CHE113H1

Concepts in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Introduces the key concepts that underpin the chemical engineering discipline and their application to address global challenges. Introduces the chemical industry as the interface between natural resources (minerals, water, air, oil, agricultural products, etc.) and the wide range of higher value products (materials, energy, clean water, food, pharmaceuticals, etc.) utilized in our society and the challenges and opportunities for the industry as part of a sustainable future. The course will introduce four core concepts underpinning the discipline of chemical engineering: thermodynamics (driving force); transport phenomena (heat, mass, momentum); reaction kinetics (rates); and unit operations. Topics covered include: the control volume approach; material and energy balances; flux; and reaction yield and conversion, with applications to batch and continuous systems. Introduces half reactions involved in electrochemical and biochemical systems, energetics and thermodynamics of these reactions and networks including bioenergetics. Introduces connections between these foundational concepts and how they relate to our understanding of chemical and biochemical systems at various scales. The laboratory will reinforce these key chemical engineering principles.