Chemical Engineering

History and Disciplines

Final Report in
Engineering Orientation
Submitted by:
Ayop, Chrismarie Grace
Montejo, Rey Ernie
Submitted to:
Engr. Jennifer Fernandez

1. History of Chemical Engineering

The chemical engineering profession evolved from the industrial applications of chemistry and separation science
(the study of separating components from mixtures), primarily in the refining and chemical industry, which we will
refer to here as the chemical process industries (CPI). The first high-volume chemical process was implemented in
1823 in England for the production of soda ash, which was used for the production of glass and soap. During the
same time, advances in organic chemistry led to the development of chemical processes for producing synthetic dyes
from coal for textiles, starting in the 1850s. In the latter half of the 1800s a number of chemical processes were
implemented industrially, primarily in Britain.
And in 1887 a series of lectures on chemical engineering which summarized industrial practice in the chemical
industry was presented in Britain. These lectures stimulated interest in the United States and to some degree led to
the formation of the first chemical engineering curriculum at MIT in 1888. Over the next 10 to 15 years a number of
U.S. universities embraced the field of chemical engineering by offering fields of study in this area. In 1908, the
American Institute of Chemical Engineers was formed and since then has served to promote and represent the
interests of the chemical engineering community.
Mechanical engineers understood the mechanical aspects of process operations, including fluid flow and heat
transfer, but they did not have a background in chemistry. On the other hand, chemists understood chemistry and its
ramifications but lacked the process skills. In addition, neither mechanical engineers nor chemists had backgrounds
in separation science, which is critically important to the CPI. In the United States, a few chemistry departments were
training process engineers by offering degrees in industrial chemistry, and these served as models for other
departments as the demand for process engineers in the CPI began to increase. As industrial chemistry programs
grew, they eventually formed separate degree-granting programs as the chemical engineering departments of today.
The acceptance of the horseless carriage, which began commercial production in the 1890s, created a demand for
gasoline, which ultimately fueled exploration for oil. In 1901, a Texas geologist and a mining engineer led a drilling
operation (the drillers were later to be known as wildcatters) that brought in the Spindletop Well just south of
Beaumont, Texas. At the time, Spindletop produced more oil than all of the other oil wells in the United States.
Moreover, a whole generation of wildcatters was born, resulting in a dramatic increase in the domestic production of
crude oil, which created a need for larger-scale, more modern approaches to crude refining. As a result, a market
developed for engineers who could assist in the design and operation of processing plants for the CPI. The success
of oil exploration was to some degree driven by the demand for gasoline for the automobile industry, but ultimately
the success of the oil exploration and refining industries led to the widespread availability of automobiles to the
general population because of the resulting lower cost of gasoline.

These early industrial chemists/chemical engineers had few analytical tools available to them and largely depended
upon their physical intuition to perform their jobs as process engineers. Slide rules were used to perform calculations,
and by the 1930s and 1940s a number of nomographs were developed to assist them in the design and operation
analysis of processes for the CPI. Nomographs are charts that provide a concise and convenient means to represent
physical property data (e.g., boiling point temperatures or heat of vaporization) and can also be used to provide
simplified solutions of complex equations (e.g., pressure drop for flow in a pipe). The computing resources that
became available in the 1960s were the beginnings of the computer-based technology that is commonplace today.
For example, since the 1970s computer-aided design (CAD) packages have allowed engineers to design complete
processes by specifying only a minimum amount of information; all the tedious and repetitive calculations are done by
the computer in an extremely short period of time, allowing the design engineer to focus on the task of developing the
best possible process design.
During the period 1960 to1980, the CPI also made the transition from an industry based on innovation, in which the
profitability of a company depended to a large degree on developing new products and new processing approaches,
to a more mature commodity industry, in which the financial success of a company depended on making products
using established technology more efficiently, resulting in less expensive products.
Globalization of the CPI markets began in the mid-1980s and led to increased competition. At the same time,
developments in computer hardware made it possible to apply process automation (advanced process control, or
APC, and optimization) more easily and reliably than ever before. These automation projects provided improved
product quality while increasing production rates and overall production efficiency with relatively little capital
investment. Because of these economic advantages, APC became widely accepted by industry over the next 15
years and remains an important factor for most companies in the CPI.
Beginning in the mid-1990s, new areas came on the scene that took advantage of the fundamental skills of chemical
engineers, including the microelectronics industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the biotechnology industry, and, more
recently, nanotechnology. Clearly, the analytical skills and the process training made chemical engineers ideal
contributors to the development of the production operations for these industries. In the 1970s, over 80% of
graduating chemical engineers took jobs with the CPI industry and government. By 2000, that number had dropped
to 50% because of increases in the number taking jobs with biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical/health care
companies, and microelectronics and materials companies.

