Learning outcome

After successfully completing the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence.

Knowledge

The candidate can:

• Explain the principles of mass and heat transfer
• Explain the principles of specific separation techniques used in the process industry
• Retrieve information from appropriate charts and tables relevant to the subject
• Calculate selected unit operations
• Use ASPEN HYSYS to calculate multicomponent distillation

Skills

The candidate can:

• Evaluate safety issues when working with chemical unit operations
• Work in teams on the planning and execution of experiments
• Carry out separation experiments, analyze and report results

General competence

The candidate:

• Is aware of the environmental and economic impacts of using unit operations in chemical process plants
• Can use practical judgment and perform simple calculations to assess chemical engineering results from computer programs, or from other engineers

Course Description

The course discusses some of the most common techniques used for separating gases, liquids and solids. It provides an introduction dimensioning and calculating some of these unit operations by hand. The course’s main topics are mass transfer, absorption, distillation, membrane processes, heat transfer and heat exchange. In addition, a brief introduction is given of other separation techniques used in the chemical process industry.

The simulation program Aspen HYSYS is used, focusing on multicomponent distillation.

The course also includes a laboratory component in which students will conduct experiments involving distillation, absorption, air separation by membranes and heat exchange.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Lectures, exercises, using computer tools and laboratory exercises.

Laboratory exercises: Obligatory attendance. Four laboratory exercises will be carried out during the course. The exercises will be carried out in groups and each group will submit four laboratory records. The laboratory exercises and records must be approved, but they will not be included in the final assessment. A record that is not approved on first submission, can be corrected and submitted again. If a record is not approved after the 3rd submission, the exercise will be assessed as being incomplete, resulting in the laboratory part of the course being given a failing grade.

HYSYS exercises: Mandatory attendance. Must be completed individually and be approved but will not be included in the final assessment.

If students do not complete the course requirements on time (unless documented valid reasons for the requirement not being met are presented), students will not be permitted to sit the final examination and will consequently not receive a final grade for the course.

Assessment Methods

The HYSYS exercises are obligatory, and the exercises must be approved in order to be allowed to sit the final examination.

The laboratory exercises are obligatory and must be approved before students will be allowed to sit the final examination.

Written individual mid-term examination (40%).

Written individual final examination (60%).

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean