Outline

Overview

This unit of study aims to develop an appreciation of project and risk management practice of process systems for chemical and process engineering. It employs a holistic approach to management covering vital concepts in project management, technical risk assessment and decision making, economic evaluation and financial risk assessment, and project design optimization. It provides students with the experience and working knowledge to solve real world engineering problems in process-led and product-driven industries. By the end of this unit of study a student should be competent in: preparing a resume for use in employment applications; developing project work plans in conjunction with project management schedules; performing economic evaluations of projects, plans and processes; performing qualitative and quantitative risk assessments of projects, plans and processes; exploring optimization of complex processes under risk and uncertainty, covering unit operations, business units, enterprises and value chains.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	CHNG2801 and CHNG2802 and CHNG2803 and CHNG2804 and CHNG2806
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Enrolment in this unit of study assumes that all core 2000 level chemical engineering units have been successfully completed
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	David Wang, david.wang1@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Experimental design	Preliminary P&ID Documentation P&ID preparatory group work.	10%	Week 04 Due date: 25 Aug 2024 at 23:59	10 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Experimental design	2. Syndicate exercise in Rapid Ranking and HAZOP review report Rapid Ranking/HAZOP (10%) Safety review report (10%) Group presentation (10%)	30%	Week 06 Due date: 08 Sep 2024 at 23:59	15 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	Quantitative risk assessment Take home quiz.	5%	Week 07 Due date: 15 Sep 2024 at 23:59	5 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	Equipment and production cost Estimate cost of equipment.	20%	Week 09 Due date: 29 Sep 2024 at 23:59	10 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Class quiz on depreciations, time value of money Open book quiz.	10%	Week 11 Due date: 18 Oct 2024 at 13:00	3 hours	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Multi-Objective Optimisation Quiz In-class quiz.	5%	Week 13 Due date: 01 Nov 2024 at 13:00	3 hours	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Case studies	Economic evaluation and optimisation Take home assignment.	20%	Week 13 Due date: 03 Nov 2024 at 23:59	10 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assignments and Quizzes in this course are hurdle assessments which the passing mark is 60/100.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Unless prior approval is granted by the course coordinator/lecturers, late submission will attract 5% penalty of the full mark per day.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to course and risk management	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 02	Major incidents and hazard identification	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 03	Risk management and P&ID documentation	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 04	Rapid Ranking and HAZOP	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 05	Week in industry	Placement (5 hr)
Week 06	Industry Safety Practices and Safety Review	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 07	Quantitative risk assessment	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 08	Engineering equipment costing	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 09	Cashflows and time value of money	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 10	Forecasting, depreciation, tax	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 11	Economic evaluation of projects	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 12	MultiObjective optimisations	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 13	Water quality and impact assessment	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students are expected to spend about 5 hours/week of independent/group study outside the specified contact periods.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed on the Library eReserve link available on Canvas.

Tweeddale, Mark. Managing Risk and Reliability of Process Plants. Boston, Mass: Gulf Professional Pub., 2007.
Plant Design and Economics for Chemical Engineers. Peters, Timmerhaus and West. 0-07-239266-5. Fifth edition. McGraw Hill. 2003.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. describe and appreciate the implications of major hazard facility
LO2. prepare piping & instrumentation diagram for risk assessment review
LO3. perform detailed review of process design using rapid ranking and Hazop techniques
LO4. perform a quantitative risk assessment of projects
LO5. estimate project costs from the flowsheet design
LO6. understand the implications of depreciation and tax in project costing
LO7. perform basic economic evaluation of projects and optimise design
LO8. understand the economies of scale in projects

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Previous student evaluations identified an online approach to offer individual and group feedback on assignments via CANVAS and created more interactive tutorials to better contextualise industrial/contemporary relevance.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

CHNG3806: Risk Management for Chemical Engineering

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links