Chemical Engineering
Check here for great articles and websites concerning the ins and outs of Chemical Engineering. Topics include process modeling, heat & mass transfer, design, membrane separation, thermodynamics, fuel cells, fluid dynamics, and many more!
What Is Chemical Engineering? What Do Chemical Engineers Do?
Are you confused about how chemical engineering differs from pure chemistry or other types of engineering? Here's an explanation of what chemical engineering is and what chemical engineers do.
Are you confused about how chemical engineering differs from pure chemistry or other types of engineering? Here's an explanation of what chemical engineering is and what chemical engineers do.
Calorimetry and Heat Flow
There's a worked example for coffee cup calorimetry and another for bomb calorimetry, with links to review calorimetry and thermochemistry concepts.
There's a worked example for coffee cup calorimetry and another for bomb calorimetry, with links to review calorimetry and thermochemistry concepts.
Laws of Thermochemistry
Certain rules or laws apply to thermochemical equations and enthalpy. These are explanations and examples of these laws, including Hess's Law.
Certain rules or laws apply to thermochemical equations and enthalpy. These are explanations and examples of these laws, including Hess's Law.
Spiders in Space
Columbia's STS-107 carried Australia's first animals into space. Learn about the Columbia spider experiment and the Skylab 3 experiment and visit links to ground-based research and space exploration.
Columbia's STS-107 carried Australia's first animals into space. Learn about the Columbia spider experiment and the Skylab 3 experiment and visit links to ground-based research and space exploration.
What Is Distillation?
Distillation is a common chemistry process used to separate materials by changing their states of matter. Learn more about how the process works and find out about different types of distillations.
Distillation is a common chemistry process used to separate materials by changing their states of matter. Learn more about how the process works and find out about different types of distillations.
What Is Reverse Osmosis?
This handy technique is used to desalinate seawater and purify bottled water. Find out how it works!
This handy technique is used to desalinate seawater and purify bottled water. Find out how it works!
Why Is Stainless Steel Stainless?
Learn about the chemistry of stainless steel. This article, from your About Guide, also includes descriptions of the different types of stainless steels, comments on passivation, and numerous links to sites offering related information.
Learn about the chemistry of stainless steel. This article, from your About Guide, also includes descriptions of the different types of stainless steels, comments on passivation, and numerous links to sites offering related information.
Biodiesel from Vegetable Oil Tutorial
As the price of diesel continues to climb, you may wish to consider making your own diesel from cooking oil, called biodiesel. It's easy and could save you money.
As the price of diesel continues to climb, you may wish to consider making your own diesel from cooking oil, called biodiesel. It's easy and could save you money.
A Chemical Engineering Timeline
History of chemical engineering from the opening of America's first chemical plant in 1635 to the Oklahoma City bomb in 1995.
History of chemical engineering from the opening of America's first chemical plant in 1635 to the Oklahoma City bomb in 1995.
A Detailed Look at Hydrogen
From Christopher Haslego, facts, conventional production methods, and production methods from renewable resources.
From Christopher Haslego, facts, conventional production methods, and production methods from renewable resources.
Adsorption Design Guide
From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, guidelines for the design of liquid and vapor phase adsorption systems, includes principles and theory of adsorption, liquid and vapor phase carbon adsorption, carbon regeneration, and non-carbon adsorption, PDF-file.
From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, guidelines for the design of liquid and vapor phase adsorption systems, includes principles and theory of adsorption, liquid and vapor phase carbon adsorption, carbon regeneration, and non-carbon adsorption, PDF-file.
Adsorption Refrigeration Technology
Page by Michel Pons about the principle of adsorption cycles for refrigeration.
Page by Michel Pons about the principle of adsorption cycles for refrigeration.
Adsorption
An introduction: adsorbents, applications, types of adsorption isotherms, batch adsorption, design of adsorption columns.
An introduction: adsorbents, applications, types of adsorption isotherms, batch adsorption, design of adsorption columns.
An Introduction to Pinch Technology
Introductory article written by employees of AspenTech about process heat integration and Linnhoff's pinch technology.
