Process Engineering

The course is an introduction to chemical and process engineering, and provides a general introduction to the basic principles of the field. In general, process engineering includes the design, development, technical realization and operation of chemical processes on an industrial scale. Process engineering is a key enabler for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient chemical processes and material production. Examples include: CO2 capture, gas purification, production of biofuels and new biomaterials, reduction of emissions and water purification.

Content: Topics from thermodynamics and physical chemistry: State variables, ideal gas, equations of state, work and heat, Laws of thermodynamics, internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs energy, equilibrium. Topics from process engineering: The balance principle. Mass balances. Mass balances with chemical reactions. Energy balances (2nd law of thermodynamics). Heat exchange. Mechanical work (compression and expansion). Work from heat. Process modelling using Python.

Relevance for sustainability: Usage of recycles for increasing yield and reducing emissions. Thermodynamic laws for open systems. Exergy. Processes for CO2-capturing. Energy saving with heat exchangers and heat pumps.

Relevance for digitalization. Programming exercises with Python (how to solve systems of equations).

At the end of the term the students should know: - How mass and energy balances are formulated in a stationary system. - How to use the 1. and 2. law of thermodynamics together with mass balances and equilibrium relations to find the equilibrium product composition after a reactor. - How to formulate and solve an equation system of mass and energy balances for a stationary process with reaction, separation and recirculation. - How to do quantitative calculations of mass and energy balances in stationary chemical processes. - How to do simple simulations of mass and energy balances in stationary chemical processes. - How to calculate the necessary area of a heat exchanger. - How to calculate the heating/cooling effect and energy consumption in a heat pump or refrigerator. - How to use energy and mass balances to do stationary calculations of turbines, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, splits, mixing units, heat exchangers, refrigerators and reactors.

In addition, the student will have detailed knowledge of at least one chemical process from the Norwegian process industry.

Lectures (in Norwegian), compulsory exercises.