CHE 307

CHEMICAL PROCESS PRINCIPLES I

Fall 2004

Instructor: P. C. Sukanek, Anderson 134, Ext. 7023

Text:

R. M. Felder and R. W. Rousseau, Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes, Third Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York (1999).  

References:

P. J. Pritchard, Mathcad: A Tool for Engineering Problem Solving, WCB McGraw-Hill (1998). (This provides a short, "professional" introduction to Mathcad, software which will be used throughout the chemical engineering curriculum. Some "homegrown" discussion and examples of the uses of Mathcad are available through the Chemical Engineering Department's on-line course materials. The link will allow you to download a Mathcad document. If you prefer, you can view the document on-line.
 

R. W. Perry and D. W. Green (eds.), Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, Seventh Edition, McGraw Hill, New York (1997). (This handbook contains a large amount of physical and thermodynamic property data for a number of materials, in addition to information on a variety of processes of interest to chemical engineers. It, too, will be used throughout the curriculum.)
 

R. C. Reid, J. M. Prausnitz and B. E. Polling, The Properties of Gases and Liquids, Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York (1987). (This book is devoted to providing data on and estimation methods for the properties of materials. It is a very useful book.)
 

Summary

This course will provide an introduction to steady-state mass balances (the mass that goes in comes out). Along the way, we will learn about reporting the amount of a substance on mass and molar bases, as well as process variables like temperature and pressure. At the end of the course, students should know how to:

• Convert values of temperature, pressure, flow and composition from one set of units to another and provide the result with an appropriate number of significant figures.

• Use a spreadsheet and "numerical scratchpad" for simple numerical calculations, to display curves and to fit measurements to a simple two-parameter curve.

• Read and use graphical and tabular information and interpolate in a table.

• Draw and label a block flow diagram given a simple process description.

• Set up and solve steady state mass balance problems for systems with and without chemical reaction, recycle and purge streams.

• Know when and how to use the ideal gas and compressibility factor equations of state.

• Understand and use simple vapor-liquid, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid equilibrium relationships.

Computer Use

Several problems assigned for homework, plus some of those in the case study, require a computer solution.  (These are clearly indicated in the text.)  Some problems in the book specify a method;  others may say "write a computer program," or something similar.   In all cases, these problems should be solved either with a spreadsheet (Quattro Pro or Excel) or Mathcad.  In no case is a Fortran or C program required for solution, although they may be used if you so choose.
 

Grades

Grades will be determined by performance on homework, exams, a group project and a comprehensive final exam. Exams will be on or about Tuesday, September 21, Tuesday October 19, and Thursday, November 18.  Homework problems from the book will be assigned and collected each class.  Grades for the course will be based on the final exam and the group project, homework, and 3 exams according to the following procedure:

Homework: 10%

Exams: 15% each

Project: 20%

Final exam: 25%

There are no make up exams, no exemptions from the final exam. The project is described below.

Homework

Homework problems will be assigned regularly. It is the responsibility of each student to know how to do each problem. Success in this course involves practice, and homework problems are meant to provide that practice. Homework is due to the instructor no later than the beginning of the class period for which it is assigned. Late assignments will not be accepted without prior approval of the instructor. Homework must be neat and must be submitted on clean, unfolded paper with multiple sheets stapled together. These problems will form the basis of the exams. (It is understood that all exam questions will not be verbatim from the book.) Answers must be in the correct units and with the appropriate number of significant figures. All procedures for solving the problems, including unit conversions, must be clearly shown. Flow diagrams must be provided when necessary, and they will be necessary for the majority of the problems.  In all cases, when help on problems is sought, a flow diagram should be prepared first.  When computers are used for solution, a hard copy of the work should be provided.

Since many of the homework problems may be challenging, students are encouraged to work together in small groups (2-4) on the solution of these problems.

It is the responsibility of each student to read and understand the required material in each chapter even though particular pages will not be assigned daily. The book contains a number example problems, which in general, will not be discussed in class. Students should review and know how to solve all the example problems.
 

Classroom Items

Students are expected to attend all classes. Although there are no strict rules, absences from three or more classes is exceptionally serious, and a student in this situation should consider dropping the course.

Eating, drinking, reading the newspaper and doing crossword puzzles are worthwhile activities. However, they should not be pursued in the classroom.

Cell phones will not ring during class.

If requested, additional classes for review may be held.
 

Outline (Approximate)
 

 Project

The case study described in Chapter 12 of the second edition of the text, Production of Soda Ash from Brine, will form the basis of the project. The project must be worked on in a group of no more than three individuals. Group membership may be decided by the class. The final grade for the project, which will form 20% of the course grade, will be based on the solutions for the individual problems assigned below and on the grade given to each group member by the others in the group. It is essential that each person in the group participate in the solution to each of the individual problems. Each assignment must contain the names of each of the group members, their signatures and the name of person who actually wrote it out.

Students should begin working on the problems as soon as possible. The names of each person in each group should be submitted to the instructor by September 9. The following problems from the chapter are due: