| Code | Faculty | Department |
|---|---|---|
| 12243007 | Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology | Department: Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering |
| Credits | Duration | NQF level |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum duration of study: 1 year | Total credits: 128 | NQF level: 08 |
The BScHons (Applied Science) degree is conferred by the following academic departments:
Any specific module is offered on the condition that a minimum number of students are registered for the module, as determined by the relevant head of department and the Dean. Students must consult the relevant head of department in order to compile a meaningful programme, as well as on the syllabi of the modules. The relevant departmental postgraduate brochures must also be consulted.
A limited number of appropriate modules from other departments and from other divisions of Chemical Engineering are allowed. Not all modules listed are presented each year. Please consult the departmental postgraduate brochure.
Refer also to G18 and G26.
A student passes with distinction if he or she obtains a weighted average of at least 75% (not rounded) in the first 128 credits for which he or she has registered (excluding modules which were discontinued timeously). The degree is not awarded with distinction if a student fails any one module (excluding modules which were discontinued timeously). The degree must be completed within the prescribed study period.
Minimum credits: 128
NLO 700 is a compulsory research module (32 credits).
Select one of the other three core modules listed (32 credits) and two modules from the list of electives (64 credits).
Module content:
This module serves as a bridge into full post graduate studies in physical and mechanical metallurgy for students who do not have a formal first degree in these subjects. The following topics are covered in this module: phases in alloys, diffusion, solidification, the precipitation of second phases in alloys and the recrystallisation and grain growth of single phase alloys, aluminium and its alloys, copper and its alloys, nickel base alloys, the iron-carbon phase diagram, the heat treatment of steels, dislocations and the deformation of metals, engineering strength of metals and alloys, creep deformation, introduction to fracture mechanics and fatigue and failure analysis. This module will, therefore, enable the student to understand the fundamentals that govern alloy design, heat treatment, physical and mechanical properties and behaviour of materials during heat treatment and under stress and will enable the correct selection of alloys for a particular use, the prescription of heat treatments and further mechanical processing of these alloys to achieve the required metallurgical and mechanical properties.
Module content:
This module covers the fundamental principles of hydrometallurgy and minerals processing. In the minerals processing part of the module, students are given perspective on the scope of and functions in mineral processing, different unit operations and processing options for different deposits. Themes are comminution, classification, concentration, and solid-liquid separation. In the hydrometallurgy portion the merits and limitations of hydrometallurgy when compared with other metallurgical processes (e.g. pyrometallurgy) are considered; and different feed materials for hydrometallurgical processes; different unit processes in hydrometallurgy; fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic concepts as used in leaching; different leach reactors and their applications; solution purification and metal recovery processes; selecting a suitable flowsheet for a given feed material to produce a final metal product are discussed.
Module content:
The refereed literature on a specific topic (normally related to subsequent research towards a master's degree) is studied and summarised in a written report. The important skills are finding appropriate papers, reading and comprehending these, and using the information in the paper to construct your own view on the research topic. There are no formal contact sessions. The first part of this module involves definition of a research topic (to be approved by the head of the department), development of a literature survey and compilation of a detailed research proposal. The second part of the module involves generation, presentation and critical interpretation of a project plan/results, and compilation of a written report and an oral presentation. The written document must be submitted at the end of October, with an oral presentation of 20-30 minutes in the week following submission of the survey.
Module content:
In this module you will develop the skills required to analyse the equilibria of pyrometallurgical processes. Solving such a problem requires skills in thermodynamic analysis, and knowledge of the typical processes (and the conditions within these processes) which are used to extract and refine metals like iron (steel), copper, titanium, chromium, manganese, and aluminium. The aim is to enable you to analyse a current or proposed process with regards to feasibility, and to propose processing conditions (e.g. temperature, slag composition) which will achieve the required equilibrium state. This also applies to refractory systems, where the primary aim will be to evaluate whether a given refractory material is suitable for a given application, or the impact of certain impurities on the refractory material.
Module content:
At the end of the module, students should be able to conceptualise and design new electrometallurgical processes and improve the operation of existing processes through an understanding of the basic principles of the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemistry, measurement techniques used in electrochemistry, and considering the principles of electrochemical reactor design, different electrode and cell configurations, role of additives to electrolytes, role of impurities in the electrowinning process, the steps involved in electrocrystallization processes and present practices used for the electrowinning of metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, manganese and gold.
Module content:
The module deals with the basic understanding of phase transformations in alloys, and its relationship with microstructure and mechanical properties of alloys. Included are transformation processes such as solidification; nucleation, growth and coarsening of precipitates; the use of carbides and intermetallic compounds in steels; static and dynamic re-crystallisation; grain growth and the use of grain boundary engineering; the martensite, bainite and pearlite transformations; thermomechanical processing and some elements of quantitative metallography. The course is practice orientated; the current best fundamental understanding of these transformation processes covered, and its role in engineering application demonstrated. The course is fully documented on CD-ROM from the latest literature and is largely intended for that research student who is embarking on a physical metallurgical research project.
