Chemical Engineering 478

Chemical Reaction Engineering

MWF - 9:00 am, 250 CTB

Winter 2003

Professor:	T.H. Fletcher - 350K CB (422-6236) tom_fletcher@byu.edu
TA's:	Ben Hanson, bjh43@email.byu.edu, 623-2397
	Steve Broadbent, sfbroadbent@hotmail.com, 471-3160
Texts:	O. Levenspiel, "Chemical Reaction Engineering," 3rd ed., John Wiley, 1999
	H. Scott Folger, "Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering," Prentice-Hall, 1999 (optional; used at other universities)

References:

1.	O. Levenspiel, "The Chemical Reactor Omnibook," Oregon State University, 1979.
2.	O. Levenspiel, "The Chemical Reactor Minibook," Oregon State, 1979 .
3.	J.M. Smith, "Chemical Engineering Kinetics," 3rd ed., McGraw Hill, 1981.
4.	G. D. Ulrich, "A Guide to Chemical Engineering Reactor Design and Kinetics," University of New Hampshire, 1993.
5.	L. D. Schmidt, "The Engineering of Chemical Reactions," Oxford, 1998.

Catalog Description:

ChE 478: Chemical Reaction Engineering. Credit 3. Fundamental principles and equations of chemical kinetics and reactor design. Prerequisites: Concurrent registration in ChE 373 (Thermodynamics) or Chem 461 (Physical Chemistry). Must be accepted into the ChE professional program.

Course Objectives:

1. Learn fundamental principles of kinetics and reaction rate theory.

2. Learn design principles for several types of chemical reactors.

3. Learn to interpret kinetic data for both reactor design and study of reaction mechanisms.

Course Outline:

Exam		Topic	Classes
Exam 1	1.	Basic principles of kinetics.	3
	2.	Rate expressions from batch reactor data.	5
Exam 2	3.	Rector design for single and multiple ideal flow reactors - single reaction.	9
Exam 3	4.	Reactor design for multiple reactions.	4
	5.	Non-isothermal effects.	5
Exam 4	6.	Catalytic heterogeneous reactions.	5
	7.	Non-catalytic heterogeneous reactions.	3

Grading:

Homework and quizzes 20%

Hour Exams 50%

Final Exam 30%

Reading:

The textbook is one of the easiest texts to read in the Chemical Engineering Department. Students are expected to read the material before the lecture, then get clarifications on the reading, and then do the homework. The responsibility of learning is then on the student! Unannounced quizzes will given at the first of class on the assigned reading material for that day. The number of quizzes will increase as student preparation for classes decreases. Motto: be prepared! (and be on time). Quizzes will not be rescheduled, and extra credit is not available (quizzes will only constitute 10% of the homework grade, and hence will not significantly influence the overall grade).

Exams:

Exams are 1-hour, in-class, and open-book! Since there are four exams, the lowest exam score will be dropped. Be careful, though; the exams get harder as the course proceeds. Exams cannot be rescheduled unless approval is obtained prior to the time originally scheduled. Please note the final exam time, and plan accordingly.

Homework:

Homework is due at the beginning of the class period. If you have a conflict, please contact me in advance. If you are sick, please let me know so that I can excuse the late homework and help you plan to catch up with the class. Unexcused late homework may be handed in for half credit until the next scheduled exam. Solutions to the homework problems will be available at the Chemical Engineering office after problems have been graded. The solution key may be consulted when doing late homework. You may check out the key for 1 hour, or have the secretaries make a copy of the relevant pages.

Honor Code:

I came to BYU because I want to help students learn in an environment where we both have the same standards. If you cannot abide by the Honor Code and the Dress and Grooming Standards, there are plenty of students waiting to come to BYU that can take your place. Please help make this university a place worthy of the Savior’s continued blessings.

Professional Courtesy:

I promise to be prepared each day in class with material that is worth your valuable time. I will try to make the class fun and interesting by varying the learning activities and by being energetic and enthusiastic. Unfortunately, when I try to make things fun to learn, some students take the opportunity to talk and disturb others at inappropriate times during class. It is impossible for me to compete with the noise from large classes. Please be courteous to me and to others in the class by whispering to your neighbor if you need to communicate. I reserve the right to deduct up to 5% of the grade from people who disturb class. (Bottom line: BE NICE!)

Grade	Expectations
A	Read material in advance, be attentive and ask questions in lectures, understand and do all homework on time, study hard for exams before the exam starts, work hard and perform well on exams.
B	Skim material in advance, attend lectures and try to stay awake, depend on TA for homework help, cram for the exam by only getting answers to the practice exam, try to study during exam.
C	Never read book, work on Thermo or other homework during class (or crossword puzzles), skip some homework assignments, start studying for exam during the exam.
D	Become roommate of TA, spend significant time in professor's office, turn in every assignment late by copying the key, borrow a book and a calculator for the exam.