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ENEM12008 - Bulk Materials Handling

General Information

Unit Synopsis

In this unit, you will develop skills required to analyse the operation and maintenance of solid and liquid material handling systems. The characteristics of solid and liquid materials, and how their properties affect storage, conveying, pumping, and transfer operations, will be explored. Mass transfer principles are introduced with a focus on common operations, industrial applications, and basic equipment design. The unit also covers the dynamics of fluids and solid systems to support practical engineering analysis. You will evaluate the requirements for reliable conveyor and pumping systems, design hoppers and tanks, and identify suitable dust extraction and fluid-handling equipment. You will explain the use of feeders, valves, and related process components and apply materials handling and mass transfer principles to engineering problems. You will work independently to produce clear technical documentation that outlines methods, assumptions, and analysis. This unit supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by equipping you with the knowledge and skills to design efficient, reliable, and sustainable industrial material handling systems. In this unit, you are expected to complete mandatory practical activities. Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for proposed dates.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 2
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
ENEG11006 Engineering Statics and MATH11218 Eng Foundation Mathematics OR MATH11160 Technology Mathematics

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

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Residential School Compulsory Residential School
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Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026

Term 1 - 2026 Profile
Bundaberg
Cairns
Gladstone
Mackay
Mixed Mode
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 40%
2. Written Assessment 35%
3. Practical and Written Assessment 25%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 1 - 2025 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 60.00% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 27.78% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: Sute data
Feedback
Some design requirements are outdated
Recommendation
Some standards and design requirements should be replaced with up-to-date information available from the relevant sources
Action Taken
Updated several standards and design requirements with the most recent information available.
Source: Sute data
Feedback
Few students indicated that the assessment tasks may not be appropriate in relation to their weightings.
Recommendation
The Assessment 3 tasks should be reviewed to ensure they align with the appropriate weightings.
Action Taken
Reviewed Assessment 3 tasks to ensure their scope and complexity align appropriately with the designated weightings .
Source: Sute data
Feedback
Few students did not receive adequate time to incorporate feedback from the previous assessment into the next one.
Recommendation
The interval between assessment feedback and the next assessment due date should be analysed to ensure students have ample time to incorporate feedback into their subsequent submissions.
Action Taken
Adjusted the assessment schedule to ensure sufficient time between feedback release and subsequent submission deadlines that allowed students to effectively incorporate feedback into their next assessments.
Source: SUTE
Feedback
Lectures and tutorials were clear, and the site visits strengthened applied understanding and industry relevance.
Recommendation
Retain the site visit and maintain the good practice in unit delivery.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE
Feedback
The scope of assignment two was perceived as excessive.
Recommendation
Assessment 2 was designed to make them AI-proof, which some students find overwhelming. The tasks will be reviewed to help manage the workload.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE
Feedback
Some laboratory sessions were time‑constrained.
Recommendation
Add an overflow timeslot to provide contingency for students.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: SUTE
Feedback
Students noted the importance of timely feedback to support their learning and improvement.
Recommendation
The timing of assessments should be adjusted to enable students to effectively apply feedback from earlier assessments to subsequent tasks.
Action Taken
In Progress
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Characterise the properties of bulk materials and explain their impact on the design components
  2. Apply mass transfer principles to common industrial operations and the design requirements for associated equipment
  3. Analyse the dynamics of fluids and solid systems to support practical engineering calculations in materials handling
  4. Design and select hoppers, feeders, valves, tanks, and other key components to ensure reliable flow and meet diverse industrial application needs
  5. Identify appropriate dust extraction systems and dust treatment methods for safe and efficient operation
  6. Design and select conveyor and pumping systems that meet reliability and performance requirements
  7. Work independently and in teams to solve problems and clearly record and communicate the methods used and the rationale behind each approach in a professional manner.

The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Introductory
3.1 Ethical conduct and professional accountability. (LO: 6N 7N)
3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour. (LO: 7N)
3.6 Effective team membership and team leadership. (LO: 2N 3N 7N)
Intermediate
1.1 Comprehensive, theory-based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3N 4I 5N 6N)
1.2 Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences which underpin the engineering discipline. (LO: 1N 2N 4I 6N)
1.3 In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4I 5I 6N)
1.5 Knowledge of engineering design practice and contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline. (LO: 1I 2I 3I 4I 5N 6N)
2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. (LO: 1I 2N 3N 4N)
2.3 Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes. (LO: 1I 2I 3N 4I 5N 6I)
2.4 Application of systematic approaches to the conduct and management of engineering projects. (LO: 2I 4I)
3.2 Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. (LO: 1N 2I 3I 4I 5I 6N 7I)
3.4 Professional use and management of information. (LO: 7I)
Advanced
1.4 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1N 2I 3I 4A 5N 6I)
1.6 Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline. (LO: 2A 4A)
2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. (LO: 1I 2A 3N 4A 5N 6N 7I)
Note: LO refers to the Learning Outcome number(s) which link to the competency and the levels: N – Introductory, I – Intermediate and A - Advanced.
 Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for further information on the Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers and course level mapping information https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=1511

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 - Written Assessment • • • •
2 - Written Assessment • • • •
3 - Practical and Written Assessment •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 - Communication • • • • • • •
2 - Problem Solving • • • • • •
3 - Critical Thinking • • • • • • •
4 - Information Literacy • • •
5 - Team Work • • •
6 - Information Technology Competence • • •
8 - Ethical practice • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10