SYLLABUS FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SEPARATIONS

Fall Semester, 2007

Textbook:  J.D. Seader and E.J. Henley, Separation Process Principles, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 1998. 

Instructor: Steven M. Cramer, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering

3211 Biotech Building, ext. 6198, crames@rpi.edu

Teaching Assistant: Wai Keen Chung, 3215 Biotech Building, ext. 4275, chungw@rpi.edu

Course Objectives: Although separations have been an integral part of chemical engineering education for many years, the recent emergence of new industries such as biotechnology and high-performance materials have significantly increased the demand for chemical engineers well schooled in the fundamentals of separation processes.  The objective of this senior course is to familiarize the chemical engineering students with the fundamental principles of Separation Processes.  We will examine both equilibrium controlled separation processes as well as separation processes that involve both mass transport and equilibrium considerations. In order to probe the key concepts in depth, the course will focus primarily on distillation, absorption and membranes. However throughout the course, a wide variety of separation processes will be brought to the student?s attention to broaden the discussion. In particular, examples from biotechnology will be used to illustrate key concepts. In addition to teaching the fundamental principles involved in these unit operations, the course will also introduce the students to specific subtleties associated with a wide variety of separation processes both old and new.  In class problems will be used throughout the course to deepen the students? understanding of the material. Computer instruction will be employed throughout the course to illustrate important characteristics of these separation systems. In addition, Aspen will be employed to solve complex distillation problems. The specific topics that will be covered in the course are described below.

Grading: There will be two exams and a final exam. Detailed homework sets will be assigned once per week.  Student groups consisting of no more than three students per group will complete each homework assignment.  Homework is worth 15 % of the grade (Homework assignments will also include computer problems using software to simulate various separation processes). The final exam is worth 35 % and the two exams are worth a total of 50 % of the grade. 

All handouts will be posted on the WebCT space.
To access the WebCT space do the following...

Enter "http://rpilms.rpi.edu" as your internet address
Click on the "Log In" button.
Enter in your RPI ID and Password
Under "Course List" Click on CHME 4400

If you are enrolled in the course and not able to access this space
please send me an email at evanss3@rpi.edu so that we can resolve
any issues.

Thanks

Coursework Online:

In-class Problems

Assignments

Last update: 08/30/06