84194 - Chemical Engineering Equipment Design M

Learning outcomes

The course aims at introducing the students to the design of process equipment. Criteria and procedures for equipment selection and sizing will be introduced. Equipment design techniques will be applied to the more important unit operation in the chemical and process industry: heat transfer, distillation and absorption.

Course contents

Skills required to access the course and to attend it with success:

 The course addresses engineering design in the field of chemical engineering. Thus fundamental knowledge of mass and heat balances, thermodynamic equilibria of multi-phase and multi-component systems, transport phenomena, and fluid dynamics are required. Knoweldge of unit operations and principles of unit operation desing (in particular of absorption and distillation), is also required.

Course contents:

1) Introduction to basic design concept and documents

Conceptual and Basic Design in FEED context. Elements of a process plant: utilities, process equipment, storages.

2) Approach to basic design of process equipment

Process requirements and constraints for equipment sizing. Economic, environmental and safety constraints. Technical constraints: utilities and specific site constraints. General approach to sizing of equipment.

3) Design of process equipment

Procedures for the design of heat exchangers. Procedures for the design of condensers. Procedures for the design of evaporators, vaporizers and reboilers. Procedures for the design of tray and packed columns.

4) Case-studies

For each type of equipment for which design procedures are introduced, a case-study will be presented and the practical application of the design procedures to the case-study will be required. Assessment of costs and selection of best design option will also be addressed in a specific case-study.

Readings/Bibliography

Course materials, tutorials, videos, etc. will be available on the interactive course website:
https://elearning-cds.unibo.it

Further readings (optional):

D. Kern: "Process heat transfer", Mc Graw - Hill

R.E. Treybal: "Mass transfer operations", Mc Graw - Hill

J.M. Coulson, J.F. Richardson: "Chemical Engineering", Pergamon Press (vol. 1, 2 e 6)

Teaching methods

In-class lessons

Tutorials

Self-directed work

Homeworks

Assessment methods

During classes, the students will be asked to complete five different assignements concerning the design, cost assessment and optimization of process equipment. For each assignement, students will be asked to prepare a report and the relevant documents (datasheet and sketch). Documents will have to be delivered by due deadlines during the course. A score will be given to each assignement. It is not possible to repeat or amend the assignements.

Students failing the pass grade for the assignements or not able to complete the assignements by the due deadlines will be required to pass a written test and to complete the assignments by the date of the oral exam.

Students that have completed the assignements by the due dates or that have passed the written test will be admitted to the oral exam. The exam will consist of a critical discussion of the assignement reports and of topics presented during the lessons.

The exam is set to evaluate the students' knowledge-level, application abilities, and technical communication skills.

Higher grades will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, and a clear and concise presentation of their ideas.

To obtain a passing grade, students must have completed the case-studies proposed during the lessons, and are required to know the key concepts of the subject, to demonstrate some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language.

A failing grade will be awarded if the student has not completed the case-studies proposed during the lessons, shows knowledge gaps in key-concepts of the subject, inappropriate use of language, and/or logic failures in the analysis of the subject.

Teaching tools

Lecture slides and integrative supporting material will be available on-line by IOL service. A password is required for access.

Office hours

See the website of Valerio Cozzani

See the website of Alessandro Tugnoli

See the website of Gianmaria Pio