Unit 10:Unit 10: What is chemical engineering?What is chemical engineering?

Department of Chemical Engineering

Four questions:Four questions:

I. What is Chemical Engineering?II. What are the differences between

Chemical Engineering and Chemical technology?

III. Can you list some core courses of chemical engineering?

VI. What are the future trends in chemical engineering?

Raw Materials Processes Products

Definition of Chemical EngineeringDefinition of Chemical Engineering

In its simplest form, chemical engineering is the design, development and management of a wide and varied spectrum of industrial processes.

IChemE definition, 2005

Definition from our textbookDefinition from our textbook

Thus, chemical engineering is that branch of engineering which is concerned with the study of the design, manufacture, and operation of plant and machinery in industrial chemical processes.

How to make a definition?

Main subjects of chemical technologyMain subjects of chemical technology

material and pre-trement routine of production equipment and accessory catalyst effect of other material on the

process operating condition process flow separation and by-product use of energy evolution of technical economy

Job opportunities and Industries(1)Job opportunities and Industries(1)

Chemical engineering are employed across a huge variety of sector including:

Chemical and allied products Pharmaceuticals Energy Water Food & drink Oil & gas Process plants & equipment Biotechnology Business and management Consultancy

Job opportunities and Industries(2)Job opportunities and Industries(2)

Chemical engineers are,

on average, the highest paid of the "Big Four". Additionally, many chemical engineers have found their way into

upper management.

Jobs in foreign countriesJobs in foreign countries A chemical engineer is either

currently, or has previously, occupied the CEO position for: 3M, Du Pont, General Electric, Union Carbide, Dow Chemical, Exxon, BASF, Gulf Oil, Texaco, and B.F. Goodrich. Even a former director of the CIA, John M. Deutch, was a chemical engineer by training.

Jobs in ChinaJobs in China Chemicals, electronics,

petroleum refining, paper, and related industries

Professional, scientific, or technical services/firms/university that design chemical plants or perform R&D for chemical companies.

Core curriculumCore curriculum

More typically, chemical engineers concern themselves with the chemical processes that turn raw materials into valuable products. The necessary skills encompass all aspects of design, testing, scale-up, operation, control, and optimization, and require a detailed understanding of the various "unit operations", such as distillation, mixing, and biological processes, which make these conversions possible.

Chemical engineering science utilizes mass, momentum, and energy transfer along with thermodynamics and chemical kinetics to analyze and improve on these "unit operations."

Chemical Engineering Today & TomorrowChemical Engineering Today & Tomorrow

The "Big Four" engineering fields consist of civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineers. Of these, chemical engineers are numerically the smallest group. However, this relatively small group holds a very prominent position in many industries.

Future of Chemical EngineeringFuture of Chemical Engineering In the past, chemical engineering has

focused on large scale, low value chemical processes e.g. minerals, oil and gas, chemicals.

Increasingly, high value molecular engineering is giving sophisticated products spawning a new “molecular”

engineering industry.

BiotechnologyBiotechnology Molecular design of bio-

products, tissue engineering etc. Research at the interface

between health, biotechnology and engineering.

Constructing a pilot-scale facility for the production of biomolecules.

NanotechnologyNanotechnology

Creating products “bottom-up” using nano-assembly methods.

Synthesis of novel nanoporous carbon materials for membranes and catalysts.

Self assembly of colloidal nanomaterials. Synthesis of nanostructured carbons for

hydrogen storage.Fluidisation and reaction kinetics in beds

of nanoparticles.

Nanotechnology-exampleNanotechnology-example

Carbon nano-tubes: extremely strong, lightweight.

– Diameter: 1.2-1.5nm– 10,000 times stronger than steelApplications:– Strengthen structures– Electronic/optical– Hydrogen storage– Space elevator?

EnvironmentEnvironment

Increasing environmental awareness is creating new opportunities in the energy and sustainability industries.

Future of Chemical Engineering -Future of Chemical Engineering -ExamplesExamples

Hydrogen fuel

• 500 km on 4kg of H2

• Only product of combustion is water

Methanol Fuel Cells

• Mobile phone battery will last 6 months

• 2 weeks power for a laptop!

Note: Note:

Chemical engineering is not a profession that has to dwell on the achievements of the past for comfort, for its greatest accomplishments are yet to come.

That is to say, you are the future of That is to say, you are the future of chemical engineering.chemical engineering.

So if you want to be successful So if you want to be successful you must study hard!you must study hard!