Chemical Engineering provides an introduction to production and process design. Beyond different types and operation of chemical or bio-reactors, issues of scaling, new synthesis methods and problems of industrial production are addressed. An introduction in heterogeneous catalysis and transport of impulse, mass and energy connect the new concepts to the basic education in chemistry and biology.
Learning objective
Intended for chemists, chemical engineers, biochemists and biologists, the course Chemical and Bioengineering 4th semester addresses the basics of production and process design. Starting with different reactors, process steps and unit operations in production, the industrial scale usage of chemicals and reagents are discussed and further illustrated by examples. Material and energy balances and the concept of selectivity are used to broaden the students view on the complexity of production and show how modern engineering can contribute to an environmentally sustainable production. In the second part of the lecture, reactors, single cells or living matter are discussed in terms of transport properties. Beyond metabolism or chemical processes, transport of impulse, mass and energy heavily influence chemical and biological processes. They are introduced simultaneously and provide a basis for the understanding of flow, diffusion and heat transport. Dimensionless numbers are used to implement transport properties in unit operations and process design. An introduction to heterogeneous catalysis connects the acquired concepts to chemistry and biology and shows how powerful new processes arise from combining molecular understanding and transport.
Content
Elements of chemical transformations: preparation of reactants, reaction process, product work-up and recycling, product purification; continuous, semibatch and batch processes; material balances: chemical reactors and separation processes, multiple systems and multistage systems; energy balances: chemical reactors and separation processes, enthalpy changes, coupled material and energy balances; multiple reactions: optimisation of reactor performance, yield and selectivity; mass transport and chemical reaction: mixing effects in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, diffusion and reaction in porous materials; heat exchange and chemical reaction: adiabatic reactors, optimum operating conditions for exothermic and endothermic equilibrium reactions, thermal runaway, reactor size and scale up.
Lecture notes
Supporting material to the course is available on the homepage www.fml.ethz.ch
Literature
Literature and text books are announced at the beginning of the course.
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
In examination block for
Bachelor's Degree Programme in Chemical Engineering 2006; Version 27.03.2018 (Examination Block I) Bachelor's Degree Programme in Chemical Engineering 2018; Version 26.09.2022 (Examination Block I) Bachelor's Degree Programme in Chemistry 2005; Version 27.03.2018 (Examination Block I) Bachelor's Degree Programme in Chemistry 2018; Version 26.09.2022 (Examination Block I)
The performance assessment is offered every session. Repetition possible without re-enrolling for the course unit.
Mode of examination
written 90 minutes
Additional information on mode of examination
Den Studierenden wird zum Bestehen der Prüfung empfohlen, die Übungseinheiten zu besuchen und deren Aufgaben zu lösen.
Written aids
Alle Unterlagen aus der Vorlesung, Levenspiel, andere Lehrbücher, Taschenrechner, eigene Notizen zur Vorlesung. Keine Computer oder multimediale Kommunikationsmittel.
If the course unit is part of an examination block, the credits are allocated for the successful completion of the whole block. This information can be updated until the beginning of the semester; information on the examination timetable is binding.
Learning materials
No public learning materials available.
Only public learning materials are listed.
Groups
No information on groups available.
Restrictions
There are no additional restrictions for the registration.
Performance assessment as a semester course