GV2ENNU: Environmental Engineering: Principles and Practice

Module code: GV2ENNU

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Hong Yang, email: h.yang4@reading.ac.uk

NUIST module lead: Adharsh Rajasekar, email: adharsh.r@nuist.edu.cn

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module is designed to provide a broad understanding both of the scientific principles and their application in providing the technologies for protecting the environment from pollution.

First, the students will learn and think critically on a range of environmental pollution issues and acquire detailed understanding of the essential science that underpins both the impact and control technologies for water, air, soil and solid waste pollution. The module will advance the students’ knowledge of the technologies’ working principles, design processes and application conditions.

Ultimately, the student will be able to apply a variety of scientific and engineering principles to the technological treatment of environmental pollutants, including wastewater, exhaust gases, radioactive waste and municipal solid waste. Skills in critical thinking and problem solving around environmental issues will also be developed.

Tianling Li will also be teaching on this module.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the essential scientific principles that underpin the basics of environmental engineering and explain the status and reactions of pollutants in the troposphere, natural waters, soils and sediments
2. Discuss a range of wastewater and air quality indices and standards and demonstrate awareness of the impacts of selected pollutants on human health (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals, airborne particulates) and describe the main principles and technologies for controlling gaseous emissions and suspended particulate matter.
3. Describe and classify radioactive waste sources and existing control measures
4. Understand and describe the treatment systems, technologies and design principles for wastewater, drinking water, solid waste, and contaminated soils and sediments

Module content

Environmental challenges:

• The science of atmospheric pollution and greenhouse gases (particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, ozone, C, N and S oxides, etc.)
• The biogeochemistry of natural waters: gas and chemical solubility (C, N, P and S), oxygen demand
• Current and emerging contaminants in wastewater (e.g. metals, PFAs and micro-plastics)
• Potentially toxic elements and compounds in contaminated soils and sediments: transformations and biological fate (e.g. metals, metalloids and persistent organic pollutants)
• Pesticides in the terrestrial and aquatic environments: bio-concentration and bio-magnification
• Radioactive waste: sources and management options
• Environmental quality indices and standards

Engineering solutions:

• A foundation in environmental engineering principles (thermodynamics, redox and acid-base chemistry, solubility theory and gas phase laws)
• Air pollution control technology (I): particulate matter (principles and devices)
• Air pollution control technology (II): gaseous emissions (principles and devices)
• Water pollution and purification (I): aeration, filtration, reverse osmosis
• Water pollution and purification (II): disinfection, groundwater remediation
• Design of wastewater treatment systems (I): bar screens and grit chambers
• Design of wastewater treatment systems (II): clarifier and secondary treatment
• Design of drinking water treatment systems (I): coagulation, flocculation, air flotation
• Design of drinking water treatment systems (II): filtration and disinfection
• Solid waste treatment technologies
• Solid waste disposal and utilisation
• Soils and sediments: remediation, recycling and disposal

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The theory sections of the module are taught through interactive lectures that introduce the students to the working principles, design processes and application conditions.  

Seminars allow students to research and discuss topics in greater depth and to further understand the application of engineering principles to the technological treatment of environmental pollutants. 

Study hours

At least 96 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

In-class quizzes, including multiple-choice and other short-answer questions, will create feedback and feedforward on strengths and weaknesses, and help the students to prepare for their summative assessments. 

Reassessment

Additional costs