CH ENGR 104A:

Chemical and Biomolecular

Engineering Laboratory I
Spring 2015
(Last revised: April 1, 2015)

Instructor: Dr. Timothy G. Grasel (tgrasel@ucla.edu)

5506 Boelter Hall
(310) 825-9788
Office Hours: Mondays/Wednesdays by appointment.

TAs: Andres Aguirre (aaguirre1@ucla.edu)

Marquis Crose (grantcrose@ucla.edu)
Kari Moses (kvarin@ucla.edu)

Note: Teaching assistants may rotate between different lab sections.

Lecture: 5272 Boelter Hall, Monday and Wednesday, 2:00-2:50 PM

Laboratory: 6541 Boelter Hall (Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Laboratory)

Section 1A: Monday and Wednesday, 11:00 AM – 1:50 PM
Section 1B: Monday and Wednesday, 3:00 – 5:50 PM

Final: A cumulative exam will be given on Thursday, June 11, 2015,

11:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Website: http://ccle.ucla.edu

Texts Required Materials:

• Course handouts distributed on course website

• One bound laboratory notebook per group

Patience, G.S. Experimental Methods and Instrumentation for Chemical

Engineers, Elsevier: Waltham, MA, 2013.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 2

Recommended Materials:

Andersson, O, Experiment!: Planning, Implementing, and Interpreting,

Wiley: New York, NY, 2012 (online access through the UCLA Libraries
and Collections).

Overview (Course Description from UCLA Registrar)

• Investigation of basic transport phenomena in ten predetermined experiments,

collection of data for statistical analysis and individually written technical reports
and group presentations
• Design and performance of one original experimental study involving transport,
separation, or another aspect of chemical and biomolecular engineering
• Basic statistics: mean, standard deviation, confidence limits, comparison of two
means and of multiple means, single and multiple variable linear regression, and
brief introduction to factorial design of experiments
• Oral and poster presentations
• Technical writing of sections of technical reports and their contents; writing
clearly, concisely, and consistently; importance of word choices and punctuation
in multicultural engineering environment and of following required formatting

Safety

Laboratory and industrial safety is an important aspect of chemical engineering.

Unsafe conditions can not only result in loss of property but also, more importantly,
injury or loss of life. Therefore, safety rules will be strictly enforced in this course.
Unsafe behavior can and will result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal
from class.

• Safety glasses must be worn in the laboratory at all times. Nitrile gloves must
be worn when working with hazardous materials.
• Students need to provide their own laboratory coats. This is a new policy,
effective April 1, 2014.
• Food and drinks (even water) are never allowed in the lab.
• Gloves may not be worn outside of the lab.
• Students cannot wear open-toed shoes and must wear long pants at all times. No
dresses, skirts, kilts, shorts or sandals are allowed.
• Students must evaluate and be aware of all potential hazardous operations. For
instance, some operations will require students to wear nitrile gloves.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 3

Course Structure and Logistics

This course consists of two parts. The first part consists of experiments related to
chemical engineering principles and methods of measurement. Information about these
experiments will be posted ahead of time on the course website. The second part of the
course is designed to allow students to develop their own approach to solving a problem
of their choice in the area of momentum transfer, heat transfer, mass transfer, or
separations. At that time, student groups will be asked to develop a plan to solve a
problem and then implement the approved plan.

Experiments are intentionally presented to students in an open-ended fashion.

Applicable theory is not always provided, and students are expected to be familiar with
the material (from prerequisite or co-requisite courses) or to be able to find the applicable
underlying theory. In these investigations, there often is not a single correct answer;
there are frequently several different ways to arrive at valid results.

We value leadership and collaboration. Your future employers will require

collaboration and the ability to work in teams. Students in this lab develop and refine
skills as leaders and team members. Each group is expected to have an appointed leader,
who will rotate with each experiment.

TAs will record laboratory attendance; group members must clean up at the end of
each session and check out with their TA. TAs (and the instructor) will monitor the safe
operating practices of students. Students are required to cheerfully clean up after
themselves and also clean as requested by the instructor or TA, even if the area or items
to be cleaned were not their responsibility. There will be a final grade deduction of up to
5%, depending on the severity, at the discretion of the instructor, for each unexcused
absence. Excused absences will be generally limited to medical reasons or family
emergencies that will require documentation, such as a doctor’s note or obituary. There
will be a deduction of up to 1% in the final grade, at the discretion of the instructor, for
each late arrival (> 10 minutes) or failure to clean up or check out. A similar deduction
will take place for failure to observe safe practices or wear appropriate personal
protective equipment.