Introductory article written by employees of AspenTech about process heat integration and Linnhoff's pinch technology.
Basics of Injection Molding
Article by Christopher Haslego, description of the process, drawing and photo of an injection molding machine.
Article by Christopher Haslego, description of the process, drawing and photo of an injection molding machine.
Basics of Phase Equilibria
An introduction to phase equilibria and their role in chemical engineering from the Chemical Engineers' Resource Page.
An introduction to phase equilibria and their role in chemical engineering from the Chemical Engineers' Resource Page.
Biomaterials Properties Database
Mechanical, thermal, chemical and flow properties of dental and medical biomaterials.
Mechanical, thermal, chemical and flow properties of dental and medical biomaterials.
Biomaterials: Body Parts of the Future
By Cheryl R. Blanchard, article from Technology Today on biomaterials for implants. Long with many pictures.
By Cheryl R. Blanchard, article from Technology Today on biomaterials for implants. Long with many pictures.
Centrifugal Pump Tutorial
From Pump World, terms, operation, pump curves, calculation of total dynamic head and system head curves, NPSH and cavitation, operation in parallel and in series, and charts.
From Pump World, terms, operation, pump curves, calculation of total dynamic head and system head curves, NPSH and cavitation, operation in parallel and in series, and charts.
CFD Review
News/support/information clearinghouse for the CFD community.
News/support/information clearinghouse for the CFD community.
Comparison of PID Control Algorithms
From ExperTune, about differences in PID control algorithms and controllers.
From ExperTune, about differences in PID control algorithms and controllers.
Clean Energy Basics
From the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a primer on renewable energy.
From the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a primer on renewable energy.
Complete Guide to Ethics Management
From Carter McNamara, an extensive online ethics toolkit for managers.
From Carter McNamara, an extensive online ethics toolkit for managers.
Cooling Towers: Design and Operation Considerations
From Christopher M. A. Haslego, article about main types, theory, design and operation of cooling towers.
From Christopher M. A. Haslego, article about main types, theory, design and operation of cooling towers.
Copper Corrosion Resistance Database
From the Copper Page, database of corrosion resistances of copper and copper alloys. Searchable by alloy, resistance level, and environment.
From the Copper Page, database of corrosion resistances of copper and copper alloys. Searchable by alloy, resistance level, and environment.
Database of Zeolite Structures
From the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association, provides structural information on all zeolite structure types.
From the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association, provides structural information on all zeolite structure types.
Desalination System Using the Membrane Distillation Process
Principle and features of membrane distillation for seawater desalination.
Principle and features of membrane distillation for seawater desalination.
Design Considerations for Pressure Swing...
...Carbon Adsorption Vapor Recovery Systems. Paper by W. Nicholson Tuttle and Jon W. Young.
...Carbon Adsorption Vapor Recovery Systems. Paper by W. Nicholson Tuttle and Jon W. Young.
Diffusion Processes
From Michael Karweit's Virtual Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, explore two-dimensional diffusion phenomena by configuring and running the Diffusion Simulator (Java applet).
From Michael Karweit's Virtual Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, explore two-dimensional diffusion phenomena by configuring and running the Diffusion Simulator (Java applet).
Distillation Theory And Practice
Online slide show about distillation principles, equipment, and basic design.
Online slide show about distillation principles, equipment, and basic design.
Distillation
From The Distillation Group, an overview of distillation processes.
From The Distillation Group, an overview of distillation processes.
Don't Gamble With Physical Properties For Simulation
Article by Eric Carlson that discusses criteria you can use to choose thermodynamic models for phase equilibria calculations. Adobe PDF file (233 kB).
Article by Eric Carlson that discusses criteria you can use to choose thermodynamic models for phase equilibria calculations. Adobe PDF file (233 kB).
Downsizing Chemistry
Article exploring current microscale technologies, by Michael Freemantle, Chemical & Engineering News.
Article exploring current microscale technologies, by Michael Freemantle, Chemical & Engineering News.
Duct Friction Loss and Velocity Pressure Calculation
Online calculator for compressible fluid pressure drops in rectangular or cylindrical ducts.
