CH E 1121:

Chemical Engineering Seminar

Lecture 1 Objectives:
What is Chemical Engineering?
Historical Accomplishments
Fundamental Topics
Chemical Processes
Ammonia Synthesis
Flow Sheets
Chemical Engineering
involves the application of

math, chemistry, physics, and increasingly, biology

to model and understand chemical and physical

processes on molecular and macroscopic levels

and

to develop economic processes based on such changes

for the betterment of mankind.
 AIChE Top Ten Achievements of Ch E
Based on historical impact and creativity of response to societal need (1983)

Synthetic Rubber: Second largest government project after the Manhattan

project in WWII. Annual production: 325 M tires.
Antiobiotics and Medicines: Millions were killed in epidemics prior to the mass
production of effective medicines. Penicillin was developed in 1929.
Polymers: Predominant materials for consumer products. Annual production in US:
115 B lb. Bakelite (phenol/formaldehyde) was developed in 1905.
Synthetic Fibers: Rayon was first extruded in 1910 and nylon in 1939. Current
production of fibers is 8 B pounds/year.
Cyrogenic Separation of Air in O2 and N2: Nitrogen is used to make fertilizer
and as a cryogen; O2 is used in medicine and metals processing.
Separation of Nuclear Isotopes: Made nuclear energy possible; nuclear
isotopes are used in medical research, diagnostics, and treatments.
Catalytic Cracking of Crude Oil: Allowed oil to be transformed into a range of
hydrocarbon products, including fuels, plastics, pharmaceuticals.
Pollution Control: Catalytic converters for cars, scrubbers on smokestacks,
and other strategies used to protect and restore the environment.
Fertilizers (Ammonia): Improved agriculture productivity and reduced world hunger;
35 B pounds produced in US in 1995 - sixth largest of all chemicals.
Biomedical Engineering: Development of artificial organs.
Fundamental Topics for Ch E
Mass and Energy Balances: Analysis of Processes
Thermodynamics: Process feasibility; phase behavior - important
for separation of multicomponent mixtures
Fluid Mechanics: How fluids flow - important in pumping
Heat Transfer: How heat transfers - important for heat exchangers
Mass Transfer: Mixing or separation of chemical species using
distillation, extraction, evaporation, drying, absorption, etc.
Reaction Kinetics and Engineering: Modeling chemical
reactions; design and sizing of chemical reactors
Process Control: Control of the process to optimize economics,
including enhancing product quality and decreasing pollution
Materials and Corrosion: Materials selection and optimization
Economics: Cost and optimization of design and process options
 Professional Activities and Area
Fine Chemicals
Process Engineering Pharmaceuticals
Process Development Polymers/Plastics
Plant Design Fuels/Oil Refining
Environmental Engineering Foods
Technical Sales Biochemical/Biomedical
Technical Management Materials
Research Electronics
Pulp and Paper
All require technical proficiency
coupled with effective communication skills!
Chemical Engineering involves the application of
math, chemistry, physics, and increasingly, biology to model and
understand chemical and physical processes on both the molecular
and macroscopic levels and to develop economic processes based on
such changes for the betterment of mankind.

Chemical Process: Conversion of materials into desired products

using equipment and conditions which facilitate that conversion.

Laboratory Process: A + B → C

Delivery Heat transfer Reaction Separation

Chemical Process for A + B → C:

Hot Stream

Hot Stream

Tank Pump Heat Exchanger Reactor Distillation

Column
 Process Terminology
Continuous Process: Inputs and outputs flow continuously
through the process. Example: The chemical process
described on the previous page for making C from A and B.

Batch Process: Feed is charged into the system at the

beginning of the process and products are removed at one
time at the end. Example: The laboratory scheme for
making C from A and B shown earlier.

Steady State Process: Process variables do not change

with time (except possibly for minor fluctuations about
constant mean values).
 Flow Sheets
Block Diagrams

Process Flow Diagrams

Stream composition
Total stream flow
Stream temperature
Stream pressure

Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams

Most detailed diagram: equipment, process instrumentation,
piping, valves, fittings, materials specification, etc.
Example: Design of a Process to
Synthesize Ammonia
N2 + 3 H2 → NH3

N2
H2 NH3
Reactor

Continuous Process: Inputs and outputs flow

continuously through the process.

But, is the output realistic?

 Ammonia Synthesis: Product Purity
N2
N2 H2
H2 NH3
Reactor

There will be some residual reactant in the effluent.

How do we purify the product?

Compound Boiling Point at 1 atm, in °C

NH3 -33
H2 -253
N2 -196
Ammonia Production: Product Separation

N2
N2 H2
N2 H2
H2 NH3 Condenser
Reactor - 35 °C

NH3

Will the separation be perfect?

What should we do with the N2 and H2 exiting the

condenser?
Ammonia Production Process: Recycle Stream
N2 N2
H2 N2 H2
N2 N2 H2
H2 H2 NH3 Condenser
Reactor - 35 °C
Combiner

NH3

Gases such as N2 and H2 are expensive, bulky, and must

be compressed for efficient transport. H2 has the added
risk of explosion.

How can we modify the process to reduce risk and

increase profits?

What are possible sources of N2? Sources of H2?

 Ammonia Production: Sources for N2 and H2

N2 from Air: Separation of N2 and O2 using a Condenser

Compound Boiling Point at 1 atm, in °C

N2 - 196
O2 - 183

A possible H2 Source is Water:

H2O (gas) + 242 kJ → H2 + 1/2 O2

How might we provide the energy for this reaction?

 Ammonia Production Process: H2 Source

CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O (gas) + 803 kJ

3.3 H2O (gas) + 3.3 (242 kJ) → 3.3 H2 + 3.3/2 O2

CH4 + 0.35 O2 + 1.3 H2O→ CO2 + 3.3 H2 (gas) + ≈ 0 kJ .

H2
CO2 Compound TbN (°C)
CH4 CH4 H2 - 253
O2 O2 CO2 - 79
H 2O CH4 Reactor H 2O
(Burner)
CH4 - 164
O2 - 183
H2 O 100

What are the major gases we need to remove from the effluent stream?
Will this depend on the feed stoichiometry?
Do we need to remove all of the methane from the effluent?
 Ammonia Production Process: Methane Reactor

Operate the reactor with excess methane in the feed to

eliminate oxygen from the effluent.

Use a condenser to remove the major by-product, CO2.

Allow CH4 to enter the ammonia reactor with the H2.

Methane will pass through the ammonia reactor unchanged.

H2 CH4
CH4 CO2 H2
O2 CH4
H 2O CH4 Reactor H 2O Condenser
(Burner) - 85 °C

CO2
H 2O
 Ammonia Production Process
N2
H2
N2
CH4
N2 H2
(Air) N2 N2 H2 CH4
N2 H2 H2
Condenser NH3
O2 N2 CH4 CH4
- 190 °C CH4 Condenser
Reactor - 35 °C
H2
CH4
O2
NH3

CH4
H2
CH4 H2
CO2
CH4 O2 CH4
H 2O H 2O H 2O Condenser
CH4 Reactor
(Burner) - 85 °C

CO2
H 2O
 Ammonia Process with Purge N2
H2
N2 CH4
H2
N2
CH4
N2 H2
(Air) N2 N2 H2 CH4
N2 H2
Condenser H2 NH3
O2 N2 CH4 CH4
- 190 °C CH4 Condenser
Reactor - 35 °C
H2
CH4
O2
NH3

CH4
H2
CH4 H2
CO2
CH4 O2 CH4
H 2O H 2O CH4 Reactor H 2O Condenser
(Burner) - 85 °C

CO2
H 2O
 Ammonia Production Process:
Heat Integration and Heat Exchange
Are we wasting heat in our process?

Cold
Stream
B

Hot Warm
Heat
Stream Stream
Exchanger
A A

Cool
Stream
B
 FLUID HANDLING
Centrifugal
Turbine Valve +
Pump

a
or blower

Centrifugal
Centrifugal
compressor,
control
Valve
&
compressor
alternate symbol

HEAT TRANSFER
Air cooler
Shell-and-tube
-e Tubeside with finned

a
heat exchanger tubes
Water

Spray condenser
Fired heater
stream
Fuel 4

Coil in tank
Tray dryer

Rotary Water
dryer stream Cooling tower,
or kiln forced draft Air

MASS TRANSFER

-(.- fi
++
Filter

Tray column
Packed column Spray column
(2 packed beds)
VESSELS
Drum or tank (-1 Open tank
Jacketed

Drum or tank

Storage tank
Q Gas holder

Open vessel
with agitator
closed vessel
with agitator

Bin for solids

Figure 2.5 Typical symbols used in Process Flow and Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
 Ch E 1121 This Term
Examine a problem related to disposal of an acidic
byproduct: design a process and investigate how the
various topics in Ch E apply.

Discuss ethics and professionalism.

Discuss co-operative education and research

opportunities.
 HOMEWORK 1 DUE 9/9

Three-page double-spaced essay:

What is Chemical Engineering? and Why am I majoring in Chemical
Engineering?

FORMAT:
12-point Times or Times New Roman font
1" margins
Five space (1/4") paragraph indentions
No extra carriage returns between paragraphs
Two carriage returns after the title
Name in upper right hand corner
Number pages at bottom right
Staple in upper left hand corner
Staple your outline to the back of your paper

GRADING (out of 100):

Content/Organization 50
Format 20
Grammar/Spelling 20 (Five points off for every spelling error)
Outline 10
 Writing Guidelines

1. Make an outline and use it.

2. Use a topic sentence for every paragraph and be sure all
sentences in a paragraph relate to one another or to the topic
sentence.
3. Be sure the topic sentences are related logically. Read the first
sentence of every paragraph in the essay - does the organization
make sense?
4. Be sure that the first six words of each sentence (ignoring short
introductory phrases) include:
• a short specific subject (not "this", "that", "there", "it", etc.)
• a verb expressing a key action
• old information that sets a context for the rest of the sentence
5. Be precise and concise.
6. Do not use contractions or jargon. Do not use first person unless
necessary.
7. Make sure to include only relevant information! Do not include
parenthetical information - if it's important work it in; if not, omit!