Emergence as a discipline
Although many of the amazing advances in chemical manufacture were taking place in central Europe, France and
Germany in particular, it was in the United Kingdom that the first steps were taken for formalize an education in
"chemical engineering." In 1887, an unknown industrial inspector from Manchester, England, George E. Davis
decided to transfer his vast knowledge from his years of inspecting chemical plants in the industrial region of England
to the classroom. In the fall of 1887 he gave a series of 12 lectures, later published in the Chemical Trade Journal.
George E. Davis taught the first chemical engineering course. It was given in Manchester, England in 1887.
The material in the course was very empirical, that is, based on observation rather than theory, but it had a definite
advantage in that, at last, an individual had put onto paper a series of articles on the operation of some of the most
important (and complicated) chemical processes of those days. The teaching of chemical plant operation later
became known as unit operations, a phrase coined in 1915 that survives to this day, because Davis' lectures covered
the operation of the units, or individual pieces of equipment, that made up a chemical plant.
However, despite all of the activity in France and Germany, and despite all of George Davis' attempts to formalize the
teaching of unit operations in the U.K., even with his publication of one of the first textbooks on chemical engineering
in 1901 (A Handbook of Chemical Engineering), it was in none of these three countries that chemical engineering
emerged as a discipline. There are a number of reasons for this, but the main one is simply that, although George
Davis aggressively promoted his book and the concept of chemical engineering as a separate profession, his impact
was minuscule. Basically, no one listened to him. This was truly unfortunatenot just for George Davis of course
because he was the first to recognize that the subject of unit operations should be developed and analyzed as a
whole rather than as a set of individual operations. The time was ripe for this unit operations philosophy to emerge,
and appropriately enough, it happened in the United States, which was well on its way to becoming the world's
technological leader.
At the end of the 19th century the competition between the U.K., France, Germany, and the United States for
industrial chemicals had become fierce. Only one year after Davis' 1887 lectures in Manchester, Professor Lewis M.
Norton of the Chemistry Department at MIT started teaching a course in chemical engineering (although it wasn't yet
called chemical engineering in the United States). The material in this course was taken predominantly from Norton's
notes on industrial chemical practice in Germany, which at that time had what was arguably the most advanced
chemical process industry in the world.
Prof. Lewis M. Norton of MIT's Chemistry Department introduced chemical engineering to the United States.
When Norton died in 1893 at the age of 39, Professor Frank H. Thorpe, who received his doctorate in chemistry that
same year from the University of Heidelberg, took responsibility for Norton's course. In 1898 Prof. Thorpe published
what may be considered the first textbook in chemical engineering, Outlines of Industrial Chemistry. The term
"industrial chemistry" appearing for the first time in Thorpe's book was an attempt to broadly describe the industrial
processes applied in the production of chemicals; this phrase would become strongly associated with chemical
engineering over the next 50 years. It was not until radical (i.e., fundamental) approaches to the analysis of chemical

