Recommended prerequisite for participation in the module

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

The course is focused on introductory, basic and fundamental aspects of chemical processes and chemical engineering thermodynamics. It covers basic process variables used in chemical engineering, material and energy balances, volumetric equations of state and phase equilibrium, as well as basic chemical process calculations based on these concepts.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

Students who have passed the module should be able to

• Explain the concept of units of physical quantities, fundamental and derived units, and systems of units
• Account for mass, volume, density, pressure, temperature, and chemical composition
• Account for mass and volumetric flow rate
• Explain the concept of thermodynamic system and system boundaries
• Describe batch and continuous processes
• Explain the concept of steady state   
• Explain how material balances of a process are expressed as a system of mathematical equations
• Illustrate the PT and the PV state diagrams for pure fluids
• Explain the Gibbs Phase Rule
• Explain the concept of volumetric equation of state
• Explain the concept of ideal gas and describe the ideal gas equation of state
• Describe the virial equation of state
• Explain the concept of corresponding states
• Describe cubic equations of state and report basic cubic equations of state (van der Waals, Redlich-Kwong, Soave-Redlich-Kwong and Peng-Robinson equations of state)
• Explain how volumetric equations of state can be applied to mixtures
• Explain the main features of vapor-liquid and gas-liquid equilibrium
• Describe the Raoult’s Law and the Henry’s Law and their limitations
• Illustrate isobaric, isothermal, and y-x diagrams for the representation of vapor-liquid equilibrium for mixtures
• Explain the main features of solid-liquid equilibrium
• Describe colligative solutions properties (vapor pressure lowering, bubble point elevation, freezing point depression)
• Explain the main features of liquid-liquid equilibrium
• Explain the main features of adsorption
• Account for K-values and distribution factors in phase equilibria
• Account for kinetic, potential and internal energy, heat and work, and the First Principle of Thermodynamics
• Explain how to write energy balances to closed systems and to open systems at steady state
• Account for enthalpy, heat capacity and latent heats
• Explain the concept of reference state for internal energy and enthalpy calculations
• Describe the content of steam tables
• Describe the Bernoulli equation
• Explain procedures for energy balance calculations

Skills

• Convert values of physical quantities between units
• Retrieve or estimate thermodynamics parameters from experimental data collections and correlations
• Draw and label a flowsheet of a chemical engineering process
• Illustrate chemical engineering processes using state diagrams
• Establish and solve mass balances for non-reactive open systems at steady state
• Carry out volumetric (PVT) calculations for pure fluids and fluid mixtures
• Apply the Raoult’s Law to calculate bubble-point temperatures and bubble-point pressures for liquid mixtures
• Apply the Raoult’s Law to calculate dew-point temperatures and dew-point pressures for fluid mixtures
• Apply simple calculations based on mass balances and distribution factors on process units involving liquid-liquid equilibrium, solid-liquid equilibrium, and adsorption
• Establish and solve energy balances to non-reactive closed systems
• Establish and solve energy balances to non-reactive open systems as steady state
• Carry out calculations based on the steam tables

Competences

• Utilize thermodynamic and chemical engineering concepts and calculation techniques to carry out the basic design of an industrial chemical or biotechnology process
• Utilize thermodynamic and chemical engineering concepts and calculation techniques to analyze mass and energy balances of an industrial chemical or biotechnology process  

Type of instruction

Lectures as well as theoretical and practical exercises

Extent and expected workload

150 hours

Exam

Exams