Course Type	Course Name	Course Code	ECTS
Compulsory	Process Systems Engineering	CEN 501	8
Compulsory	Reaction and Biochemical Engineering	CEN 502	8
Compulsory	Life Cycle Assessment	CEN 601	8
Elective	SPECIALIZATION COURSE OPTION	CEN 510 / CEN 511 / CEN 520	6

Course Type	Course Name	Course Code	ECTS
Compulsory	Circular Biomaterials	CEN 602	7
Compulsory	Renewable Fuel Production Processes	CEN 603	8
Compulsory	Design Project	CEN 604	14

THIRD SEMESTER

Course Type	Course Name	Course Code	ECTS
Compulsory	Master Dissertation	CEN 620	30

Course Descriptions

CEN 501 – Process Systems Engineering

Learn how to model chemical engineering processes and solve them using numerical methods.

What will you learn?
In this course, you will learn how to formulate, analyse, and solve mathematical models of chemical engineering processes. The course introduces the principles of process systems engineering, combining core unit operations with numerical methods used to model real process systems.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Formulate mass and energy balances for steady-state and unsteady-state
systems
2. Develop first-principles models of key chemical engineering unit
operations
3. Apply numerical methods to solve systems of algebraic and differential
equations
4. Use MATLAB to analyse and simulate realistic process systems

Course content

The course starts with mass and energy balances, which form the foundation of all process models. Both steady-state and unsteady-state formulations are introduced and applied to practical engineering problems. Building on this foundation, the course examines core unit operations,
including:
1. Incompressible flow in pipes and channels
2. Frictional and minor losses
3. Stirring and mixing of fluids
4. Heat transfer by conduction and convection
5. Heat exchangers (single- and multi-pass plate and tube exchangers)
6. Separation processes such as distillation, absorption, adsorption,
extraction, and fixed and fluidised beds

Applications are drawn from the petrochemical and food industries, highlighting the relevance of these operations in real process systems. A key part of the course focuses on numerical analysis methods required to solve the mathematical models derived from first principles. Topics include:
1. Discretisation concepts and error analysis
2. Numerical solution of linear systems
3. Numerical solution of nonlinear algebraic equations
4. Interpolation and extrapolation
5. Numerical differentiation and integration
6. Numerical solution of ordinary differential equations

7. Use MATLAB to analyse and simulate realistic process systems

How will you learn?

Learning is based on a combination of:
1. Lectures introducing physical principles and modelling concepts
2. Worked examples illustrating model formulation and solution strategies
3. Computational exercises in which students implement numerical methods
Throughout the course, students develop and solve first-principles process models using MATLAB, gaining hands-on experience with numerical algorithms and system-level analysis.

CEN 603 – Renewable Fuel Production Processes

Learn how to design, analyze, and operate renewable fuel production processes
and biorefineries.

What will you learn?
In this course, you will learn how to design, analyze, and operate renewable fuel production processes and biorefineries. The course will introduce aspects of renewable fuel production processes, which are at the interface of chemical conversion and biorefineries, building on fundamentals to understand the major components of the discipline.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Identify the basic aspects of circular (bio)economy.

2. Recognize and define the composition of renewable feedstocks applied for renewable fuels production in different chemical components.

3. Design and operate processes for renewable fuels production.

4. Classify and describe typical industrial (bio)conversion methods for biofuels’ manufacture.

5. Acquire competencies in critical thinking, problem solving, working independently and in groups, responding to real-work problems, developing free, productive and inductive thinking, searching, analyzing, and synthesizing data and information, as well as using environmental/chemical engineering principles for application in the field of circular (bio)economy.

Course content

The course starts with an introduction to the Circular (Bio)economy concept and the main methods and experimental techniques for the physicochemical characterization of lignocellulosic biomass. The course also includes a comprehensive summary of the main conventional fuel production processes and typical fossil fuel properties.
Building on this foundation, the course examines core processes of Renewable Fuel Production, including:
1. Thermal biofuel production processes.
2. Catalytic biofuel production processes.

