Advanced Heat & Mass Transport Processes (CHEN90019)

AIMS

This subject provides an advanced focus on the heat and mass transport processes that are part of the core knowledge and problem solving skills basis for chemical engineering unit operations. In addition, an advanced understanding of these transport processes will help enable students in the design of larger scale chemical engineers processes, particularly in the capstone deign project subject) as well as in chemical product design.

The heat and mass transport processes covered in this subject include: diffusion/mass transfer, mass transfer with chemical reaction, mass transfer coupled with adsorption, conduction and radiation. The process will are applied to the design of separation unit operations including multi-component distillation, adsorption, solvent extraction, gas-liquid contactors with reactions. A number of problems in practical heat transfer scenarios involving condition and radiation are include as well.

The unit operations covered in the subject using the above processes include: Multicomponent and azeotropic distillation, including short cut and rigorous techniques for the prediction of column performance. Applications of liquid extraction, liquid-liquid equilibria; single-stage extraction, choice of solvent/feed ratio; continuous counter-current multistage extraction and the effect of axial dispersion. Adsorption and ion exchange - types of absorbents, fixed bed adsorber models, isothermal equilibrium and non-equilibrium design and operation. Application of mass transfer with reaction to equipment performance and design in gas-liquid contactors.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

The heat and mass transport processes covered in this subject include: diffusion/mass transfer, mass transfer with chemical reaction, mass transfer coupled with adsorption, conduction (including: Fourier's Law of heat conduction; multi-dimensional heat transfer equations; steady-state heat conduction and the Laplace equation; steady-state conduction with distributed heat source and the Poisson equation; simplified equation for steady-state heat conduction; fins; transient heat conduction and the diffusion equation; examples of simple solution of transient heat conduction; brief introduction to numerical methods for heat conduction problems) and radiation (basic principles of radiation; shape factors (viewfactors); radiation between grey surfaces in the network approach; applications of networks for various situations).

The unit operations covered in the subject using the above processes include: Multicomponent and azeotropic distillation, including short cut and rigorous techniques for the prediction of column performance. Applications of liquid extraction, liquid-liquid equilibria; single-stage extraction, choice of solvent/feed ratio; continuous counter-current multistage extraction and the effect of axial dispersion. Adsorption and ion exchange - types of absorbents, fixed bed adsorber models, isothermal equilibrium and non-equilibrium design and operation. Application of mass transfer with reaction to equipment performance and design in gas-liquid contactors.