Online calculator for compressible fluid pressure drops in rectangular or cylindrical ducts.
Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
Learn about endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions and get instructions to perform your own hot and cold chemistry demonstrations.
Learn about endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions and get instructions to perform your own hot and cold chemistry demonstrations.
Energy Conservation in Distillation
From the Chemical Engineers' Resource Page, examples for energy savings in distillation processes.
From the Chemical Engineers' Resource Page, examples for energy savings in distillation processes.
Engineering, Invention & Technology
Article by John E. Shepler, what do engineers really do?
Article by John E. Shepler, what do engineers really do?
Fact Sheet on Renewable Energy
Quick facts about energy, renewable energy sources, and CO2 emissions.
Quick facts about energy, renewable energy sources, and CO2 emissions.
FAQ on What Engineers Are and Do
A summary about what engineering is and the difference between engineering and science, by Ron Graham.
A summary about what engineering is and the difference between engineering and science, by Ron Graham.
Feedback and Temperature Control
Feedback control demonstrated at the example of an oven controlled by a PID temperature controller. Includes an interactive simulation of the oven-controller system to experiment with.
Feedback control demonstrated at the example of an oven controlled by a PID temperature controller. Includes an interactive simulation of the oven-controller system to experiment with.
Filtration Spectrum
Color graphic illustrating the range of materials removed by filtration technologies from particle filtration through reverse osmosis; also available as PDF file.
Color graphic illustrating the range of materials removed by filtration technologies from particle filtration through reverse osmosis; also available as PDF file.
Flowsheeting on the World Wide Web
Report about a system that provides "flowsheeting", i.e. mass and energy balance computation, across the WWW. A VRML viewer (e.g. Live3D integrated in Netscape Navigator) is required to see the generated flowsheet.
Report about a system that provides "flowsheeting", i.e. mass and energy balance computation, across the WWW. A VRML viewer (e.g. Live3D integrated in Netscape Navigator) is required to see the generated flowsheet.
Fluid Phase Equilibria Page
From Quest Consultants, online calculator for the vapor pressure curve of a pure component or the pressure-temperature phase envelope of a mixture, uses the Peng-Robinson equation of state.
From Quest Consultants, online calculator for the vapor pressure curve of a pure component or the pressure-temperature phase envelope of a mixture, uses the Peng-Robinson equation of state.
Fuel Cell Fact Sheet
Fact sheet on fuel cells published by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, PDF file.
Fact sheet on fuel cells published by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, PDF file.
Galvanic Series of Metals and Alloys
From the Mc Nally Institute, a list from anodic or least noble to cathodic or most noble.
From the Mc Nally Institute, a list from anodic or least noble to cathodic or most noble.
Gas Adsorption Analysis
Introduction to the gas adsorption technique for measuring the specific surface area and pore size distribution of powdered or solid materials.
Introduction to the gas adsorption technique for measuring the specific surface area and pore size distribution of powdered or solid materials.
Gas-Vapor Phase Equilibrium Calculations
A mini-tutorial by W. R. Smith that discusses the calculation of dew-point temperatures and pressures in gas-vapor systems.
A mini-tutorial by W. R. Smith that discusses the calculation of dew-point temperatures and pressures in gas-vapor systems.
Glossary of Energy Terms
From the California Energy Commission, an alphabetical listing of terms related to energy in its various forms.
From the California Energy Commission, an alphabetical listing of terms related to energy in its various forms.
Glossary of Renewable Energy Terms and Phrases
Guide to terminology from the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse.
Guide to terminology from the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse.
Guided Tour to Granular Dynamics
From Y.-h. Taguchi, mixing, flow, vibration, fluidization for beginners.
From Y.-h. Taguchi, mixing, flow, vibration, fluidization for beginners.
Heat Conduction
From Michael Karweit's Virtual Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, Deduce the cross-sectional profile of a heated conductive bar based on its temperature (Java applet).
From Michael Karweit's Virtual Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, Deduce the cross-sectional profile of a heated conductive bar based on its temperature (Java applet).
Henry's Law Constants (Solubilities)
List of data for more than 500 species in water. Available in postscript format, subdivided into small files, or as a plain ASCII text file.
List of data for more than 500 species in water. Available in postscript format, subdivided into small files, or as a plain ASCII text file.
How Batteries Work
Introduction to battery chemistry and construction on a basic level. One of the many articles from the How Stuff Works series by Marshall Brain that explains technical topics.
Introduction to battery chemistry and construction on a basic level. One of the many articles from the How Stuff Works series by Marshall Brain that explains technical topics.
How to Organize Your Thesis
A note by Prof. John W. Chinneck about graduate research and how to write Master's and Doctoral theses. Contains also a generic thesis skeleton.
A note by Prof. John W. Chinneck about graduate research and how to write Master's and Doctoral theses. Contains also a generic thesis skeleton.
How We Lose Heat to the Environment
Hypothermia and the modes of heat transfer from the human body to the environment, online or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version.
Hypothermia and the modes of heat transfer from the human body to the environment, online or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version.
Impregnated Activated Carbon...
...for environmental protection. Paper by K.-D. Henning and S. Schäfer, CarboTech-Aktivkohlen GmbH.
...for environmental protection. Paper by K.-D. Henning and S. Schäfer, CarboTech-Aktivkohlen GmbH.
In Depth Look at Extractive Distillation
Article by Dominic Foo Chwan Yee at the Chemical Engineers' Resource Page.
Article by Dominic Foo Chwan Yee at the Chemical Engineers' Resource Page.
Insulating Products
From Thermal Ceramics Inc., various materials for thermal and acoustical insulation.
From Thermal Ceramics Inc., various materials for thermal and acoustical insulation.
International Sieve Chart
From Reade Advanced Materials, a table comparing various sieve standards (ASTM, JIS, BSI, AFNOR, DIN, Tyler®, particle diameter, mesh).
From Reade Advanced Materials, a table comparing various sieve standards (ASTM, JIS, BSI, AFNOR, DIN, Tyler®, particle diameter, mesh).
Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
Lecture slides from Carlos E. Davila: definitions, history, electrophysiology, transducer principles, intrumentation, and measurement systems.
Lecture slides from Carlos E. Davila: definitions, history, electrophysiology, transducer principles, intrumentation, and measurement systems.
Introduction to Ceramics
Article from Greg Geiger, American Ceramic Society, definition, history and impact on society, technical ceramics, and future applications of advanced ceramics.
Article from Greg Geiger, American Ceramic Society, definition, history and impact on society, technical ceramics, and future applications of advanced ceramics.
Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics
From CHAM, a brief description for beginners.
From CHAM, a brief description for beginners.
Introduction to Continuum Mechanics
Book by Brian Kennett in PostScript format. Covers the concepts of deformation and stress field, constitutive relations for various materials including fluids, and the Navier-Stokes equation.
Book by Brian Kennett in PostScript format. Covers the concepts of deformation and stress field, constitutive relations for various materials including fluids, and the Navier-Stokes equation.
Introduction to Microengineering
Tutorial by Danny Banks covering MEMS, micromachines and microsystems.
Tutorial by Danny Banks covering MEMS, micromachines and microsystems.
Langmuir Equation
Derivation of the Langmuir equation and graphical illustration (Java applet).
Derivation of the Langmuir equation and graphical illustration (Java applet).
Lean Oil Absorption Processes
Description of an absorption process in which natural gas liquids (NGLs) are removed from natural gas by contacting with a liquid hydrocarbon solvent (oil).
Description of an absorption process in which natural gas liquids (NGLs) are removed from natural gas by contacting with a liquid hydrocarbon solvent (oil).
Liquid Membranes
Term project by Chris Patillo at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute about the liquid membranes.
Term project by Chris Patillo at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute about the liquid membranes.
Making Decisions with Insulation
From Christopher M. A. Haslego, about insulation of pipes and other equipment: theory, economics, safety, and process conditions.
From Christopher M. A. Haslego, about insulation of pipes and other equipment: theory, economics, safety, and process conditions.
