INTRODUCTION TO CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

(IntroChE)
UNIT 1: Chemical Engineer Career

What courses do chemical engineers majors take?

Basic Sciences:
- Math (calculus, statistics, linear algebra, differential equations, numerical methods, analytical
geometric), Chemistry (general, inorganic, physical, organic, analytical). Physics (General).
Laboratories (general Physics, General Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Laboratories)
The main part of chemical engineering course includes classes such as:
-Fluid Mechanics
-Chemical Thermodynamics
-Chemical Kinetics
-Mass Transfer
-Heat Transfer
-Material and Energy Balances
-Unit Operations
-Bioengineering

-Reaction Engineering
-Process Design
-Process Control and Simulation
-Materials Science
-Waste management
-Computational Science
-Plant Economics
-Technical Draw
-Chemical Project

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION

BSc
professional practice

BSc
MSc
professional practice

academic career / researcher
BSc
MSc
PhD
professional practice

academic career/researcher
Academic career / professional practice can be
combined

INVESTIGACIN
ALTO CONTENIDO EN OXGENO

BAJO CONTENIDO EN OXGENO

Crude oil
Gas

PROCESOS CATALITICOS

Reforma
Oxidacin
Hidratacin
Deshidrogenacin

PETROQUIMICA
MONOMEROS/POLIMEROS
QUIMICA FINA

Biomass
Deshidratacin
Hidrogenacin
Hidrogenolisis
Biofermentacin

< 20 AOS DE INVESTIGACION

Y DESARROLLO

>100 AOS DE INVESTIGACION Y

DESARROLLO
PRODUCTO FINAL

Professional Organizations

American Chemical Society

American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Petroleum Institute
Society of Petroleum Engineers
Society of Plastics Engineers
American Council of Engineering Companies
American Council of Engineering Companies-MN chapter
National Society of Professional Engineers
Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers
Society of Women Engineers

acs.org
aiche.org
api.org
spe.org
4spe.org
acec.org
acecmn.org
nspe.org
mnspe.org
swe.org

Useful websites for Chemical Engineers

Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science
Chemical Engineering Jobs
Chemical Engineering Magazine
Chemistry Jobs
Why Not Chemical Engineering
Engineer.net
Engineer Jobs
Engineering Central
Graduating Engineer
ThinkJobs.com
Engineering.com

cems.umn.edu
chemicalengineer.com
che.com
chemistryjobs.com
whynotchemeng.com
engineer.net
engineerjobs.com
engcen.com
graduatingengineer.com
thinkjobs.com
engineering.com

(great site for exploring CHEMICAL ENGINEERING)job descriptions, career

opportunies)
http://www.aiche.org/careers/
(overview of chemical engineering; education, job opportunities, salaries)
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos029.htm

How much do chemical engineers make compared to other college majors?

Undergraduate Major Starting Salary

Chemical engineering
$ 63,200
Computer science
$ 60,400
Mechanical engineering
$ 57,000
Civil engineering
$ 51,600
Economics
$ 50,500
Accounting
$ 48,100
Sociology
$ 34,800
English
$ 34,300
Psychology
$ 33,600
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers
Summer 2008 Salary Survey

TYPES OF POSITION
CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER

TECHNICAL
SERVICE
ENGINEER

DESIGN
ENGINEER

SALES
MARKETING
ENGINEER

DEVELOPMENT
ENGINEER

CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
JOB TITLES

QUATILY
CONTROL
ENGINEER

MAINTENANCE
ENGINEER

PRODUCTION
MANAGER
PRODUCTION
ENGINEER

ENVIRONMENT
ENGINEER

PROCESS
CONTROL
ENGINEER

MANUFACTUREE
NGINEER

ACTIVITIES OF CHEMICAL ENGINEER MAJOR DO

Raw Materials:
Natural gas

PRODUCTS

Energy
BYPRODUCTS
RAW MATERIALS
CATALYST
ENERGY

Minerals

Coal
Catalyst

Chemical engineering is the

branch of engineering that
deals chemistry, physics,
biology, biochemistry with
mathematics and economics,
to the process of converting
raw materials or chemicals
into more useful or valuable
forms.

MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIA

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CATALYSIS

1877- Fiedel, Crafts: Alkylation of aromatics
1902 Ostwald: NH3 HNO3 (noble metals)
1905 Haber : H2+N2 NH3 (Iron based catalyst ) (6000 catalyst formulations evaluated) .
Haber: Nobel Laureate for NH3 synthesis (1918)
1913 BASF: Industrial process for ammonia synthesis
1922 Fischer, Tropsch: Hydrocarbon synthesis from CO + H2 (Co, Fe Catalysts)
1927 Languimuir-Hinshelwood: fundamental principles of adsorption and catalysis .
Languimuir: Nobel Laureate 1932.
1936 Houdry Catalytic cracking
1941 Fluid bed technology
1942 Paraffin alkylation
1950 Catalytic naphtha reforming (Pt-catalysts)
1953-1954 Ziegler, Natta polymerization. Ziegler and Natta: Nobel Laureate 1963.
1963- Ammoxidation
1964-Zeolite catalysts
1965 Oxychlorination
1964 Engehard: catalyst for automotive pos-treatment (Pt)
1967 Bimetallic reforming catalysts
1976 Emission control catalysts
1980 SCR: de-Nox (Vanadium/titanium, HNO3 process)
2001- W. Knowles, B. Sharpless, R. Noyroy (2001): Nobel laureate for enantionelective catalysis
2005 Yves Chauvin, R. H. Grubbs, R. R. Schrock (2005): Nobel Laureates for metathesis
2007 Gerhard Ertl Nobel Prize (surface chemistry)

11

PETROCHEMICAL AND FERTILIZERS: Steps for NH3 production

Removal of sulfur
species. Examples:

Steam

Feed

Sulfur
Removal
Carbon Dioxide
Removal

Methanation

Steam-Methane
Catalytic Reforming
Shift
Conversion
Ammonia
synthesis
NH3
Product

Hydrogen production
To convert CO to
more hydrogen

Sulfur Removal:
H2+RSHRH+H2S
H2S+ZnOZnS+H2O

Steam reforming:
CH4+H2OCO+3H2
Water Gas-Shift:
CO+H2OH2+CO2

To remove residual
amounts of CO and CO2

Methanation:
CO+3H2CH4+H2O
CO2+4H2CH4+2H2

HABER-BOSCH

Ammonia synthesis:
3H2+N22NH3

COMPOSITION OF CRUDE OIL

CRUDE OIL
NON-HYDROCARBONS

HYDROCARBONS
Aliphatics

Aromatics
CH3

H 3C

Naphthenes
CH3

CH3

OH

H 3C

SH
CH3

CH 3
CH3

Nitrogens Oxygens Metallics

CH3

CH 3
H3C

Sulphurs

CH3

N
H

SIMPLIFIED HABER BOSCH AMMONIA PROCESS

CH4
H2O
O2

(H2O, CH4, CO2 ,H2

Steam

Methanation
Steam
reforming
CH4+H2OCO+3H2

Heater

CO+3H2

CH4+H2O

(NH3, H2, N2, CH4)

Water
N2

Water gas
shift:
CO+H2O

CO2+H2

(CO,CO2 ,H2,
H2O, CH4)

CO2+4H2

CH4+2H2O

Cooler
(CH4, H2, N2)

Cooler
-85C

Reactor
(H2, CH4)
CH4,H2,N2

(CO2 ,H2O)

Ammonia
(NH3)
Purge

WHERE DOES THE HYDROGEN COMES FROM?

STEAM REFORMING OF METHANE:

CH4+ H2OCO+3H2

COAL GASIFICATION

3C (i.e., coal) O2+ H2OH2+3CO

PARTIAL OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBONS

CnHm +n/2O2nCO+m/2H2

BIOMASS GASIFICATION

BIOMASSCO+H2

BIOMASS PYROLYSIS
ELECTROLYSIS
PHOTOCHEMICAL
PHOTOBIOLOGICAL

H2OH2+1/2O2