3. Microbial electrolysis for production of biofuels from renewable feedstocks.
4. Biological production of advanced renewable alcohols and biodiesel.
5. Anaerobic digestion: converting waste/wastewater to biogas and energy.
6. CO 2 capture and conversion to biofuels, biogas upgrading.
7. Algae biofuel production technologies.
8. Sustainable processes for Hydrogen production (dark fermentation,
electrolysis, zero-valent metal, and others).

How will you learn?

Learning is based on a combination of:
1. Lectures using slides in the classroom and online
2. Use of diagrams, tables, graphs and charts in teaching
3. Class/online discussion coordinated by the instructor
4. Problem solving
5. Coaching: special assistance provided to students facing difficulty on the
course
6. Differentiated assignment and homework

CEN 602 – Circular (Bio)Materials

Learn the fundamental principles of circular and sustainable materials, with a focus on both inorganic and organic biomaterials used in modern engineering applications.

What will you learn?
In this course, you will develop a solid understanding of circular biomaterials and their role in sustainable product design and manufacturing. You will learn how material properties are linked to processing methods and how circular economy principles can be applied across material life cycles.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Identify commonly used circular biomaterials, including polymers, plastics, cement, and metals, and describe their chemical structure, properties, and morphology.

2. Explain key manufacturing and processing methods and understand the relationship between processing conditions and material properties within a circular economy framework.

3. Describe end-of-life strategies for materials, including recycling, recovery, and reuse.

4. Evaluate the environmental and economic social impacts of current materials processing practices from a sustainability perspective.

Course content

The course covers the following topics:

1. Phosphorus recovery from biowaste and wastewater treatment plants

2. Chemistry, properties, and applications of circular biomaterials (biopolymers, plastics, cement and metals)

3. Fundamentals of polymer science: amorphous and crystalline polymers

4. Plastics and polymers industry

5. Extraction and refinement of inorganic and bio-based materials

6. Manufacturing and processing technologies for biomaterials

7. Microbial production of biopolymers

8. Single-cell protein and microbial exopolysaccharides

9. Production of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) via chain elongation

10. Natural biopolymers

11. Biomaterials for biomedical and food science applications

12. Biodegradation, recovery, and recycling of biomaterials

13. Conversion of biowaste into adsorbing materials

CEN 520 – Industrial Placement

Gain real-world experience in chemical engineering by working in industry on large-scale processes

What will you learn?
In this course, you will apply chemical and environmental engineering knowledge in a professional industrial setting. Students are placed in a local or international company and engage with real production and operational challenges, connecting academic theory with day-to-day engineering practice in the context of circular (bio)economy.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Work effectively in an industrial environment, both independently and as part of a team

2. Strengthen technical and professional skills relevant to large-scale production processes

3. Apply chemical and environmental engineering principles to real process and sustainability problems

4. Develop critical and inductive thinking through real work-based tasks

5. Communicate professionally with engineers and scientists from different disciplines

6. Respond to workplace challenges, propose solutions, and support decision-making using engineering judgement

Course content

The course is built around a 6-week supervised industrial placement in a local or international company. Students are involved in real activities linked to chemical engineering operations and circular (bio)economy applications, such as:

1.Participation in production and process operations

2. Exposure to industrial safety, quality, and operational procedures

3. Observation and support of process monitoring and troubleshooting

4. Interaction with technical teams (engineering, operations, QA/QC, environment)

5. Practical understanding of sustainability and circular economy practices in
industry

The Department supports placements through an established network of industrial partners, building on long-standing collaborations already used successfully for Bachelor-level industrial placements (e.g., pharmaceutical, energy, cement, beverages, hydrocarbons, food, waste valorization and water sectors).

How will you learn?

Learning is based on work-based training in industry, supported by academic
supervision:

Close collaboration between the academic and industrial supervisors to guide
the student in addressing real workplace problems, applying engineering
judgement, and developing practical, solution-oriented skills

2. Placement in a collaborating company under workplace mentorship

3. Ongoing academic monitoring, including follow-up with the host organisation

4. Feedback from the employer on performance and engagement

13. Conversion of biowaste into adsorbing materials

CEN 511 – Advanced Analytical Chemistry Labs

Understand the underlying principles and applications in the field of analytical chemistry via methods routinely employed in the industrial sector.

