ENN436 Biorefineries and Sustainable Products
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| Unit code: | ENN436 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | EGH404 or Admission to (EN54 or EN74 or EN77) |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $1,118 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,672 |
| International unit fee | $5,040 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | ENN436 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | EGH404 or Admission to (EN54 or EN74 or EN77) |
Overview
The world needs sustainable products and decarbonisation to stop global warming. To reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the world economy needs to be shifted from fossil fuel-powered to renewable resource-powered. Biorefineries utilise renewable carbon resources rather than fossil fuels to produce sustainable fuels, chemicals and polymers, functional materials and play a significant role in global decarbonisation. This unit will introduce the role of biorefineries in global decarbonisation, renewable feedstocks used in biorefineries, sustainable products from biorefineries, key biorefinery technologies for fuels, chemicals and materials as well as life cycle analysis of biorefinery technologies. At the end of this unit, students will have a good understanding of biorefineries and biorefinery technologies, and be able to assess the opportunities and challenges related to the development and application of biorefineries.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Explain the principles of operation of biorefineries and their role in producing sustainable products and decarbonisation
- Describe the different feedstocks used in biorefineries and sustainable products from biorefineries
- Explain the key features of different biorefinery technologies and their application in production systems
- Design biorefinery processes based on specific feedstocks for different applications
Content
- What is a biorefinery, 1G to 3G biorefineries, and the role of biorefineries in producing sustainable products and global decarbonisation
- Renewable carbon resources – Part 1: carbohydrates and lignocellulosic biomass
- Renewable carbon resources – Part 2: other industry by-products and organic wastes, algal biomass & CO2
- Sustainable products – Part 1: 1G to 3G fuels & chemicals
- Sustainable products – Part 2: polymer and plastics, functional materials
- Key biorefinery technologies – Part 1: Biomass pretreatment & fractionation
- Key biorefinery technologies – Part 2: Sugar production and fermentation
- Key biorefinery technologies – Part 3: Catalytic conversion
- Key biorefinery technologies – Part 4: Hydrothermal liquefaction
- Key biorefinery technologies – Part 5: Pyrolysis and gasification
- Key biorefinery technologies – Part 6: CO2-based biorefineries
- Life cycle analysis of biorefinery technologies
Learning Approaches
In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:
- Formal interactive lectures (2 hours per week) from experienced professional engineers and scientists cover the main concepts with real world applications and examples to provide insights into biorefinery knowledge, skills and attributes. You will also hear from invited professionals working in the industry about the topics covered in the lectures.
- Tutorials (2 hours per week) in a flexible learning space will provide experience and insight into the principles of biorefineries to support the topics covered in the lectures.
- Hands on Practicals (2 practicals, 3 hours each) in laboratory space guided by experienced demonstrators to perform laboratory exercises in a group to analyse or understand the concepts covered in the lectures and be able to interpret the data to critically reflect the results obtained.
To complement the timetabled activities and complete your learning in this unit, you will be provided online resources and activities the unit's Canvas website:
- Informative recap videos as extra problem-solving resources to enhance your problem-solving approach, skills and knowledge.
- Basic materials such as notes, handouts, and Echo360 recordings.
You are expected to:
- Engage with timetabled activities on campus and ask questions. You should follow the weekly guide and announcements from Canvas on the online materials that should be completed prior to attending timetabled activities on campus.
- Engage with the online materials for developing your understanding of fundamental concepts. These will be available on the unit Canvas site. You will receive regular email announcements regarding release of these resources.
- Manage your time to engage with online resources outside of timetabled activities.
Engage with your peers during the interactive workshops and the teamwork assessment tasks.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback on the development of your disciplinary knowledge will be via quizzes throughout the semester. You will also receive formative feedback on your progression during workshops and practical sessions. Written feedback will be provided with each summative assessment throughout the semester.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit has been designed to allow you to show your learning against the unit learning outcomes.
Rubrics including criteria and standards will be used to evaluate the unit learning outcomes of your work.
The assessment consists of ongoing formative and summative assessments that are based on independent and group work. The assessment items allow you to demonstrate your technical knowledge of the topic, observation of real-world and communication skills as well as laboratory practical skills.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Laboratory report
You will engage in biorefinery laboratory experiment in group and submit a written report of your observation. You will demonstrate your ability to apply biorefinery technologies and critically analyse your laboratory data using the knowledge you have acquired from the lectures and your reading of scientific literature. The report will be individual as a single final document.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Biorefinery technology review and presentation
Your study group will conduct literature review to identify suitable renewable feedstock and biorefinery technologies to produce a given sustainable product. You will need to design the biorefinery process and address the advantages and disadvantages of the biorefinery process you choose. Your group will present the findings in a 20 min presentation.
