Process Engineer Course

Lesson 1 • Fluid Mechanics for Process Systems

Introduces fluid flow behaviour, pressure drop, and pump/compressor fundamentals. Connects fluid mechanics theory to piping and equipment design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Process Chemistry

Reviews reaction stoichiometry, kinetics, and selectivity as they apply to industrial processes. Prepares students to evaluate reactor performance and yield optimisation.

Lesson 3 • Mass and Energy Balance Methods

Teaches systematic approaches to constructing and solving material and energy balances. These balances underpin every process design and troubleshooting task.

Lesson 4 • Role and Scope of Process Engineers

Defines the process engineer's responsibilities across design, operations, and optimisation. Establishes professional context for all subsequent technical content.

Lesson 1 • Process Flow Diagram Fundamentals

Explains PFD symbols, stream tables, and equipment representation conventions. Students learn to extract mass balance and operating condition data from PFDs.

Lesson 2 • Control Loop Identification on P&IDs

Teaches identification of feedback, feedforward, and cascade control loops on P&IDs. Builds the ability to trace signal paths and verify control logic from drawings.

Lesson 3 • Piping and Instrumentation Diagram Basics

Covers P&ID symbology, instrument tags, and line designations per industry standards. Connects P&ID reading to control loop understanding and safety system identification.

Lesson 4 • P&ID Review and Markup Practices

Introduces formal P&ID review workflows, redline markup, and revision control. Ensures students can participate in design reviews and manage drawing changes.

Lesson 1 • Vessels, Tanks, and Separators

Addresses pressure vessel sizing, separator internals, and storage tank design criteria. Prepares students to write equipment datasheets and review vendor designs.

Lesson 2 • Distillation Column Fundamentals

Teaches tray and packed column design, reflux ratio optimisation, and McCabe-Thiele analysis. Connects column design to separation efficiency and energy consumption.

Lesson 3 • Reactor Design and Sizing

Applies CSTR, PFR, and batch reactor design equations to industrial case studies. Students select reactor type and size based on kinetics and conversion targets.

Lesson 4 • Heat Exchanger Design Principles

Covers LMTD and NTU methods, fouling factors, and shell-and-tube configuration selection. Students size exchangers and interpret thermal performance data.

Lesson 1 • Control Valve Sizing and Selection

Teaches Cv calculation, valve characteristic selection, and actuator sizing. Connects valve specification to process control loop performance.

Lesson 2 • Safety Instrumented Systems Overview

Covers SIL concepts, SIS architecture, and the relationship between BPCS and SIS layers. Students understand how safety systems are designed and validated.

Lesson 3 • Process Control Theory Fundamentals

Introduces open-loop and closed-loop control, transfer functions, and PID controller action. Establishes the theoretical basis for all control system design work.

Lesson 4 • Advanced Control Strategies

Introduces ratio, split-range, override, and model predictive control concepts. Prepares students to design multi-variable control schemes for complex processes.

Lesson 1 • Layer of Protection Analysis

Applies LOPA methodology to quantify risk reduction and determine SIL requirements. Students perform LOPA calculations and interpret results against risk tolerance criteria.

Lesson 2 • Process Safety Management Framework

Introduces PSM elements, management of change, and process safety information requirements. Establishes the regulatory and organisational context for hazard analysis work.

Lesson 3 • HAZOP Study Methodology

Teaches HAZOP guideword application, node selection, and deviation analysis. Students practice leading and documenting HAZOP sessions on realistic P&IDs.

Lesson 4 • Risk Ranking and Safeguard Design

Introduces risk matrices, bow-tie analysis, and inherently safer design principles. Students apply risk reduction hierarchy to select and document safeguards.

Lesson 1 • Model Validation and Uncertainty Analysis

Covers data reconciliation, model calibration against plant data, and uncertainty quantification. Students learn to assess model reliability before using results for decisions.

Lesson 2 • Steady-State Simulation Fundamentals

Covers thermodynamic package selection, component lists, and stream specification in simulation tools. Students build and converge a basic process flowsheet.

Lesson 3 • Process Optimisation Using Simulation

Applies simulation tools to optimise operating conditions, energy consumption, and product yield. Students use case studies and optimizer functions to improve process performance.

Lesson 4 • Equipment Modelling in Simulation

Teaches rigorous modelling of distillation columns, reactors, and heat exchangers in simulation environments. Connects model parameters to real equipment performance data.

Lesson 1 • Debottlenecking and Capacity Expansion

Applies systematic analysis to identify and resolve process bottlenecks limiting throughput. Students develop debottlenecking strategies using simulation and plant data.

Lesson 2 • Conceptual Process Design Methodology

Introduces the design hierarchy, onion model, and process synthesis strategies. Students apply structured methods to generate and screen process alternatives.

Lesson 3 • Heat Integration and Pinch Analysis

Teaches composite curve construction, pinch point identification, and heat exchanger network design. Students reduce utility consumption through systematic energy integration.

Lesson 4 • Sustainability and Waste Minimisation

Integrates environmental performance metrics, waste hierarchy, and green chemistry principles into process design. Students quantify and reduce waste and emissions at the design stage.

Lesson 1 • Startup and Shutdown Procedures

Covers pre-startup safety reviews, commissioning steps, and controlled shutdown sequencing. Students develop and review startup and shutdown procedures for process units.

Lesson 2 • Abnormal Situation Management

Addresses operator support tools, alarm rationalisation, and emergency response from the process engineer's perspective. Students design responses to high-consequence abnormal events.

Lesson 3 • Systematic Troubleshooting Methods

Introduces structured troubleshooting frameworks, root cause analysis, and hypothesis testing. Students apply these methods to realistic process deviation case studies.

Lesson 4 • Process Performance Monitoring

Teaches key performance indicator selection, data historian use, and performance trending. Students identify early signs of process degradation from operating data.