AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course will furnish the means of formulating and solving macroscopic balances of material and heat, developing problem solving skills and becoming familiar with the process analysis of chemical engineering systems.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance and active participation in the proposed training activities (frontal lessons, exercises and computer lab) and individual study will allow the student to:

-        correctly write the macroscopic balances of material and energy and discuss them using appropriate vocabulary;

-        apply the macroscopic balances of material (by mass and moles) and of enthalpy to single unit operations typical of chemical engineering;

-        identify possible simplifying assumptions in the framework of process problems which can be solved using material and energy macroscopic balances;

-        integrate the balances solution with the knowledge of thermodynamics acquired in the first module in terms of phase and reaction equilibrium;

-        calculate the diagram (flow rates, concentration, temperature) describing a process scheme with a number of unit operations;

-        evaluate from a macroscopic point of view the convective and diffusive fluxes in different control volumes;

-        use the main functions of the simulation software Aspen Plus for the balance solution.

TEACHING METHODS

The module provides frontal lessons in the classroom or on-line lessons via TEAMS (as a function of the sanitary context). The presentation of theoretical contents (30 hours) are alternate by exercises (27 hours) carried out by the teacher on the board or by student teams and aimed at encouraging learning and the discussion of specific examples of process engineering applications. In addition, it is foreseen a computer lab (3 hours) with numerical exercises to be carried out in working groups using a commercial software. The frequency of lessons is recommended. In the case of on-line lessons the computer lab could be substituted by calculation exercises.

Transversal skills in terms of communication skills and independent judgment will be acquired through the teamwork, a test developed in the classroom by consulting technical handbooks and an exam test simulation.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The program of the module includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics: 

1.        Introduction

         Main chemico-physical variables, vocabulary, general balance formulation

2.        Macroscopic material balance 

         Macroscopic material balance by mass and moles (complete and simplified formulation);

         steady-state and transient conditions, in open and closed systems;

         case studies with reactions where yield, kinetics or equilibrium are supposed;

         freedom degree calculation in process plants;

         strategy for the solution of process problems;

         use of technical handbook as data sourcing;

         material transport coefficient and Sherwood number;

         diffusive fluxes at the interface with phase equilibrium or reaction.

3.        Macroscopic balance of energy

Macroscopic balance of energy and its simplification to enthalpy balance;

         steady-state and transient conditions, in open and closed systems;

         case studies with reactions and relation to material balances;

         application to process plants;

         heat transport coefficient and Nusselt number;

         thermal resistances in series on flat and cylindrical geometry;

4.        Summary exercises 

Case studies requiring the solution of both material and energy balances.

5.        Computer lab 

         Basic knowledge for the use of the simulation software Aspen Plus;

solution with Aspen Plus of easy process problems based on macroscopic material and energy balances and related sensitivity analyses.

​

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The teaching material used during the lessons will be available in the web classroom, as well as examples of final tests proposed in the previous years and a trace for their solution. The notes taken during the lessons and the material in the web classroom are sufficient for the preparation of the exam, but the following books are suggested as supporting and deepening texts:

- D.M. Himmelblau amd J.B. Riggs, Basic Principles and Calculations in Chemical Engineering, Prentice Hall Pearson Edication.

- M.C. Annesini, “Fenomeni di trasporto. Fondamenti e applicazioni”, Edizioni Hoepli.

- R. Mauri, Elementi di fenomeni di trasporto, Plus Pisa University Press.

- R.H. Perry, D.W. Green,“Perry’s chemical engineers’ handbook” VIII ed., Mc Graw Hill.

​

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ELISABETTA ARATO (President)

CRISTINA ELIA MOLINER ESTOPINAN

BARBARA BOSIO (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/10375/p/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final test of the module consists in passing a written test for admission to the oral test. The written test consists of a problem to be solved in 2 hours and answering to one or more specific questions and an open question related to the result discussion. The necessary data can be provided in the text or to be found on technical handbooks made available by the teacher, while it is not allowed the consultation of any other text.

Students will find examples of tests proposed in previous years with the related trace for the solutions on the web classroom. Some exam examples are carried out in detail in the classroom and the teacher is available for explanation agreeing appointment.

The written test can be held either in previous appeals or in the same appeal in which student intends to take the oral exam. The written test has no expiry limits, it can be repeated, but in this way the grade which is considered valid is the one obtained on the last written exam.

To access the oral exam students must have passed the written test with a minimum grade of 16/30 and the final grade will be the average between written and oral exam. The oral test can be repeated maintaining the grade obtained for the written test.

The grade obtained in the teaching will be the average of the marks given in the two modules in which the teaching is divided. 

Three exam appeals for the ‘summer’ session will be available (June, July and September) and two appeals for the ‘winter’ session (January and February). The oral test can be held also during the teaching break provided by the Polytechnic School in Autumn and Spring. No extraordinary appeals will be granted outside the periods indicated by the polytechnic school, with the exception of students who have not included formative activities in the study plan current academic year.

​

ASSESSMENT METHODS

​The written test concerns a problem which requires the solution of macroscopic material and/or energy balances applied at interface, single unit operation or plant scheme. In addition to the ability to correctly formulate and solve the problem, the applied methodology, the discussion of the assumed hypotheses and the written quality of exposition will be evaluated.

The oral exam includes questions concerning all the contents proposed during the lessons, asked in terms of theoretical questions or application problems. The examination aims to assess the specific skills acquired and, in particular, the ability to apply them combined together to face concrete case studies. The quality of the exposition, the correct use of technical terminology and critical reasoning ability will be also assessed.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

For a successful learning, in addition to basic knowledge of mathematics, chemistry and physics, the knowledge of thermodynamics in ideal system provided in the first module is required, but no formal propaedeuticity is provided.

Students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs certification are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and exam methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account the personal learning modalities and provide suitable compensatory tools.