Module content:
The emphasis is on the practice of the heat treatment of steels, covering the following topics: introduction and fundamental aspects of the Fe-C system; alloying elements; tempering of martensite; pearlite and bainite formation, hardenability; annealing, normalizing, hardening and tempering; stress relieving, use of CCT and TTT diagrams, HSLA steels, tool steels; stainless steels, heat treatment furnaces and their atmospheres, induction hardening, carburisation, nitriding, mechanical testing, non-destructive examination and heat treatment, hydrogen embrittlement, temper embrittlement, quantitative metallography for quality control, heat treatment for fracture toughness and heat treatment case studies. The course is partly available on CD-ROM with up-to-date references to the latest literature.
Module content:
The aim with this course is to enable the students to understand the design and operation of hydrometallurgical processes for the beneficiation of minerals and metals. The theoretical basis of the solution chemistry underlying hydrometallurgical processes, the purification and concentration options available, and the metal recovery processes such as precipitation, hydrogen reduction, and electrowinning are reviewed. This is then followed by the consideration of the engineering aspects and the technical application of hydrometallurgical processes for a number of ores relevant to South Africa.
Module content:
The aim with this course is to facilitate the development of the students in corrosion engineering by considering the electrochemical fundamentals of corrosion processes as well as their experimental and practical implications for corrosion diagnosis and control. The practical manifestations of the broad types of corrosion are reviewed and the skills of the students to utilise corrosion control methodologies such as chemical and electrochemical control, protective coatings and material selection to control corrosion are developed.
Module content:
We cover the interaction between the internal structure of metals – on the atomic and microscopic scales – and their mechanical properties. Practically important topics such as elastic and plastic stress analysis, dislocations and deformation, room and high temperature deformation processes, mechanical property/microstructure relationships for low and medium Carbon steels and for micro-alloyed and HSLA steels, fatigue processes, stress corrosion cracking, creep deformation processes and fracture mechanics are covered in depth, and illustrated with case studies. The course is largely available on CD-ROM with references to the latest literature.
Module content:
Principles and advanced theory of comminution, classification and density separation are covered.
Module content:
This module covers both the theory and practice of sampling, primarily with respect to the minerals processing industry. As sampling is statistical in nature, basic statistics relevant to sampling theory will be considered. The module will then focus on the theory of sampling with specific reference to managing large and small scale variability. The effect of interpolation errors, periodic errors and increment weighting errors will be considered under large scale variability. Under small scale variability the determination and management of various errors that result in small scale variability will be covered, as well as the compilation of sampling protocols that can minimise these errors. The module will also examine the evaluation of dry and wet sampling equipment with respect to the different bias generators, as well as the implementation of sampling protocols in practice. Ore types covered during the course include coal, iron ore, gold and platinum.
Module content:
We aim to provide you with practice in using fundamental principles to analyse pyrometallurgical processes – to be able to go from understanding to process improvement. To this end, the necessary fundamentals of reaction equilibria (including activity descriptions), reaction kinetics, and mass and energy balances are reviewed. Practical examples illustrate the use of these principles. In the final block, we analyse a number of practical processes in more detail. Throughout, the emphasis is on quantification.
Module content:
Fundamentals of sulphide and coal flotation are covered, including the chemistry of sulphide mineral flotation; natural and induced hydrophobicity; physical and chemical interactions in coal flotation; review of sulphydryl and oxydryl collectors and their absorption mechanisms; the role of activators/depressants and pH regulators as well as an investigation of frothers and froth stability, with reference to recent industrial developments. Aspects of flotation practice are addressed: Experimental methods for laboratory and plant trials; basic and complex flotation circuits with examples from recent developments; control in flotation plants: reagents/conditioning. Finally, relevant interfacial surface chemistry is covered: the role of water in flotation; mechanisms and thermodynamics of collector activity.
Module content:
The objective is to convey a fundamental understanding of the principles that are involved in the manufacture, selection and use of refractories. Relevant thermodynamic principles are reviewed, with emphasis on the thermodynamic properties of oxide materials, metals and slags, and how these affect refractory performance. Phase diagram use in refractory selection and prediction of slag-metal-refractory interactions is covered. A section on manufacture covers the types of raw materials, design and formulation, handling, manufacturing routes, and quality control (including practical mineralogy). Finally, design properties of refractories for the ferrous, cement, aluminium, copper, platinum and ferro-alloy industries are reviewed.
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