Assessment: Final exam (theory)
Final examination is mainly problem-solving questions and conceptual questions with both familiar and unfamiliar questions.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Requirements
Completion of Laboratory and Workshop HSE Induction – Faculty of Engineering
Resources
Resource Materials
Other
International Energy Agency, The role of Industrial biorefineries in a low-carbon economy in Summary and Conclusions from the IEA Bioenergy/IEA IETS Workshop, 2017
Banu, J., Lignocellulosic biomass based biorefinery: A successful platform towards circular bioeconomy. Fuel, 2021, 302, article no. 121086.
Galbe, M., Wallberg, O., Pretreatment for biorefineries: a review of common methods for efficient utilisation of lignocellulosic materials. Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, 2019, 12, article no. 294
Gollakota, A.R.K., Kishore, N., Gu, S. A review on hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2018, 81, 1378-1392.
Dhyani, V., Bhaskar, T., A comprehensive review on the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Renewable Energy, 2018, 129, 695-716.
Gnansounou, E., Pandey, A., eds. Life-cycle assessment of biorefineries. Elsevier, 2017.
Risk Assessment Statement
You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.
Any practical sessions in the laboratory must be done under the supervision of the lecturer and may be supported by technical staff. In any laboratory practicals you are expected to wear closed shoes, put on proper PPEs when necessary.
Before the commencement of any practical sessions, you will undergo a health and safety induction and complete required online training program. If you do not complete the required safety induction you will be denied access to laboratories.
Note You are required to visit an industrial site under the supervision of QUT lecturers. If you do not have a general safety induction certificate or sticker you will be denied visiting an industrial site. In the case of the field trip, you will be advised further regarding the requirements for safe and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g., closed shoes or gumboot shoes).
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EN54 Master of Advanced Manufacturing
- Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist theory-based discipline knowledge and concepts as they relate to contemporary practice in Advanced Manufacturing
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Employ advanced specialist technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Advanced Manufacturing, critically evaluating solutions against practice-informed performance and whole-of-life requirements
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences
Relates to: Biorefinery technology review and presentation - Enact a holistic approach to sustainability in Advanced Manufacturing that embodies the principals of efficient, green, circular, and clean
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Demonstrate an ability to research and apply established theories and plan and execute a substantial research-based project, cultivating an attitude of engineering innovation and creativity
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation
EN74 Master of Advanced Manufacturing with Project Management
- Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist theory-based discipline knowledge, concepts, methods and practices as they relate to contemporary practice in Advanced Manufacturing and Project Management domains
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Employ advanced specialist technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Advanced Manufacturing and Project Management domains, critically evaluating solutions and practice-informed performance to deliver whole of life requirements and strategic objectives
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences in Advanced Manufacturing and Project Management domains
Relates to: Biorefinery technology review and presentation - Enact a holistic approach to sustainability in Advanced Manufacturing that embodies the principals of efficient, green, circular, and clean
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Demonstrate an ability to research and apply established theories and plan and execute a substantial research-based project, cultivating an attitude of engineering innovation and creativity
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation
EN77 Master of Advanced Manufacturing with Data Analytics
- Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist theory-based discipline knowledge, concepts, methods and practices as they relate to contemporary practice in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Analytics domains
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Employ advanced specialist technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Analytics domains, critically evaluating solutions and practice-informed performance to deliver whole of life requirements and strategic objectives
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Analytics domains
Relates to: Biorefinery technology review and presentation - Enact a holistic approach to sustainability in Advanced Manufacturing that embodies the principals of efficient, green, circular, and clean
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Demonstrate an ability to research and apply established theories and plan and execute a substantial research-based project, cultivating an attitude of engineering innovation and creativity
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation
EN79 Graduate Diploma in Engineering Studies
- Demonstrate and apply advanced discipline knowledge, concepts and practices as they relate to contemporary Engineering practice
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Analyse and evaluate Engineering problems using technical approaches informed by contemporary practice and leading edge research to achieve innovative, critically informed solutions
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Apply innovative, systematic approaches to plan, design, deliver and manage Engineering projects in a way that assures sustainable outcomes over their whole lifecycle
Relates to: Laboratory report, Biorefinery technology review and presentation, Final exam (theory) - Effectively communicate Engineering problems, related complex data and information, and solutions in contemporary professional formats for diverse purposes and audiences
Relates to: Biorefinery technology review and presentation