Materials
Lecture notes from David Harrison, everything you wanted to know about materials: structure and bonding, conductivity, alloys, smelting, polymers and plastics, and more. Long (100 kB).
Lecture notes from David Harrison, everything you wanted to know about materials: structure and bonding, conductivity, alloys, smelting, polymers and plastics, and more. Long (100 kB).
MatWeb
Free online materials database. Composition, physical, mechanical and thermal properties of more than 13,000 metals, polymers, and ceramics. Browseable by category of material or searchable by name, property requirements, composition.
Free online materials database. Composition, physical, mechanical and thermal properties of more than 13,000 metals, polymers, and ceramics. Browseable by category of material or searchable by name, property requirements, composition.
McCabe-Thiele Method
Online calculator for the number of theoretical plates in a distillation column using the McCabe-Thiele method.
Online calculator for the number of theoretical plates in a distillation column using the McCabe-Thiele method.
Membrane Separation Processes
Article by G. Srikanth about different membrane products and processes in terms of their state of development, and technical and economic relevance.
Article by G. Srikanth about different membrane products and processes in terms of their state of development, and technical and economic relevance.
Microfiltration
Technical papers from Osmonics about basic principles and applications of microfiltration.
Technical papers from Osmonics about basic principles and applications of microfiltration.
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells
Design and operation of the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC).
Design and operation of the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC).
Nanofiltration
Technical papers from Osmonics about many aspects of nanofiltration including basics, principles and applications.
Technical papers from Osmonics about many aspects of nanofiltration including basics, principles and applications.
On-Line Friction Piping Loss
Calculation of pressure losses for flowing liquids in piping, fittings, and valves.
Calculation of pressure losses for flowing liquids in piping, fittings, and valves.
On-Line Pump System Design
Interactive (JavaScript) application for pump sizing and design, contains extensive "Pump Terminology" and "Technical Data" screens.
Interactive (JavaScript) application for pump sizing and design, contains extensive "Pump Terminology" and "Technical Data" screens.
PID Control Information
From John Shaw, a brief description of the standard PID control algorithm used in most controllers.
From John Shaw, a brief description of the standard PID control algorithm used in most controllers.
Osmosis, Reverse Osmosis, and Osmotic Pressure...
...what they are; a brief introduction by Uri Lachish.
...what they are; a brief introduction by Uri Lachish.
Plastics
From San Diego Plastics, Inc., an introductory text covering the history, properties, processing, and selection of plastics.
From San Diego Plastics, Inc., an introductory text covering the history, properties, processing, and selection of plastics.
Pressure Testing
Section from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Environmental, Safety, and Health Manual about the test procedures that LLNL uses for their pressure vessels.
Section from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) Environmental, Safety, and Health Manual about the test procedures that LLNL uses for their pressure vessels.
Pressure Vessel and System Design
Requirements for the design of pressure vessels and systems at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Useful reference.
Requirements for the design of pressure vessels and systems at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Useful reference.
Pure Water Handbook
From Osmonics, gives an overview on available technologies for water purification and their application; Adobe pdf file; long (1.1 MB).
From Osmonics, gives an overview on available technologies for water purification and their application; Adobe pdf file; long (1.1 MB).
Rheological Methods in Food Process Engineering
Free online copy of the book by J. F. Steffe, second edition (second printing) 1996, Freeman Press, East Lansing, MI, USA; PDF file.
Free online copy of the book by J. F. Steffe, second edition (second printing) 1996, Freeman Press, East Lansing, MI, USA; PDF file.
Rheology Nomenclature
Dealy, J. M., "Official nomenclature for material functions describing the response of a viscoelastic fluid to various shearing and extensional deformations," J. Rheol., 39(1), 1995, Acrobat (PDF) format.
Dealy, J. M., "Official nomenclature for material functions describing the response of a viscoelastic fluid to various shearing and extensional deformations," J. Rheol., 39(1), 1995, Acrobat (PDF) format.
sci.engr. FAQ on Engineers and Ethics
From Dr. Ron Graham, definitions, characteristics of ethical statements, examples of ethical questions, and references.