What will you learn?
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of important analytical methods employed by different industrial sectors. The techniques covered include physical, chemical and biological methods of characterization, highlighting approaches to their use to define important attributes of the compositional/chemical and mesoscopic/physical features of the samples characterized.

Upon course completion, the attendees will have developed skills to:
1. Understand the principles, capabilities and limitations of some of the most
important and typical analytical chemistry methods employed industrially.
2. Identify suitable methods for solving particular problems and acquire
understanding of the data obtained.
3. Identify a need for further knowledge acquisition and be capable for further
self-learning in the relevant fields.

Course content

The main analytical techniques that will be utilized during this class are chromatographic separations, UV-vis spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy, while the treatment techniques that will be utilized include chemical oxidation, advanced oxidation processes, adsorption, and electrolysis.

Overall, eight lab exercises will be conducted:
1. Monitoring the residual concentration of pharmaceuticals through HPLC during the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)
2. Tracking the mineralization of pharmaceutical waste during AOP treatment using Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis.
3. Adsorption of 4-NP on activated carbon.
4. Determination of Chemical Oxygen Demand (TOC) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) from wastewater.

5. Determination of the effect of temperature on the concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds in air.
6. The effect of voltage and current intensity for hydrogen production in a fuel cell.
7. Determination of the oxidation of motor oil with the use of FTIR.
8. Determination of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) in food samples.

How will you learn?

Learning is based on a combination of:
1. Lectures introducing the main principles behind each analytical technique
2. Lab exercise to increase the attendees’ laboratory skills and knowledge
3. Software learning (GraphPad Prism and ChemDraw) for data processing
and presentation.
Throughout the course, students develop and enhance their analytical laboratory skills, gaining hands-on experience with environmental samples, and data processing.

CEN 604 – Design Project

What will you learn?
The module aims to carry out an in-depth study of a particular design problem relating to the process industry in a sustainable context. Lectures, tutorials and group meetings will provide training in the techniques and tools required to carry out the design project, applying appropriate design concepts and computational tools. The module also develops the following transferable skills: teamwork, presentation, written communication and project management.

By the end of the module, you will be able to:
1. Understand that design is an open-ended process, lacking a pre-determined solution, which requires: synthesis, innovation and creativity; choices on the basis of incomplete and contradictory information; decision making; working with constraints and multiple objectives; justification of
the choices and decisions taken;
2. Be able to deploy chemical engineering knowledge using rigorous calculation and results analysis to arrive at, and verify, the realism of the chosen design;
3. Be able to take a systems approach to design appreciating complexity; interaction and integration;
4. Be able to communicate effectively to: acquire input information; present the outcomes of the design clearly, concisely and with the appropriate amount of detail, including flowsheets and stream data; explain and defend chosen design options and decisions taken
5. Understand the importance of identifying the objectives and context of the design in terms of: the business requirements; the technical requirements; sustainable development; safety, health and environmental issues; appreciation of public perception and concerns;

Module content

The design project module is the creation of a system, process, product, or plant to meet an identified need and serves to:
1. Develop an integrated approach to chemical engineering.
2. Encourage the application of chemical engineering principles to problems of current and future industrial relevance including sustainable development, safety, and environmental issues.
3. Encourage students to develop and demonstrate creative and critical powers by requiring choices and decisions to be made in areas of uncertainty.

4. Encourage students to take a broad view when confronted with complexity arising from the interaction and integration of the different parts of a process or system.
5. Encourage the development of transferable skills such as communication and team working.
6. Give students confidence in their ability to apply their technical knowledge to real problems.

How will you learn?

Learning is based on a combination of:
1. Lectures introducing concepts of process design
2. Answering oral questions in class by students
3. Use of diagrams, graphs by the lecturer
4. Computational exercises
5. Coursework

CEN 601 – Life Cycle Assessment

Learn how to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of products and processes using life cycle thinking, with a focus on circular bioeconomy systems.

