DPEE case studies

DPEE · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The Diploma in Professional Engineering Examination (DPEE) is a professional credential for engineers who want to demonstrate that they can apply engineering knowledge in practical, workplace settings. It suits early-career engineers preparing for greater responsibility, technicians moving into engineering roles, and experienced practitioners seeking formal recognition. The DPEE case studies are 6 cases and about 7,414 words.

Hot-Weather Cavitation on a Clarified-Water Pump

A 250 mm horizontal centrifugal pump at a water-treatment works lifts clarified water from an open sump to the filter gallery. Nameplate duty is 45 L/s at 32 m head and 1,470 rpm.

1,196 words, about 6 min 2

Induced-Draft Fan Frame Resonance After a Motor Upgrade

A cement plant replaced the induced-draft fan serving its kiln baghouse. The new fan runs at 990 rpm and is driven by a 160 kW motor.

1,129 words, about 6 min 3

Heat Recovery Justification and a Slipping Project

A food-processing plant is evaluating a heat-recovery package on its ammonia refrigeration plant. Installed cost is 2.40 million, with a six-month construction period and commissioning in month 7.

1,165 words, about 6 min 4

Rebar Substitution and a Verbal Approval

You are the engineer of record for a six-storey reinforced-concrete residential building. Thirty hours before a scheduled column pour, a routine site visit shows that the vertical bars in the cages for two column lines are 16 mm at 200 mm centres, whereas your issued-for-construction drawings require eight 20 mm bars per column - 2,510 mm² of steel, exactly the 1.0% minimum ratio relied on for the 500 × 500 mm columns (f'c 40 MPa, fy 420 MPa).

1,261 words, about 6 min 5

Loss of Ventilation During a Wet-Well Confined Space Entry

At a municipal wastewater treatment plant, a contractor's crew of three is cleaning a 4.5 m deep wet well. The entry permit was issued at 07:00 for a two-hour entry, listing a forced-air blower, continuous H2S/O2/LEL monitoring at the entry point, a tripod and harness, and a standby attendant.

1,274 words, about 6 min 6

Predictive Maintenance Model Built on Unreliable Sensor Data

A paper mill has deployed an AI-based predictive maintenance model on 14 critical motors and gearboxes. The vendor reports 92% accuracy in detecting impending bearing failure four weeks ahead.

1,389 words, about 7 min