Postgraduate - Course4612 - Master of Bioresource Engineering

This course provides science or engineering graduates who wish to pursue a career in the bioresource industry with an enhanced understanding of the scientific and engineering aspects of the conversion of bioresources into fuel, materials and specialty chemicals. Participants may focus on biorefining (biorefinery stream) or on the specific conversion of bioresources into pulp and paper (pulp and paper stream). The latter has a further stream which is designed for those whose specific interest is project and maintenance management (maintenance and project management stream). Students not currently working in industry are brought into contact with industry through the close contact staff of the Australian Pulp and Paper Institute (APPI) have with industry. This course is coordinated by APPI within the Department of Chemical Engineering.

The Master of Bioresource Engineering aims to produce graduates who will:

• have a comprehensive understanding of the availability of bioresources for conversion into energy, chemicals and materials in biorefineries and into pulp and paper products, in a global context
• critically evaluate the political forces, public attitudes and ethical issues which have an impact on the utilisation of bioresources, including issues such as the carbon footprint and the effect of legislation which places a price on carbon and introduces carbon trading
• develop creative solutions to minimise the water and energy resources required for biomass conversion processes and the effluent from such processes
• understand biomass conversion processes and products, and product and process control, equipping them to analyse problems and develop creative solutions
• have sufficient working knowledge of statistics to plan and analyse the results of trials
• understand the issues and processes associated with the recycling of paper products and the processes for removal of contaminants
• for those taking the maintenance and project management stream, efficiently plan and analyse the maintenance of equipment and manage small projects.

Students entering the masters program with a four-year undergraduate degree in engineering, science, applied science or an appropriate equivalent degree may be eligible for a total of 24 points of credit.

A maximum of 25 per cent (18 points) of course requirements for previous graduate-level studies may be credited for prior study.

24

This course comprises general elective units and a combination of units that comprise one of the following streams:

• biorefinery
• pulp and paper
• maintenance and project management.

The number of units to be completed will depend on the student's entry qualification and whether credit has been given for prior study.

Students must complete:

• 24 points (four units) of general elective units
• 48 credit points (eight units) in one of the masters streams
• a mill visit program organised independently of the units and submission of a satisfactory written report.

(a.) Select four general elective units from:

• CHE3163 Sustainable processing I
• CHE3165 Separation processes
• CHE3171 Bioprocess technology
• CHE3175 Sustainable process case studies
• CHE4161 Engineers in society
• CHE4162 Particle technology
• ENE3608 Environmental impact assessment and management systems
• MTE2541 Nanostructure of materials
• MTE4593 Materials and the environment

Total: 24 credit points

(b.) Select eight units (48 credit points) from one of the streams below:

Biorefinery stream:

Note: As CHE5298 and CHE5299 are not offered in 2012, students cannot enrol full-time in this stream until 2013. Students wishing to complete this stream part-time can enrol in 2012

Students complete the following core units:

• CHE5290 Biomass resource and its utilisation
• CHE5292 Chemistry of biomass processing
• CHE5295 Control of processes and quality
• CHE5296 Minimising environmental impact
• CHE5298 Biorefinery foundations
• CHE5299 Biorefinery processes

and two electives from the following:

• CHE5201 Special topics
• CHE5291 Engineering aspects of pulping
• CHE5293 Processing fibres into paper

Total: 48 credit points

Pulp and paper stream

Note: Full-time and part-time enrolment for both local and international students is available in this stream.

Students complete the following core units:

• CHE5290 Biomass resource and its utilisation
• CHE5293 Processing fibres into paper
• CHE5294 Performance of paper products
• CHE5295 Control of processes and quality
• CHE5296 Minimising environmental impact

and three electives from the following:

• CHE5201 Special topics
• CHE5291 Engineering aspects of pulping
• CHE5292 Chemistry of biomass processing
• CHE5297 Recycling and contaminant removal
• CHE5299 Biorefinery processes

Total: 48 credit points

Maintenance and project management stream

Note: Full-time and part-time enrolment is available to domestic students from 2012. This stream is not be available to international students.

Students complete the following core units:

• CHE5290 Biomass resource and its utilisation
• CHE5291 Engineering aspects of pulping
• CHE5293 Processing fibres into paper
• MRE5002 Maintenance management
• MRE5003 Industrial techniques in maintenance management

and three electives from the following:

• AFG9071 Introductory accounting
• CHE5295 Control of processes and quality
• CHE5296 Minimising environmental impact
• CHE5297 Recycling and contaminant removal
• CIV5311 Infrastructure project management
• MRE5001 Terotechnology and lifecycle costs
• MRE5004 Asset management techniques
• MRE5006 Machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis

Total : 48 credit points

Students wishing to exit the Master of Bioresource Engineering early may apply to graduate with the Graduate Certificate of Bioresource Engineering after completion of the first four general elective units, provided they have satisfied the requirements for that award.

Master of Bioresource Engineering