Chemical unit operations (2024)

Course manager

Simon Craige

Semester schedule

Autumn (13 + 3-week period)

ECTS

Language of instruction

English

Course type

Compulsory

Qualifications

Competences that are equivalent to participation in the disciplines - Mathematics 1 and 2, Physical chemistry and Projects 1 and 2 are recommended.

Objectives

The objective is to provide the students with a satisfactory foundation for the understanding and application of engineering and operational processes used within biotechnology-based industries (including chemical, biochemical, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as parts of the food industry).

This course will present the student with a specific range of Process Unit Operations with emphasis on the student's understanding of the physical/thermodynamic principles involved. Teaching will be provided in Fluid Mechanics, relating to equipment operations, and calculations relating to fluid statics and dynamics. The students is expected to acquire an understanding of how the individual unit operations are combined into the overall design of processing plants. Training will also be provided in some of the skills expected of ingineer working in industry, such as critical thinking, effective communication, and incorporation of safety and sustainability into process and plant design.

Content

Development, use and interpretation of process and engineering drawings
Introduction to principles of process design
Operational utilities and ancillary services/equipment
Flow in piping systems , vessels and tanks
Design and operation of pumps
Requirements and processes used to achieve and maintain aseptic conditions in biotechnology based production
Filtration and membrane processes
Extraction and chromatographic based separation/purification processes
Separation and precipitation processes (e.g. centrifugal separators, precipitation/recrystallisation).
Different types of heat transfer, and the design and sizing of heat exchangers
Evaporation and drying processes
Freeze-drying technigues
Critical thinking and written/oral communication skills for engineers
Fundaments of project Management

The purposes of the laboratory/practical elements of the course (corresponding to 4 ECTS) are to illustrate, explain and apply theoretical principles by way of practical exercises comprising subjects from the course.

Learning targets

On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge

Assess how changes in operational conditions and/or equipment/unit design can effect the overall process performance.
Work responsibly with process unit operations, in terms of safety and compliance with given safety regulations and codes of practice
Understand the principles of selected process unit operations
An appreciation of the role of Engineering in Industry

Skills

Explain how a production process can be broken down into unit operations
Compile, use and interpret engineering drawings (i.e. PDFs, P&IDs)
Calculate sizes, flows, pressures and temperature of processing-plant components
Assess the capabilities, and troubleshoot issues with process plant pumping and heating system
Size process equipment for selected unit operations (not detailed dimensioning)

Competences

Assess how changed operation conditions or processing equipment can affect the overall process
Principles of process operations and process design
Evaluate pocess flow in pumped, piped and storage system

Teaching method

Lectures, seminars, group work, evaluating and solving engineering-based problems/case studies, site visits, and practical/experimental exercises.

Qualifications for examination participation

Participation in laboratory exercises and acceptance of associated reports and papers
Approval of all written assignments
Participation in all planned site visits
Participation in all planned teaching activities involving external lecturers

All course work shall be executed and submitted pursuant to guidelines set out by the course manager.

Examination and aids

Oral examination based on a selected laboratory/practical exercise plus a theoretical topic. Duration of examination: 30 min. No preparation time.

Permitted aids: Reports on laboratory exercises. No access to the internet.

Marking

External

Grading

The 7-point grading scale