Molecular Engineering & Product Design
Chemical Engineering E1040, Spring 2002

 Monday-Wednesday, 2:40-3:55 p.m.
386 Engineering Terrace

 Prof. Scott Calabrese Barton
1018 Mudd, 854-4655, [email protected]
Office hours: Tues 2-4 p.m. or by appt. 

Teaching Assistant: Mark Rubinshtein
[email protected]

 

Overview

This is an introductory course for undeclared SEAS students interested in pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering.We demonstrate how the chemical and biological sciences are interpreted through analytical, design, and engineering frameworks to generate products that enhance human endeavor. We introduce students to the culture of chemical engineering and wide variety of chemical engineering practices, through lectures by department faculty and practicing chemical engineers, and through trips to industrial and other facilities where chemical engineers work. Finally, the students’ engineering skills will be challenged by a power system competition, in which teams of students compete to design and build a superior chemical power system to power a toy vehicle.

Objectives

1. Generate student interest and awareness in chemical engineering
2. Introduce the scope of the chemical engineering profession.
3. Discuss the role chemicals play in society and explore the ethical issues (using case studies) that are the responsibility of the chemical engineering profession.
4. Description of process design and product design.
5. Expose students to chemical engineering practice via plant visits and guest lectures.
6. Introduce the faculty and their research: polymer science, electrochemical engineering and Bioengineering.

Required Texts

Books

1. Harte, J. (1988). Consider a Spherical Cow: A Course in Environmental Problem Solving. Mill Valley, CA: University Science Books.
2. Hoffman, P. (2001). Tomorrow's Energy: Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and the Prospects for a Cleaner Planet. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Articles

To be distributed in class.

Assignments

-W. Allen

-SCB

Attendance

Attendance of every class session is expected, including the field trip(s), which will take place at times other than regular class meetings. All absences without a written excuse approved by the instructor will count against the final grade. 60%

Reading

With the exception of the first class day, readings will be assigned at the end of every class. These will be taken primarily from course textbooks, but also from articles to be distributed in class.

Homework

With the exception of the first class day, brief homework will be assigned every Wednesday. Group collaboration is encouraged. 10%

Midterm

Based entirely on homework, tentatively scheduled for March 11. 15%

Design Project

A team-based competition to build a chemical-powered toy vehicle. A 10-page report and 15 minute presentation will be required. More details after break. 15%

Course Outline

Week	Date	Topic	Reading
1	Jan 23	Course Intro/Survey	--
2	Jan 28	Calculations	Harte, §I.1-4
	Jan 30	Calculations	Harte, §I.5-7
3	Feb 4	Mass Balances	Harte, §II.A.2-4
	Feb 6	Mass Balances	Harte, §II.A.5-6
4	Feb 11	Faculty Lecture Prep	Handout
	Feb 13	Faculty Lecture: Prof. Jeffrey Koberstein	Handout
5	Feb 18	Energy balances	Harte, §II.B.12-15
	Feb 20	Energy Balances	Harte, §II.B.16-18
6	Feb 25	FL Prep	Handout
	Feb 27	Faculty Lecture: Prof. Jingyue Ju	Handout
7	Mar 4	Kinetics/Equilibria	Harte, §II.C
	Mar 6	Unsteady State	Harte, §II.D
8	Mar 11	Midterm	--
	Mar 13	Plant Trip(2)	--
9	Mar 18	Spring Break
	Mar 20	Spring Break
10	Mar 25	Hydrogen	Hoffman, §2-3
	Mar 27	Hydrogen	Hoffman, §4-5
11	Apr 1	Hydrogen	Hoffman, §6
	Apr 3	Hydrogen/Fuel Cells	Hoffman, §7
12	Apr 8	Faculty Lecture Prep	Handout
	Apr 10	Faculty Lecture: Prof. Alan West	Handout
13	Apr 15	Fuel Cells	Handout
	Apr 17	Design Competition	Handout
14	Apr 22	Fuel Cells	Hoffman, §11-12
	Apr 24	Fuel Cells	Handout
15	Apr 29
	May 1	Design Presentations	--
16	May 6	Design Competition	--