Industrial Processes III
(IPO301T)
Study Guide
2010
Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences
Faculty of Science
Tshwane University of Technology
Table of contents:
Page
1. Introduction 3
2. Topics covered 4
3. Study material 5
4. Schedule 11
5. Assessments 15
6. Predicate marks 16
7. Lecturer information 16
1. Introduction
Industrial processes (IPO301T) provides the environmental science student with a introduction to the many different industrial and manufacturing activities that significantly contribute to the economies of the world.
It is essential for the student working in industry and conducting impact assessments on new developments to have a firm understanding of the activities taking place in these industrial plants. This is probably one of the biggest differences between someone doing pure nature conservation and one doing environmental sciences.
The environmental scientist needs a clear understanding of the possible impacts caused by each of the industrial activities. He needs to understand the risks involved and the chemistry happening in these activities in order to make a sound decision on how it will affect the environment and thereby identifying some environmental aspects and impacts. This knowledge will also help him to set in place environmental management plans that will help to mitigate the aspects identified for those industries.
2. Topics covered
Here is a list of the topics that will be covered during the semester:
1. Coal and Coal Mining
2. Coke Production
3. Petroleum Processing and Refining
4. Natural Gas
5. Sulphuric Acid Production
6. Chlorine and Sodium Hydroxide Production
7. Iron and Steel
8. Paper and Pulp
9. Polymers
10. Rubber and Plastics
11. Soap and Detergents
3. Study material
You will be provided with some notes in hard copy, but the complete set of notes and slideshows will be burned to CD or DVD to save paper.
The Dvd
Here is the layout of the DVD that will be handed to you.
There are three folders in the root of the DVD.
Study guide contains a electronic copy of this studyguide.
Other includes opensource software you will need to open and view the information on the dvd.
Contents includes the different chapters that we will be covering during the year. Under each of the chapters you will find the following folders:
File formats
Pdf files contain documents with the file extention .pdf
You can open these documents with Adobe Acrobat. I have included the installation files for Adobe Acrobat 8 on the dvd.
Slideshow Files contain Powerpoint slideshows and can be opened with Microsoft Powerpoint. The following versions of Powerpoint will open the files: Powerpoint in Office XP, Powerpoint in Office 2003 and Powerpoint in Office 2007.
I have included a viewer on the dvd if you do not have powerpoint installed on your computer.
The folder web files contain saved websites in html format. You can view them with any web browser including Internet explorer, Netscape, Firefox and Safari.
Textbooks
There is no prescribed textbook but the following textbooks are available in the library for further information (and you will definitely need further information).
Notes
You will be given a number of printed sets of notes during the semester. Please keep those together in a binder as they are the core material required to study for IPO301T.
Web resources
In addition to the material on the DVD, there are a number of websites with useful information. The folder bookmarks contain a number of sites with useful and relevant information on industrial processes. A few others have been listed here in the study guide.
Wikipedia is a very complete encyclopedia and can be found at
You can also access the Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia on the web at
Another encyclopedia called Britannica can be accessed at
If you are looking for scientific articles for further research a good place to find them is at Sciendirect
or you can search all of the scientific journals at Scirus
The core set of notes required from Wikipedia are as follows
Coal and Coal Mining
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal
Coke Production
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_%28fuel%29
Sulphuric Acid Production
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid
Chlorine and Sodium Hydroxide Production
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_production
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide
Iron and Steel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_furnace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel
Natural Gas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas
Paper and Pulp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraft_process
Petroleum Processing and Refining
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_products
Polymers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer
Rubber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber
Soap and Detergents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detergents
A few companies will be covered in some depth. You can access their sites at the following addesses:
Sasol
Sappi
Mondi
Anglo American
Rio tinto
BHP Billiton
http://www.bhpbilliton.co.za/bb/home.jsp
Keep in mind that the complete websites (not only a few pages) of the companies are included on the DVD. Many webpages from the different industries covered are also included on the DVD. Other bookmarks are already on the DVD under the folder named bookmarks.
MyTutor
All notes, presentations and study guides will also be uploaded to MyTutor.
One assignment will also be done through the MyTutor system so it is therefore important that you regularly visit the site and become familiar with how it works.
It can be reached at http://mytutor.tut.ac.za
4. Schedule
A calendar has been provided for you to make planning easier. If changes need to be made to the tabled schedule you can add it to the calendar instead.
Here is a draft breakdown of what will be covered per week. Keep in mind that the dates can and probably will change.
Date | Topic |
27th of January 2010 | Informal introduction and handing out of study guides |
3rd of February 2010 | Coal and Coal Mining |
10th of February 2010 | Coke Production |
17th of February 2010 | Petroleum Processing and Refining |
24th of February 2010 | Test 1 |
3rd of March 2010 | Natural Gas |
10th of March 2010 | Iron and Steel |
17th of March 2010 | Sulphuric Acid Production |
24th of March 2010 | Chlorine and Sodium Hydroxide Production |
31st of March 2010 | Test 2 |
7th of April 2010 | TUT Holidays |
14th of April 2010 | Paper and Pulp |
21st of April 2010 | Polymers Rubber and Plastics |
28th of April 2010 | Soap and Detergents |
5th of May 2010 | Test 3 |
12th of May 2010 | Revision and exam preparation |
12th of May | Predicate day |
17th of May 2010 | Exams kick off |
5. Assessments
You will be given three semester tests to write during the semester in addition to one assignment. All four of these assessments have been given equal weighting and are therefore equally important.
Space has been provided for you to fill in the topics covered in each of the tests. This cannot be determined so far in advance because of uncertainty factors.
Test 1
Date: 24th of February 2010
Topics covered in test: Coal and Coal Mining; Coke Production; Petroleum Processing and Refining
Test 2
Date: 31st of March 2010
Topics covered in test: Natural gas, Iron and Steel; Sulphuric Acid Production; Chlorine and Sodium Hydroxide Production
Test 3
Date: 5th of May 2010
Topics covered in test: Paper and Pulp; Polymers
Rubber and Plastics; Soap and Detergents
Assignment 1
Due date: 7th of May 2010
Topics covered: You will be given a topic
6. Predicate marks, exam requirements etc.
The predicate will be calculated as follows:
Predicate = 25% for test 1 + 25% for test 2 + 25% for test 3 +
25% for assignment 1
A 40% predicate will be required to gain entrance into the main exam. You will then require a 50% mark to pass the exam. If you get between 40% and 50% you will be allowed to write a supplementary exam.
Final mark = 50% for predicate + 50% for exam.
Your final mark must be above 50% to pass the subject.
7. Lecturer information
Lecturer: Rudolph PJ Robbertze
Email: RobbertzeRPJ@tut.ac.za
Tel: 012 382 6320
Cel: 082 860 4573
Office: 4-218 or 3-131
Hours: Tuesdays to Wednesdays from 08:30 to 16:00 and Fridays from 08:00 to 12:00