CHE4171 Biochemical engineering
Faculty of Engineering
CHE4171 Biochemical engineering is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Engineering, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Malaysia. It needs CHM1051, BPS1011, CHM1011, BPS1021 or CHM1022.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Malaysia
- Assessment
- Exam 40%
- and 4 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before CHE4171
After CHE4171
No unit lists CHE4171 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Overview
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 in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Malaysia | On campus |
Assessment
- Group projectProjectThreshold hurdle20%
- Lab exerciseProjectThreshold hurdle15%
- Weekly quizzesQuiz / TestThreshold hurdle10%
- TestsQuiz / TestThreshold hurdle15%
- Final assessmentExaminationThreshold hurdle40%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Relate bioprocess organisms and their nutrient requirement to bioprocess considerations.
- 2
Solve engineering problems related to design and operation of bioreactors.
- 3
Apply principles of fluid flow, mixing, heat transfer and mass transfer to analysis of bioreactor performance.
- 4
Operate bioreactor and evaluate the performance of cell growth under different operating conditions.
- 5
Address technical and practical issues in commercial bioprocessing by principles of biochemical engineering.
Workload and teaching
- Practical activities24 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Laboratories9 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
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.
Weekly discussions will be held during workshop sessions to reinforce the understanding of lecture content. Prior to the workshop/practical sessions, you are required to complete the self-learning activities by watching the pre-recorded lectures and attempting the practical questions. The lecturer will also prepare in-class activities or set problems to engage students individually or in group mode.
Open-ended assignments related to the biochemical engineering field will be done in group mode via report writing and presentation. Hands-on sessions will be held in the laboratory to solve the open-ended complex problems using biochemical engineering skills. The lab activities will further strengthen your understanding of the theory learnt from lecturers.
Learning resources
Recommended resources
- Bioprocess Engineering Principles (2nd Edition) Author: Pauline M. Doran. Publisher: Elsevier (ISBN: 978 0 12 220855 3)
- Bioprocess Engineering: Basic Concepts (2nd Edition) Authors: Michael L. Shuler, Fikret Kargi. Publisher: Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall (ISBN: 0130819085)
Where it fits
CHE4171 is part of 1 area of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Ooi Chien Wei
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Ooi Chien Wei
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for CHE4171?
You need CHM1051, BPS1011, CHM1011, BPS1021 or CHM1022 before you enrol.
When is CHE4171 offered?
In 2026, CHE4171 runs in Semester 2 at Malaysia.
How much work is CHE4171?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does CHE4171 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 40% of the final mark, alongside 4 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include CHE4171?
CHE4171 is part of Chemical engineering.