Units / CHE4171
CHE4171 · Biochemical engineering
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 4Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
Quantitative and analytical skills required for biochemical and bioprocess engineering will be covered. The relationships between chemical engineering principles and approaches and biology will be explored. Knowledge about the operational considerations for suspended cultures, immobilised cultures, bioreactors, scaling, process selection, and operation of bioprocess unit operations will be discussed and worked on through calculations.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | Second semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Group project | Project | 20% | Threshold |
| 2 | Lab exercise | Project | 15% | Threshold |
| 3 | Weekly quizzes | Quiz / Test | 10% | Threshold |
| 4 | Tests | Quiz / Test | 15% | Threshold |
| 5 | Final assessment | Examination | 40% | Threshold |
Continuous assessment: 60% Final assessment: 40% This unit contains hurdle requirements that you must achieve to be able to pass the unit. You are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component and at least 45% in the final assessment component. The consequence of not achieving a hurdle requirement is a fail grade (NH) and a maximum mark of 45 for the unit.
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
Learning outcomes
- Relate bioprocess organisms and their nutrient requirement to bioprocess considerations.
- Solve engineering problems related to design and operation of bioreactors.
- Apply principles of fluid flow, mixing, heat transfer and mass transfer to analysis of bioreactor performance.
- Operate bioreactor and evaluate the performance of cell growth under different operating conditions.
- Address technical and practical issues in commercial bioprocessing by principles of biochemical engineering.
Workload
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Practical activities | 24 hours |
| Workshops | 24 hours |
| Laboratories | 9 hours |
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