Assessor Resource
MSS017002A
Determine process loss through mass or energy balancing
Assessment tool
Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024
This unit is a Vocational Graduate Certificate unit and follows the AQF guidelines for such units in that it assumes an entry qualification, such as:
an Advanced Diploma or Diploma in sustainability or relevant technical field
a Bachelor Degree in a relevant technical field
other relevant higher education qualifications, often with relevant vocational practice
relevant extensive vocational practice, without formal qualifications but which result in appropriate entry level skills.
This unit covers the analysis of a mass (material) and energy (usually heat or motive force) flows through a process to determine overall mass and energy efficiency, losses which occur through the process and how much loss occurs in each part of the process. This is achieved by the application of the techniques of mass balancing, energy balancing and combined mass and energy balancing. The application of this unit is especially suitable where high volumes of materials or large amounts of energy are used in a production process. The unit may also apply to other large energy or materials use processes in the value chain, such as logistics and transport.
This unit will lead to the identification of parts of the process which have the greatest resource loss/lowest resource use efficiency and so provides the basis for eliminating or reducing this loss and improving this efficiency. It does not include the implementation of that response (see MSS017004A Lead sustainable strategy deployment).
This unit would typically be undertaken by a manager or senior technologist who has significant responsibility for sustainability in their work role.
Skills covered by this unit may be applied individually or in a team context.
This unit of competency covers the analysis of a process to determine loss of resources by the application of the first law of thermodynamics (more commonly known as mass and energy balancing). It includes the selection of mass or energy balancing or both as appropriate to the type of processes being examined and may be applied to an entire process, part of a large process, or part/all of a value chain.
You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)