Course overview
The discipline of chemical engineering developed from society's need for products and energy. Chemical Engineers design, operate and optimise processes that convert raw materials into products and/or energy, which is often referred to as Process Engineering. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to mass and energy balances that are central to process engineering and underpin basic principles for calculation, design, control, safety, optimisation , intensification, implementation and sustainability of industrial processes and equipment. More than ever chemical engineers need to continue to meet the needs of society and use their process engineering knowledge, which is built from the combination of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and economics, and their problem-solving skills, to address global issues related to a growing population, limited resources and climate change. The course is delivered through a combination of lectures and workshops, tutorials, practicals and a site visit, self-directed learning and small group discovery. Once you have completed the course, you will be aware of the significant contribution process engineering makes to society and be able to understand and analyse simple processes.
Course learning outcomes
- Recognise and use concepts, conventions and calculations important in process engineering
- Draw and interpret pictures and diagrams depicting processes;
- Define and describe important processing engineering unit operations and equipment
- Identify and work with units and dimensions - including units' conversion between SI and the American Enginering units' systems
- Solve problems in a systematic and professional manner using conventional notation and terminology, including making assumptions when necessary and the importance of significant figures.
- Explain and apply the fundamental principles of materials and energy balances
- State the importance of fluid flow behaviour (such as viscosity, Reynods Number and velocity profile) in process engineering systems and learn application of the mechanical energy balance for pipe design and pump selection
- Understand the basic principles of Chemical Engineering in preparation for undertaking the core chemical engineering fundamental topics including: Fluid Mechanics Heat and Mass Transfer Reaction Engineering Process Control and Instrumentation Materials Economics Process Design