Kappa Tau Consulting

A Chemist's Guide to Chemical Engineering

Background

Many R&D chemists are very often at a disadvantage when working on process development because of their lack of knowledge about the basic principles of chemical engineering.

Most chemical engineering courses that are aimed at chemists are actually developed and presented by chemical engineers. These course tend be very mathematically based and neither suitable nor interesting for R&D chemists.

This course is different and has been developed and is presented by a chemist for chemists. Therefore, it does not dwell on the derivation of a mathematical formula or equations but focuses on what chemists need to know about the information and data that engineers require.

Chemical engineering without mathematics is impossible and so this course does contain mathematics that should not trouble degree level chemists. Rather than know the derivation of a mathematical formula or an equation a chemist needs to know where and how it is used and why it is important.

The chemist needs to understand what information and data are needed by engineers and why it is needed. Chemists do not need to know how to design plants and equipment and since most chemists are not interested this course does not attempt to teach them.

Course Objectives

In order for chemists and engineers to interact and collaborate they need to understand and appreciate the point of view of the other discipline.

This course sets out to give chemists an introduction to the main topics in chemical engineering and help them realise the importance of the subject. The course will not be attempting to convert chemists into design engineers but it is hoped that it will help chemists understand what chemical engineering is and how chemists can improve their own job function and career prospects.

The course will introduce and describe the principles of chemical engineering without resorting to the excessive use of mathematics. It is hoped that attendees on the course will better appreciate the vital interaction between chemistry and engineering.

It will assist chemists to appreciate the type of data needed by engineers and why it is needed. In so doing it will allow chemists to realise how a better understanding of chemical engineering will improve their own job function, career and work in process development.

Potential Audience

Chemists who have recently started or are planning to work on process R&D, pilot plants or production plants.

The Course Content is Shown Below

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

What is Chemical Engineering?
Dimensionless Numbers, what are they and what do they mean?
Mass Balances
Energy Balances
Process Flow Diagrams

SECTION 2 - FLUIDS, FLUID FLOW and MIXING

Introduction to Fluid Flow
Reynolds Number
Friction in Pipes and Bernoulli's Equation
Pumping Fluids and Types of Pumps
The Importance of Mixing
Mixing and Blending Operations
Types of Mixers and Agitators
Effect of Mixing on Reactions and Products

SECTION 3 - HEAT TRANSFER

Introduction to Heat Transfer
Heat Transfer Coefficients
Heat Exchangers
Introduction to Drying
Analysing Drier Performance
Psychrometric Charts

SECTION 4 - MASS TRANSFER and SEPARATIONS

Introduction to Mass Transfer
Introduction to Separation Processes
Introduction to Column Separations
Gas Absorption Techniques
Introduction to Distillation
Vapour Pressure and VLE Data
Distillation Techniques
Extractive and Azeotropic Distillation
Information Required for Column Design

SECTION 5 - SOLID/LIQUID SEPARATIONS

Introduction to Solid Liquid Separations
Selecting SLS Equipment
Centrifugation and Centrifuges
Filtration and Filters
Evaluating Centrifuge Performance

SECTION 6 - EXTRACTION and EXTRACTION PROCESSES

Introduction to Extraction Processes
Solvent Extraction
Mass Balance in Extraction
Using and Understanding Phase Diagrams

SECTION 7 - REACTORS

Types of Reactors
Reactor Design
Scale Up of Reactors
Batch Reactor Performance and Modelling

WORKSHOPS, PROBLEMS and CASE STUDIES

The course will include some basic problems and case studies on an individual and group basis.
These will include evaluation of mass and energy balances, estimating pumping requirements and fluid flow, some basic process design concepts including distillation and calculation of heating and cooling requirements.


Course Timings and Locations

In-House Courses

To discuss in-house courses based on the above outline please contact Kappa Tau Consulting.
By email to Chemical Engineering or by Telephone or Fax to +44 (0)1642 653484.

Public Courses

The next course is to be held from 26th to 29th October 2010 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel, Switzerland.
For full details please visit the web site of the organiser Scientific Update and bookings should be made via the Scientific Update web site or by emailing sciup@scientificupdate.co.uk .

Alternatively please write to Scientific Update LLP, Maycroft Place, Stone Cross, Mayfield, East Sussex, TN20 6EW, UK.
or telephone +44 (0)1435 873062 or Fax +44 (0)1435 872734.
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