Course content

Currently, the world is only 8.6% circular and the legacy of linear economy is deeply embedded in the society. Although there is a rising drive for circular processes, the field of chemical engineering needs to develop sustainable process solutions for the industry and the society at large. There is an imperative need to develop the understanding of sustainable circular business models for chemical processes.

This course is jointly hosted by the Particle Engineering Centre and the Innovation hub - Chemical Conversion of Waste at the Department of Chemical Engineering, NTNU within the framework of the Global Erasmus Mobility Programme. The course aims to provide a deeper understanding of chemical engineering processes ranging from environmental resource management to developing innovative solutions to complex health challenges within the framework of sustainability and circular economy.

Within the scope of this course, students will learn fundamental concepts of sustainability and circular economy and analyze chemical engineering processes within the learned frameworks. Some of the processes that will be covered within environmental resource management include unit operations for recycling of metals from complex waste such as electric vehicle batteries, conversion of biomass to fuels, catalytic recycling of plastics, carbon dioxide capture, pollution abatement in coal combustion processes, membrane fabrication for uses in water management among others. Within sustainable health, methods to fabricate nanomaterials for desired biomedical applications will be covered. To understand formation mechanisms of such and other nanomaterials, modelling and simulation approaches will also be taught.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, students should be able to:

• Define principles for designing sustainable chemical processes
• Understand the role of chemical engineering in the circular economy
• Critically understand hydrometallurgical unit processes to recycle metals
• Outline and evaluate processes for chemical recycling of plastics
• Understand catalytic processes for conversion of biomass to fuels
• Know different membrane fabrication methods for applications in water treatment
• Critically evaluate environment-friendly coal combustion processes
• Understand the various processes for CO2-capture and the potential for negative emissions.
• Suggest ways of controlling particle size, particle size distribution and morphology based on changes in important system parameters
• Understand how surface functionalization can alter end use/applications of nanomaterials in biomedicine
• Develop skillsets for performing modelling and simulations to understand nanoparticle formation mechanisms
• Develop skillsets for research data interpretation and analysis while working in collaborative teams

Learning methods and activities

Group activities, final presentations and final group reports

Compulsory assignments

• Participation

Further on evaluation

Compulsory participation in all the activities coupled with final presentations and reports will count for passing the course.

Recommended previous knowledge

Admission to the course requires the candidates to be enrolled in either a PhD program or MSc/MS/MTech/ME or equivalent graduate programs within Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Chemistry or allied fields.

Course materials

Reading material provided before and during lectures.