Students are expected to be punctual to lecture, which will start promptly. Students
are expected to be courteous at all times. Students shall silence cell phones during
lecture and laboratory.

Course Grading

One objective of this course is to develop group working skills, as well as oral and
written communication skills. Assignments handed in late are subject to a loss of ten
percent per day; for example, a report that is two days late will receive a maximum grade
of 80%. No late final project reports will be accepted for grading. Exceptions will be
rare and must be negotiated, in writing, in advance. Students are expected to recognize
that much of the grading in this course (especially for experiment reports and oral
presentations) is based on subjective criteria. Grades are not subject to negotiation, and
the decision of the instructor is final.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 4

Quizzes/Homework (25%) There will be several unannounced quizzes and up to two

homework assignments during the term. There are no quiz
make-ups, but the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. A
final exam, which will carry a higher weight than the other
quizzes, will be given at the end of the quarter. Homework
is used to assess course outcomes; therefore homework
must be submitted in order to pass the course.

Investigation Reports Reports for the investigations in the first part of this course
(45%) are given in different formats. The first Investigation
Report (10%) will be a group written report. The second
Investigation Report (17.5%) will be individually written.
The third Investigation Report (17.5%) will be an oral
report, presented in groups of two (or in rare cases, three).
The maximum length for written reports will be five pages
(not including References or Appendix). The maximum
oral presentation length for two-person groups is 10
minutes. The topic for each report will be assigned by the
instructor and communicated to students at least one week
prior to the due date.

Lab Performance (5%)
Each group member must understand each investigation, be
present for each lab, and participate in data collection and
analysis. Adjustments due to excused and unexcused
absences and tardiness are made from this portion of the
grade. Each group’s data and observations are to be
recorded in a bound notebook in pen and ink. Notebooks
will be graded periodically.

Project (25%) The project grade will be based on the work plan (written
as a group) (5%) and a written report (20%). The Instructor
will announce before the midpoint of the term whether the
written project report will be written individually or as a
group.

Students will be solicited for feedback on the performance of their lab partners; group
report and project grades will be adjusted to reflect disproportionate participation. At the
discretion of the Instructor, scaling factors may be added to quiz and report grades to
achieve a median class score between 78 and 80%.

Grade assignments by cumulative percentages will be as follows: A: 87.5+%;

A-: 85%; B+: 82.5%; B: 80%; B-: 75%; C+: 72.5%; C: 70%; C-: 65%
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 5

Report Submission

All individual and group written reports will be submitted online using TurnItIn,
which will be accessed using the course website in CCLE. The submission procedure
involves logging into the class website and following the submission-related links.
Students should plan to produce their reports in PDF format. A detailed submission
procedure will be communicated in advance of the due dates.

Library Reserves and Online Resources

• Alley, M. The Craft of Scientific Presentations: Critical Steps to Succeed and

Critical Errors to Avoid, 2nd ed.; Springer: New York, NY, 2013 (online access
through the UCLA Libraries and Collections).
• Alley, M. The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd Ed.; Springer Verlag: New York,
NY, 1996.
• Holman, J. P., Experimental Methods for Engineers, McGraw-Hill: Boston, MA,
2011 (on permanent library reserve).
• Miller, I; Freund, J.E.; Johnson, R.A. Miller and Freund’s Probability and
Statistics for Engineers; Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddlebrook, NJ, 2005 (on
permanent library reserve).
• Montgomery, D.C.; Runger, G.C. Applied Statistics and Probability for
Engineers, 6th ed.; Wiley: New York, 2014 (on permanent library reserve).
• Taylor, J.R. An Introduction to Error Analysis: The Study of Uncertainties in
Physical Measurements; University Science Books: Sausalito, CA, 1997 (on
permanent library reserve).

Students are encouraged to refer to the textbooks used in their prerequisite courses.
Students are expected to be able to locate chemical and engineering reference materials
and physical property data. Current editions of Perry’s Chemical Engineers Handbook
and the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics are available online for all UCLA
students through the UCLA Libraries and Collections.

ABET Information

The UCLA Chemical Engineering program is nationally accredited. All chemical

engineering graduates are expected to acquire certain knowledge and skills by the time of
graduation. These are called ABET Program Outcomes and are listed on the
departmental website, on myEngineering, and on a poster in the hall outside 5531/5532
BH. Each required course addresses a subset of these Program Outcomes to a varying
extent. The instructor must make a detailed assessment of whether or not students in the
class achieved satisfactory performance relative to all Highlighted Outcomes for the
course.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 6

The Highlighted Outcomes for CH ENGR 104A are:

• An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret

data.
• An ability to communicate effectively (oral and written).
• The recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning.

The methods of assessing achievement of these outcomes are:

1. Observation of activities performed in the laboratory, including observation of

teamwork and evaluation of laboratory documentation (experiment plans,
notebooks, laboratory reports)
2. Evaluation of performance on an assigned oral presentation
3. Evaluation of performance on methods, results, and discussion sections of a
written laboratory report
4. Evaluation of performance on selected homework or quiz problems. The ABET
assessment designation will generally be noted on the quiz or assignment.

An evaluation result of 75% or better on the above-listed criteria will provide evidence
that the outcomes have been achieved.

HSSEAS Academic Integrity Policy

The HSSEAS Academic Integrity Policy is available on the UCLA Engineering

website. The HSSEAS policy statement also will guide you to the Student Guide to
Academic Integrity available at the website for the Office of the Dean of Students. Please
note additional policy items for this class:

1. Sharing of information of any kind among students during exams and quizzes is
prohibited.
2. Homework assignments must be reflective of individual student effort. Students must
attempt all written assignments and reports independently before discussing them
with classmates. Students may discuss assignments and projects with classmates to a
limited extent. However, students must not dictate detailed solution procedures or
provide written copies of solutions (from any source) for others to copy or
paraphrase. If in doubt about this issue, you should ask yourself, “If I give this help,
will I be destroying all, or nearly all, educational benefit of this homework problem,
report, or project for my classmate?” If the answer is “yes,” you are to avoid putting
yourself and your classmate in violation of the academic integrity policy.
3. Unless specified as a “group report,” the Investigation Report is expected to be the
result of individual student effort. After the conclusion of the final laboratory period
for the assigned experiment, students are expected to work independently. Students
shall not share data, calculations, or results that are not in their lab notebook at the
end of the final lab session.
4. Students shall not use the work of others as templates for their own experimental
descriptions, data, or analysis.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 7

5. The use of homework, project, lab report, quiz, or exam solutions from any source is
prohibited, unless they are distributed to the class by the instructor or a course TA.
6. References to literature are subject to verification. Failure to provide an appropriate,
traceable reference may result in a failing grade for the section of the report where the
reference was cited, and for the “References and Research” section of the report.
Dishonesty with citations may result in a failing grade for the report.

Information for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities are capable individuals who may require adaptation of
materials, methods, or environments to facilitate learning. Accommodations also ensure
that when students are evaluated, they are able to demonstrate what they have learned,
rather than the effects of their disability. Each year, through collaborative efforts
between students, faculty members, and the Office for Students with Disability (OSD),
equal educational opportunities are achieved. The University treats and protects all
disability-related information as confidential medical information.

If you wish to request an accommodation due to a suspected or documented

disability, please inform Dr. Grasel and contact the Office for Students with Disabilities
as soon as possible at A255 Murphy Hall, (310) 206-6083 (Telephone Device for the
Deaf). Their website is www.osd.ucla.edu.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 8

Chemical Engineering 104A

Spring 2015 PRELIMINARY Lecture Schedule and Key Due Dates

Last revised: March 26, 2015

• Other topics may be scheduled.

• Changes will be posted to the Course Website.
• Unannounced quizzes will be given during some lecture periods.
• Students will be assigned Lab Modules or specific investigations to be used for their written and
oral reports.

Week Date Lecture/Classroom Topic

March 30 Introduction and Safety
1
April 1 Project Overview
April 6 Technical Writing Style
2
April 8 Written Report Expectations
April 13 Written Documents
3
April 15 Experimental Data and Statistics 1 (Textbook Sections 2.1-2.3)
April 20 Experimental Data and Statistics 2 (Textbook Sections 2.5, 3.3)
4
April 22 Experimental Data and Statistics 3 (Textbook Sections 2.3 and 3.3)
April 27 Experimental Data and Statistics 4 (Textbook Section 2.3; 3.1-3.3)
5
April 29 Experimental Data and Statistics 4, cont’d (Textbook Section 2.3; 3.1-3.3)
May 4 Experimental Data and Statistics 4, cont’d (Textbook Section 2.3; 3.1-3.4)
6
May 6 Oral Reports, Presentation Slides, and Delivery
May 11 Oral Reports, Presentation Slides, and Delivery, continued
7
May 13 Oral Reports, Presentation Slides, and Delivery, continued
May 18 Design of Experiments
8
May 20 Investigation Report 3 (oral reports). Non-presenter attendance is optional.
May 25 Holiday (no lecture)
9
May 27 Investigation Report 3 (oral reports). Non-presenter attendance is optional.
June 1 Investigation Report 3 (oral reports). Non-presenter attendance is optional.
10
June 3 Course survey time; Final exam topics
Finals Week

Key Due Dates as of April 1, 2015

April 8 (Wednesday) Safety training documentation due at 8:00 AM (each student)

April 15 (Wednesday)
April 27 (Monday)
May 4 (Monday)
May 13 (Wednesday)
May 27 (Wednesday)
June 8 (Monday)
June 11 (Thursday)
Project idea memorandum due at 8:00 AM (one per group)
Investigation Report 1 due at 8:00 AM (one per group)
First homework packet due at 2:00 PM (each student)
Project material requests due at 2:00 PM (one per group)
Investigation Report 2 due at 8:00 AM (each student)
Second homework packet due at 2:00 PM (each student)
Project report due at 2:00 PM (one per group)
Team member feedback form due at 2:00 PM (each student)
Cumulative exam, 11:00 AM. No early exams will be given.
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 9

Chemical Engineering 104A

Spring 2015 Laboratory Schedule

Last revised: March 26, 2015

This schedule is subject to change at discretion of instructor due to equipment and laboratory room
variability and other activities. Experiments may be changed or modified during the quarter. Students are
expected to check the “Announcements” section of the Course Website on a daily basis, in order to view
changes to the Schedule.

Week of Monday Wednesday

March 30 Lab Introduction and Tour Investigation Overviews (in Lab)
Lab-Specific Safety Items Research and References (Library)
Laboratory Notebooks
April 6 Lab Equipment Temperature and Pressure
Analytical Method Validation Measurements
April 13 Lab 1 Lab 2
Topic Assigned: Report #1
April 20 Lab 3 Lab 4
April 27 Lab 5 Lab 6
Topic Assigned: Report #2 Topic Assigned: Oral Report

May 4 Lab 7 Project proposal reviews

May 11 Project lab period Project lab period
May 18 Project lab period Oral Reports (in lab, all three hours)
May 25 Holiday (no lab) Project lab period

June 1 Finish projects Lab cleanup (Mandatory)

June 8 (Finals Week)

Investigation Schedule

Last revised: April 1, 2015

This schedule is always subject to change. Experiments may be added or substituted.

April 13 April 15 April 20 April 22 April 27 April 29 May 4

Group Obstruction Heat
1 Pitot Tube Flow Meters Exchanger Composition RO Heating Fins Open
Group Obstruction Heat
2 Flow Meters Exchanger Composition RO Heating Fins Pitot Tube Open
Group Heat Obstruction
3 Exchanger Composition RO Heating Fins Pitot Tube Flow Meters Open
Group Obstruction Heat
4 Composition RO Heating Fins Pitot Tube Flow Meters Exchanger Open
Group Obstruction Heat
5 RO Heating Fins Pitot Tube Flow Meters Exchanger Composition Open
Group Obstruction Heat
6 Heating Fins Pitot Tube Flow Meters Exchanger Composition RO Open
CH ENGR 104A Spring 2015 Syllabus page 10

Textbook and Course Website Materials

These are places to start your research. Each apparatus has a 3-ring binder nearby that may contain some
reference materials. Don’t forget to consult with your textbooks from prerequisite courses and also the
applicable sections in Perry’s Chemical Engineer’s Handbook.

Topic Places to Start Your Research

Temperature and Course Notes in CCLE, Textbook Sections 4.1-4.4 and 5.1-5.4.3
Pressure
Measurements
Composition Lecture notes on “Analytical Method Validation,” Textbook Section 2.4 and 8.4-
Module (Analytical 8.5
Method Validation)
Compressible Flow Course Notes in CCLE, Textbook Sections 6.1-6.7
Obstruction Flow Course Notes in CCLE, Textbook Sections 6.1-6.7
Meters
Heat Exchanger Course Notes in CCLE, Heat Exchange Textbooks
Pitot Tube Course Notes in CCLE, Textbook Section 6.5.5
Reverse Osmosis Course Notes in CCLE
Heating Fins Course Notes in CCLE,

Bergman, T.L.; Lavine, A.S.; Incropera, F. P.; Dewitt, D.P. Fundamentals of Heat
and Mass Transfer, 7th ed.; Wiley: New York, 2011, pp. 154-164.

Bird, R.B.; Stewart, W.E.; Lightfoot, E.N.; Transport Phenomena, 2nd ed.; Wiley,
New York, 2008, pp. 309-310.