Students
will acquire the fundamentals ideas relating to both chemical processes
(thermochemistry, kinetics and environmental compatibility) and process
engineering (unit operations). A general overview of the chemicals industry,
covering its economic significance, raw materials, end products, and chemical and
energy aspects, will be followed by an in depth illustration of the main types
of chemical equipment, with reference to the concepts of mass and heat transfer,
which are at the root of chemical plant engineering. The ideas will be presented in the
context of industrial production, safety and industrial organisation, and
applied to chemical production units along with sizing criteria and all other
aspects of managing a project.
Syllabus
Industrial
chemistry part
Production
lines and economic aspects of the Italian and global chemicals industry
- Raw
materials and products of the inorganic and organic chemicals and petrochemicals
industry.
-
Thermodynamics, kinetics and catalysis applied to the study of chemical
processes.
- Review of
thermodynamics, kinetics and catalysis.
- Analysis
of the safety of a chemical plant (HAZOP). Flammability characteristics of
combustible gases and vapours: elements of the theory of the flammability of
gas mixtures, explosions, safety devices, flammability characteristics for
saturated hydrocarbons. - Hazardousness of chemical substances. Safety data
sheets
Protection
of the environment. Environmental regulations. Principal
technologies for the treatment of emissions into the atmosphere and liquid
effluents.
Energy
production systems. Analysis of systems with low environmental
impact.
Plant
engineering part.
Phase
equilibria. Phase rule for systems with one, two and many components. Equilibrium
diagrams for binary and ternary systems;
Heat transfer operations. Theory of
heat transfer. Heat transfer coefficients and their determination. Selection
of the equipment. Unit operations in a chemical plant. Sizing
concepts and analysis.
Industrial chemical instrumentation. - Elements
of industrial instrumentation. Measures of temperature, pressure, flow rate,
level, composition. Interpretation of process and P&I diagrams.
Elements of cost engineering. Economic
calculations associated with process units. - Capital costs, running costs: their
time-based comparison.
Applied
part
Raw
materials for the chemicals industry: Natural gas, petroleum, coal and
other raw materials. Olefins from steam-cracking of hydrocarbon
fractions. Hydrogen and gases produced from partial oxidation and reforming of
hydrocarbons. - Methanol from CO and H2. Formaldehyde and derived products. Natural and
synthetic polymers. Polyols for urethane resins. Designing a
new chemical plant. Analysis of the design stages applied to a
specific example. Writing the operating manual.
Examinations
There will be
an oral examination.
Reading list
A. Heaton,
“An introduction to industrial Chemistry”, Blackie Academic & Professional
(Chapman&Hall), 3rd ed.
Peters M.S., Timmerhaus K.D., “Plant Design and
Economics for chemical engineers”, McGraw-Hill Intern.