CHEMICAL PLANTS
Academic Year 2016/2017 - 2° YearCredit Value: 9
Scientific field: ING-IND/25 - Chemical plants
Taught classes: 54 hours
Term / Semester: 1°
Learning Objectives
The course introduces to the knowledge of the more widespread process industry plants and equipment (Unit Operations), providing the fundamental elements for the choice and the calculation of the main units used in the operations of phase separation and for their management. At the end of the course, the student will be able to correctly determine the specifications of the individual devices and to evaluate the effects of a variation of operating parameters on the performance of the process.
Detailed Course Content
1. FLOW-SHEETING - (C&R, vol. 6 – cap. 4) 1.1 Introduction; 1.2 Flow-sheet presentation; 1.3 Manual flow-sheet calculations; 1.4 Computer-aided flow-sheeting; 1.5 Full steady-state simulation programs; 1.6 Simple material balance programs; 2. DESIGN INFORMATION AND DATA – (C&R, vol. 6 – cap. 8); 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 Sources of information on manufacturing processes; 2.3 General sources of physical properties; 2.4 Accuracy required of engineering data; 2.5 Prediction of physical properties; 2.6 Density; 2.7 Viscosity; 2.8 Thermal conductivity; 2.9 Specific heat capacity; 2.10 Enthalpy of vaporisation (latent heat); 2.11 Vapour pressure; 2.12 Diffusion coeffìcients (Diffusivities) 2.13 Surface tension; 2.14 Critical constants; 2.15 Enthalpy of reaction and enthalpy of formation; 2.16 Phase equilibrium data design of a chemical industrial process; 3. SEPARATION COLUMNS (DISTILLATION, ABSORPTION AND EXTRACTION) – C&R, vol. 6 – cap. 11; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Continuous distillation: process description; 3.3 Continuous distillation: basic principles; 3.4 Design variables in distillation; 3.5 Design methods for binary systems; 3.6 Multicomponent distillation: general considerations; 3.7 Multicomponent distillation: short-cut methods for stage and reflux requirements; 3.8 Multicomponent systems: rigorous solution procedures (computer methods); 3.9 Batch distillation; 3.10 Plate efficiency; 3.11 Approximate column sizing; 3.12 Plate contactors; 3.13 Plate hydraulic design; 3.14 Packed columns; 3.15 Column auxiliaries; 3.16 Solvent extraction (liquid-liquid extraction); 4.SEPARATION THROUGH COAGULATION AND FLOCCULATION – (Lecture notes); 4-1 Introduction; 4-2 Characteristics of particles; 4-3 Coagulation theory; 4-4 Coagulation practice; 4-5 Flocculation theory; 4-6 Mixing theory; 4-7 Mixing practice; 4-8 Operation and maintenance; 5. MEMBRANE SEPARATION PROCESSES – (C&R, vol 2 – cap. 8); 5.1 Introduction; 5.2 Classification of membrane processes; 5.3 The nature of synthetic membranes: 5.4 General membrane equation; 5.5 Cross-flow microfiltration; 5.6 Ultrafiltration; 5.7 Reverse osmosis; 5.8 Membrane modules and plant configuration; 5.9 Membrane fouling; 5.1 Electrodialysis; 5.1 1 Reverse osmosis water treatment plant; 6. ADSORPTION - (C&R, vol. 2 – cap. 17/Lecture notes); 6.1 Introduction; 6.2 The nature of adsorbents; 6.3 Adsorption equilibria; 6.4 Multicomponent adsorption; 6.5 Adsorption from liquids; 6.6 Structure of adsorbents; 6.7 Kinetic effects; 6.8 Adsorption equipment; 6.9 Regeneration of spent adsorbent; 7. LEACHING - (C&R, vol. 2 – cap. 10); 7.1 Introduction; 7.2 Mass transfer in leaching operations; 7.3 Equipment for leaching; 7.4 Countercurrent washing of solids; 7.5 Calculation of the number of stages; 7.6 Number of stages for countercurrent washing by graphical methods
Textbook Information
- Coulson & Richardson's Chemical Engineering, vol 6 – Chemical Engineering Design
- Richardson J.F., Backhurst J.R., Harker J.H. - Chemical Engineering - Volume 2 - Particle Technology
- Lecture notes