructed wetlands. Advanced topics include biological nutrient removal, anaerobic processes, and energy/resource recovery, concluding with a focus on disinfection principles and key issues. This comprehensive syllabus aims to equip students with a profound knowledge of wastewater management, preparing them for real-world challenges in the field.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Fieldwork | 1 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
| Lecture | 13 | 2.00 | 26.00 |
| Practical | 2 | 4.00 | 8.00 |
| Tutorial | 1 | 4.00 | 8.00 |
| Private study hours | 100.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 50.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
This is a highly interactive module with a lot of real-life examples and engineering problemcase-based studies embedded. These give opportunities for formative feedback throughout the module.
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Group Project | Concept Design - Peer reviewed | 10.00 |
| Report | Design Project Report | 40.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 50.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 3 hr 00 mins | 50.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 50.00 | |
Resitting student will be required to resit the elements in which they obtained less than 50%.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 29/04/2024 16:12:18
Browse Other Catalogues
- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
- Undergraduate programme catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD