Chemical Engineering

Introduces the discipline of Chemical Engineering and develops fundamental skills of unit conversion and material balancing. Systems of units for parameters such as concentration, flow, pressure and temperature are explained. Skills for solving steady-state material balance problems on reactive and non-reactive systems. An understanding of the chemical engineering discipline is gained through examples of major industries such as petroleum, pulp and paper, mining, and power production, etc.

Fundamentals such as vapor-liquid equilibrium, partial saturation and real gas relationships are introduced and integrated into material balance problems. The concepts of enthalpy and energy balances on open systems. Unsteady-state and simultaneous mass and energy balance systems are modeled and solved using computer packages.

Foundational analogies between fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and mass transfer, and the applications of those analogies to practice: Navier-Stokes, Fourier’s Law, Fick’s Laws and Chilton-Colburn J-factor. Turbulence: boundary layers, scaling, dispersion. Techniques for solving unsteady-state systems. Empirical correlations for estimating heat and mass transfer coefficients. Motion of particles in fluids. Theory and design of industrial equipment for clarification/sedimentation and cyclone separation.

Covers bomb and flow calorimetry, material and energy balance study, fluid mechanics experiments including flowmeter calibrations and pressure drop measurements in pipes and fittings. Interpretation of experimental data, group dynamics, safety issues, report writing and oral presentations. Students will work under close supervision.

The principles relating the properties and behaviour of engineering materials to their structure; atomic bonding forces and strength of interatomic and intermolecular bonding forces, atomic arrangements in solids, structural imperfections and atom movements in solids; principles of phase diagrams and their application to multiphase materials, with particular reference to the iron-carbon system; mechanical and electrical properties of engineering materials; semiconductors, polymers and ceramics; and their relation to internal structure .

Laboratory experiments are conducted to illustrate behaviour of materials and other concepts covered in CHE 2501.

Introduces principles of chemical process design strategy and decision making. Fundamental Chemical Engineering concepts such as material and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and materials science are integrated into the design process. Flowsheet preparation, chemical process safety, loss prevention and project planning; codes and standards, responsible care and environmental stewardship. Engineering economics and profitablity.