Sustainable Engineering Systems MSc

Circular economy is an economic model that invites businesses, cities and countries to transform their approach to the use of materials and energy, and build a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. It is an interdisciplinary arena embracing physical, social sciences and manufacture. You explore key topics relating to the practical applications of circular economy and examine approaches to solving challenges for achieving circular economy and environmental sustainability.

Digital twinning is the process of using all relevant information about a physical system to generate a representative virtual model, which is called the ‘digital twin’. You explore the technical aspect of developing a digital twin and examine the role and applications of digital twinning in different industries.

You investigate an area of engineering and work independently to a level recognised to be at the forefront of the discipline. The topic can be in the form of a research project or a design project. Key skills in research and in knowledge application and creation will be developed through keynote lectures and self-managed independent study. You are required to demonstrate the capacity for a comprehensive and objective analysis, and for developing innovative and constructive proposals for the solution to the project topic.

Ambitious environmental targets are reshaping the electrical power sector. You explore the future demand for electricity in this context, working in a team to assess future energy scenarios, their implications and propose suitable strategies and solutions to address them. You gain an understanding of their knowledge and limitations and the importance of bringing in and working with people with a different knowledge base and skillset.

Digital factories integrate digital models of various aspects of a physical factory to create a comprehensive smart manufacturing network. You explore the different techniques that contribute to the development of digital factory systems and examine the challenges when developing digital factories for different industries.

You will investigate how the role of the engineer is becoming more focused on serving society as well as industry and to recognise the impact of engineers’ decisions on society and the environment.

As engineers of the future, you will need to have a sustainable worldview, acknowledging international, cultural, and diversity issues in society. In addition, you will also be expected to solve complex problems with consideration for multi-perspective views, long-term effects, risk, and the impacts of decisions on society.

This module will examine the key topics surrounding sustainability in the context of engineering applications across a range of disciplines and key future challenges such as energy, transport, and construction.

The subjects will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Lectures will develop key concepts and knowledge. Seminars will allow more focused examinations of important issues and approaches.

You develop your ability to design and implement database, big data and analytics applications to meet business needs. A case study is used to follow the system development lifecycle. You develop a plausible application from inception to implementation for a real-world scenario.

You investigate the issues and technologies associated with implementing and supporting large scale databases and the services that are needed to maintain and access a repository of data. Investigations are undertaken in a number of areas including big data, data warehouses, integrating legacy data, data management and approaches that support the modelling and visualisation of data for a range of use views.

The module provides students with an in-depth knowledge of Power Electronic converters as they are used on power systems to allow efficient transmission of power from generator to consumer. The modules will teach about the operation and design of the main converters and their applications. It provides a generic treatment of various converter topologies with an emphasis on critical design parameters. Applications including HV DC transmission, static VAr compensation and interconnection of renewable energy sources and energy storage systems to utility grid are considered.

Contemporary project management is an evolving and extensive discipline that has grown substantially to meet the needs of modern project management demands. This module cultivates detailed and critical awareness of this domain and its expanding range of philosophies, tools and frameworks.

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the expanding discipline of project management and familiarise them with modern and contemporary project management modalities and the importance of effective project management to organisational functioning, enterprise growth and development.

The module provides students with in-depth knowledge of the theory and principles of renewable energy technologies used for electricity generation. The module focuses on the principles, design, operation and grid connected applications of wind and photovoltaic technologies, and contrasts these with conventional power systems, such as coal and gas. The module will inform the student of current practices and technological advances in the field of renewables and will provide an opportunity to develop computing and practical skills related to this area.