What will you learn?
In this course, you will learn how to apply Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a quantitative decision-support tool for sustainable process and product design. The course introduces the principles of circular bioeconomy and life cycle thinking, and develops the methodological, computational, and interpretative skills required to perform robust LCAs of chemical and biobased systems. Emphasis is placed on process-based and consequential LCA, handling multifunctional systems, uncertainty analysis, and the integration of environmental and economic assessments. Practical applications are drawn from chemical engineering, bio-based materials, and circular economy case studies.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Explain the role of Life Cycle Assessment within the circular bioeconomy framework
2. Define appropriate goals and scopes for LCA studies
3. Construct life cycle inventories using process trees and unit process data
4. Develop and customise unit processes for LCA modelling
5. Perform sensitivity and uncertainty analyses of LCA results
6. Apply different allocation methods to multifunctional systems
7. Interpret environmental and economic impacts to support engineering decisions
8. Use process simulation tools (e.g. Aspen Plus) to support LCA studies

Course content

The course begins with an introduction to circular bioeconomy concepts and life cycle thinking, establishing the role of LCA in sustainable engineering and policy-making.

Building on this foundation, the course covers the core methodological stages of LCA, including:
1. Goal and scope definition and system boundary selection
2. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis, including data requirements and quality
3. Development of process trees and tables, and detailed understanding of unit processes

4. Customising and creating unit processes for specific systems
5. Computational structure of LCA models and sensitivity analysis
6. Treatment of random variables and multifunctional systems
7. Overview of environmental impact categories and impact assessment methods
The course then extends beyond classical LCA to advanced and complementary approaches, including:
1. Economic input–output LCA and material flow analysis
2. Allocation methods (mass-, energy-, economic-based and system expansion)
3. Process-based LCA with practical demonstrations
4. Consequential LCA and interpretation of results for decision-making
5. Uncertainty analysis and critical evaluation of LCA case studies
6. Recent developments in LCA for circular bioeconomy applications
Throughout the course, examples are drawn from chemical processes, bio-based materials, and circular systems, highlighting current research and industrial practice.

How will you learn?

Learning is based on a combination of:
1. Lectures introducing LCA theory, methodology, and sustainability concepts
2. Worked examples illustrating LCA modelling and interpretation
3. Case studies focused on circular bioeconomy applications
4. Computational and problem-solving exercises
A strong practical component is included, where students apply LCA concepts using process simulation tools such as Aspen Plus, gaining hands-on experience in linking process modelling with life cycle assessment and sustainability analysis.

CEN 510 – Environmental & Health and Safety Systems and Standards

Learn to identify, assess, and manage environmental and occupational health and safety risks.

What will you learn?
You will learn to identify and assess environmental and occupational health and safety risks in engineering and industrial contexts. You will gain knowledge of international standards, legal frameworks, and risk assessment methods used to manage and reduce these risks. You will also develop skills in environmental management systems, circular economy principles, greenhouse gas quantification, and life cycle assessment (LCA).

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Define and explain key concepts of environmental and occupational health and
safety risk and related terminology.
2. Apply and analyze international standards and regulations to real-world
environmental and H&S scenarios.
3. Evaluate and select appropriate risk assessment methods for workplace and
environmental hazards.
4. Design and assess environmental management systems, including GHG
quantification, circular economy metrics, and LCA.

Course content

1. The course introduces the legal duties and professional responsibilities of engineers
related to environmental and occupational health and safety. It provides an overview of
international, European, and national laws, regulations, and enforcement bodies.
2. You will study the development, purpose, and application of standards and the role of
third-party certification. The course covers environmental impact assessment, life cycle
assessment, and greenhouse gas accounting. Circular economy concepts, business
models, and circularity metrics will be examined.
3. Environmental management systems based on ISO 14001 are analyzed. Occupational
health and safety management systems according to ISO 45001 are introduced. Risk
management principles based on ISO 31000 and ISO 31010 are studied.
4. You will learn about hazard identification and general hazard control principles. Human
factors, behavior, and ergonomic considerations in safety are discussed.
5. Major industrial accidents are analyzed to understand causes and consequences. Environmental and safety issues in selected industrial operations are examined.
6. Practical applications through case studies, laboratories, and site visits are included.

How will you learn?

1. Interactive lectures supported by slides and online resources.
2. You will apply concepts using real-world case studies and collaborative group work.
3. Hands-on learning is achieved through laboratory exercises and practical risk and
environmental assessments.
4. Learning is reinforced through a project, peer review, and study visits to industrial
facilities.