Chemical Engineering
John W. Weidner, Chair
Chemical engineers are involved in the design of materials and devices and in the design and operation of plants which manufacture a wide variety of chemicals, including plastics, textile fibers, fuels, and pharmaceuticals. The work of the chemical engineer can be highly diverse, ranging from research on pollution prevention to the marketing of new chemical products.
The department offers the Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in chemical engineering. The department, jointly with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, offers a major in biomedical engineering.
Accelerated B.S.E./M.E. Education Plan
The Accelerated B.S.E./M.E. Plan in Chemical Engineering allows students to complete both the B.S.E. degree and a Master of Engineering degree in chemical engineering in as few as five years. The use of dual credit-courses that can be used toward both degrees-enables acceleration of the program, reducing the total enrollment of the student by one semester.
Chemical engineering students may apply for approval of an accelerated education plan in the semester in which they will complete 90 hours of undergraduate course work. In addition, students must have a sufficient foundation in chemical engineering course work to enable them to take graduate-level courses. University and department regulations stipulate that applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.40, both overall and in chemical engineering courses. Students may apply by submitting an accelerated education plan, an application for senior privilege, and a copy of a Graduate School application to the graduate director in chemical engineering. The dean of The Graduate School has final authority for approving accelerated education plans.
Only graduate-level courses (numbered 500 and above) may be used for dual credit. No more than nine credit hours may be used as dual credit. The graduate courses used for dual credit must be taken during the student’s final undergraduate year. The student graduates with the B.S.E. degree after completing the B.S.E. degree requirements. At that time, the student is admitted to the graduate program with up to nine hours of graduate credit.
Courses
Introduction to engineering, with emphasis on chemical engineering. Problem-solving techniques, including the use of computer tools. Basic engineering design methods.
Identification of career interests and active exploration of careers in chemical engineering.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships
Introduction to research in Chemical Engineering, effective literature search, communication of results, lab safety, and research ethics.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
Mass, energy, and entropy balance analysis of chemical engineering systems; evaluation of thermodynamic property changes of pure materials; solution thermodynamics of single-phase multicomponent systems; phase and chemical reaction equilibrium.
Molecular diffusion in fluids; diffusion in laminar and turbulent flow; momentum, transport analogies; interfacial mass transfer; design applications including humidification and absorption.
Overview of the fundamental chemical aspects of materials; role of materials in applications in modern society by case studies of advances in new materials and processes.
Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of classes by title. May be repeated as topic varies.
Basic principles of adsorption and adsorption processes including adsorbents, thermodynamics, kinetics, fixed bed adsorption and cyclic adsorption processes.
Introduction to advanced computational tools for the analysis of chemical engineering systems. Initial and boundary value problems related to heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering, and parameter estimation.
Continuation of ECHE 465; computer-aided design of chemical processes; written and oral presentation of a comprehensive design project.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships, GLD: Research
Completion of the thesis requirements for the departmental undergraduate research track. A maximum of three credits may be applied toward a degree.
Reading and research on selected topics in chemical engineering. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of classes by title. May be repeated two times as topics vary. Pass-Fail grading.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Research
Individual investigation or studies of special topics. A maximum of six credits may be applied toward a degree. Advance approval of project proposal by advisor and instructor.
Graduation with Leadership Distinction: GLD: Professional and Civic Engagement Internships, GLD: Research
Intermediate level design of stagewise chemical separation cascades; analysis of binary and ternary systems; multicomponent separations, plate and column specification procedures; distillation, crystallization, extraction, and leaching.
Reliability, availability, and fault-tree analyses, risk indices, hazard evaluation, vapor cloud modeling, toxicology, material safety classification and regulations, individual/corporate ethical responsibilities.
Basic principles of corrosion engineering developed from a chemical engineering approach to thermodynamics, kinetics, mass transfer, and potential theory.
Industrial polymers with emphasis on their characterization and on the modeling of the major polymer fabrication processes.
An examination of energy technologies that will enable society to move from an economy based on fossil fuels to one based on sustainable energy.
Fundamental process and applications related to the broad field of combustion and energy generation including emissions control technologies.
Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of classes by title. May be repeated as topic varies.