From Dr. Ron Graham, definitions, characteristics of ethical statements, examples of ethical questions, and references.
Signals, Systems, Control
Demonstrations developed by students at Johns Hopkins University, mostly with Java applets.
Demonstrations developed by students at Johns Hopkins University, mostly with Java applets.
Silica Gel - FAQ
What is silica gel and how does it work?
What is silica gel and how does it work?
Solid-Liquid Separation
Review of equipment for solid-liquid separation such as vacuum and pressure filters, filtering and sedimenting centrifuges, thickeners, and clarifiers.
Review of equipment for solid-liquid separation such as vacuum and pressure filters, filtering and sedimenting centrifuges, thickeners, and clarifiers.
Statistical Process Control: Process and Quality Views
Excellent article by Christopher Haslego about the basics of SPC for monitoring chemical and other processes.
Excellent article by Christopher Haslego about the basics of SPC for monitoring chemical and other processes.
Steady Under Pressure
Paper by Andrew W. Sloley, The Distillation Group, Inc., about distillation pressure control.
Paper by Andrew W. Sloley, The Distillation Group, Inc., about distillation pressure control.
Supercritical Fluids
Lecture slides by James K. Hardy, University of Akron, on supercritical fluids and their application in extraction and chromatography.
Lecture slides by James K. Hardy, University of Akron, on supercritical fluids and their application in extraction and chromatography.
The Coulter Principle
A brief description of the Coulter method for sizing and counting particles.
A brief description of the Coulter method for sizing and counting particles.
The Ideal Flow Machine
Java applet to experiment with and visualize elementary two-dimensional ideal flows. Sources, sinks, vortexes etc. can be placed and the streamlines are plotted.
Java applet to experiment with and visualize elementary two-dimensional ideal flows. Sources, sinks, vortexes etc. can be placed and the streamlines are plotted.
Top 100 U.S. Chemical Firms
Article from Chemical & Engineering News about the econonomic situation of the U.S. chemical industry. Table of the Top 100 chemical producers in 1996 ranked by sales, operating profits, profitability, and assets.
Article from Chemical & Engineering News about the econonomic situation of the U.S. chemical industry. Table of the Top 100 chemical producers in 1996 ranked by sales, operating profits, profitability, and assets.
Tower Sizing and Pricing
From Christopher M. A. Haslego, Excel spreadsheet for preliminay sizing and cost estimation of distillation columns with internal trays.
From Christopher M. A. Haslego, Excel spreadsheet for preliminay sizing and cost estimation of distillation columns with internal trays.
Transport Effects in Microreactors
Four lessons about microreactors done by students as a project in a chemical engineering course.
Four lessons about microreactors done by students as a project in a chemical engineering course.
Unbounding the Future: the Nanotech Revolution
What molecular nanotechnology will mean in practical terms. Web version of the book by K. Eric Drexler, Chris Peterson, and Gayle Pergamit.
What molecular nanotechnology will mean in practical terms. Web version of the book by K. Eric Drexler, Chris Peterson, and Gayle Pergamit.
Units for Particulate Measurement
From Reade Advanced Materials, definitions of important quantities and units.
From Reade Advanced Materials, definitions of important quantities and units.
What CFD Can and Cannot Do
Considerations about the capabilities of CFD from CHAM.
Considerations about the capabilities of CFD from CHAM.
What is a Chemical Engineer?
A very good introduction for those who do not yet know what a chemical engineer is and what he does.
A very good introduction for those who do not yet know what a chemical engineer is and what he does.
Why Apply a Coating -- Corrosion?
Online article by Mario S Pennisi on the finishing.com site, the requirements for corrosion to proceed, types of corrosion and techniques to restrict corrosion.
Online article by Mario S Pennisi on the finishing.com site, the requirements for corrosion to proceed, types of corrosion and techniques to restrict corrosion.
World Chemical Outlook
From the December 15, 1997 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, a look at the future of the chemical economy in different markets.
From the December 15, 1997 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, a look at the future of the chemical economy in different markets.