engineering problems were introduced in the mid-1950s at the University of Minnesota and the University of
Wisconsin that "industrial chemistry" would be made distinct from the main goals of "chemical engineering."
Although Norton and Thorpe were the pioneers of chemical engineering enthusiasm at MIT, it was Arthur A. Noyes
and later William H. Walker who brought to this discipline the respect it merited within the engineering curriculum.
After a doctorate in chemistry at the University of Leipzig in 1890, Noyes established a research laboratory in physical
chemistry in 1903. William Walker, who received a doctorate in chemistry in 1892 at the University of Gttingen,
recognized the importance of such a laboratory in chemical research, and in 1908 established a research laboratory
for applied chemistry.
MIT is considered to be the first university in the world to offer a four-year curriculum in chemical engineering; the first
students began this course of study in 1888. However, as a separate department at MIT, Chemical Engineering did
not become independent until 1920. Up to that time it was in the Division of Applied Chemistry within the Department
of Chemistry. In those early days Walker was the main driving force in the Division, assisted by Warren K. "Doc"
Lewis, who received his doctorate in chemistry in 1908 at the University of Breslau. (By this time you may have
noticed a theme: the people of this era who were to become the best and brightest chemistry faculty in the United
States went over to central Europe, usually Germany, to get their graduate education. This trend continued through
the first quarter of the 20th century.) In 1913 Noyes left MIT for Southern California, transforming what was then
Throop College to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His strong belief in chemical engineering as a
discipline led to early emphasis of that program at Caltech. Other universities also followed the example set by MIT.
The University of Pennsylvania (1894), Tulane University (1894), The University of Michigan (1898), and Tufts
University (1898) all created four-year degree programs in chemical engineering, but always as part of their
respective Chemistry Departments.

2. Sub-Disciplines of Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering is a broad discipline, covering various industries and fields. The different sub-disciplines
available to specialise in are listed below, allowing graduates to specialise in a single area for work in a specific
industry.

Ceramic Engineering
Ceramic Engineering is a specialised field in materials engineering, concerned with the development of ceramic
materials. Ceramics are traditionally made from clay (a naturally occurring substance) and commonly used in pottery
and brickwork. Ceramics Engineering also deals with ceramics made from inorganic (lifeless), manmade substances.
Ceramics engineers perform similar tasks to materials engineers, the main difference is that they specialise entirely in
ceramics and its applications.
Industries a ceramic engineer works in include aerospace, mining, medicine and developing components for electrical
circuits.

Crystal Engineering

Crystal Engineering is another specialised field in materials engineering, involved with the development of crystal
materials. Crystals are solids with a highly unique atomic structure and are usually identified by their flat surfaces and
transparency.

Drilling Engineering
Drilling engineering is an important field within petroleum engineering. Drilling deep underground is a key part of the
oil extraction process and drilling engineers are focused on safe drilling procedures and the logistics of this process.
Drilling engineers usually work closely with geologists to identify potential hazards. This information is then used to
determine the most effective drilling equipment, technique and plan. Other tasks include injection well development,
where the aim is to increase the ease with which oil can be extracted from a reservoir.
A drilling engineer will spend the majority of his time on site, which can involve extended periods of travel to the
remote locations where oil is located.

Materials Engineering
Materials engineering is dedicated to create materials from raw resources for specific applications. A material is
defined as any substance that can be used to make something, from iron to sand. A materials engineer will define a
materials properties so that they can be selected for any suitable application. The two purposes of this discipline are
the extraction and processing of raw materials and selection for an appropriate application. Materials engineers get to
play with testing equipment and experiments to identify suitable materials for an application. While all disciplines of
engineering has a materials component during their coursework, materials engineering also deals with materials on a
more fundamental level. It is a discipline that may interest those fascinated with destroying objects and then
analysing why or how they broke.
Almost all disciplines and industries require the use of a materials engineer at some stage. A materials engineer may
contract their services to companies that require a unique material to satisfy a particular requirement (such as
waterproof aluminium for a marine application). Materials engineers spend the majority of their time in a lab with
occasional site visits if they work in certain industries (construction for example).

Paper Engineering
Paper Engineering is a particular field in materials engineering focussed with the transformation of raw lumber and
bark into useful writing and packaging products. Paper is created by processing and bleaching wood pulp into thin
sheets. The two most commonly produced products are paper (obviously) and cardboard. The recycling of paper is
much more common approach to deal with the large waste generated by paper products. Paper engineers are
actively involved in forest management schemes to ensure the natural balance of trees remains.

Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum engineering is all about the production of fuel for vehicles and machinery. Petrol is created through the
blending and refinement of hydrocarbons (crude oil and natural gas are the two most commonly used hydrocarbons).
Petroleum engineering is used to extract and refine these hydrocarbons in a safe and feasible way. It is categorized
into the following three specialisations; drilling, reservoir and production. Petroleum engineers work with geologists to
determine the exact location of crude oil underground. They also collaborate when determining the depletion rates of
oil reservoirs. Much of this work is completed using software for simulation and analysis. The skill set of petroleum
engineering graduates is well rounded and contains aspects of many engineering disciplines including economics,
simulation, geophysics, data simulation, automation and sustainability.
Engineers in this discipline are highly sought after due to the worlds reliance on using hydrocarbons as a fuel source.
Many petroleum engineers work for some of the biggest companies in the world and, in most cases, are the best paid
compared to other engineering disciplines.

Plastics Engineering
Plastics engineering involves the development and manufacturing of plastic materials. Plastics are either completely
synthetic or semi-synthetic. A plastic engineer possesses the same abilities as a materials engineer, but they are also
experts in plastic. As plastic contains very unique and stubborn properties, it requires its own field of research and
education. While there is a lot of fascination with the impressive abilities and applications of plastic, it is a specialised
field with limited career options depending on the country you wish to work in.

Process Engineering
Process engineering relates to the improvement and execution of all processes. A process is best described as a
structured set of actions to achieve a definite goal. Every process is designed to transform an input (raw materials) to
an output (products and services). Engineering a process will specifically involve saving time and cost by optimising
the design and training the people involved. Process engineering is related to all chemical, biological, mechanical and
manufacturing processes. Process engineers use computer software to design and monitor the processes used
across these engineering industries. While generally working behind a computer in an office, some engineers work
on-site to monitor the actual outcome of their processes. Process engineers will not actively involve themselves in the
process. For instance, if a process is obstructed by a malfunctioning tool, the process engineer will notify the
technical worker involved to remedy the issue.
Graduates of process engineering obtain expert knowledge of process theory along with training in computer-aided
technology. Process engineers are generally hired to work for large companies to monitor various processes. It is
highly unlikely that a process engineer will have the ability to start their own business, although they may be able to
contract their services. The majority of process engineers work in the chemical engineering industry.

Production Engineering
Production engineering is another specialised field within petroleum engineering, focusing on the equipment and
processes used to refine the oil into a usable form. Production engineering is used for the daily production of oil;
unlike reservoir engineering which has applies long-term views for oil extraction. It is potentially more dangerous due
to being located on rigs and near hazards. This job is specifically on-site with some supervision of machinery and
staff working in the process.

Reservoir Engineering
Reservoir engineering is a specialised field within petroleum engineering. All hydrocarbons (such as crude oil and
gas) are commonly located in subsurface reservoirs. These reservoirs are large rock structures that contain oil within
them. Reservoir engineering deals with the overall strategy of extracting oil from a well. Using a long-term
perspective, engineers determine the most efficient (cost) and effective way of recovering the available oil in the
safest manner. The use of modelling and simulation is able to determine the level of the oil reserves and reservoir
depletion.
Compared with the other specialisations in petroleum engineering, reservoir engineers tend to spend most of their
time in an office.

3. Reaction

By: Chrismarie Grace Ayop

Chemical engineers have technical knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry, engineering, materials science and
information technology. However, they also know about economics, management, safety and the environment. The
tools used include sophisticated scientific experiments, the latest developments in computing, and large-scale pilot
plants.
Chemical engineers have many career opportunities. A graduate might perform groundbreaking scientific research,
work as a field engineer, or occupy a senior management position. Graduates employed by multinational companies
often travel all over the world.
Even those graduates who choose not to accept jobs in industry are highly employable in other areas because they
are experienced at solving problems and have good analytical and management skills. Chemical engineering
graduates can go on to successful careers in finance, consultancy or scientific journalism, to name but a few.
Chemical engineers work to improve the quality of people's lives. Most items used by people everyday have needed
chemical engineers to produce them. Chemical engineers are helping to end starvation, disease and poverty. They
are working to save the environment by developing alternative technologies to combat acid rain, lead pollution and
the greenhouse effect.
Chemical engineers have made so many important contributions to society, in such a short span of history, that it is
hard to visualize modern life without the large-scale production of antibiotics and other drugs, fertilizers, agricultural
chemicals, physiological-compatible polymers for biomedical devices, high-strength polymer composites, synthetic
fibers and fabrics, protective coatings, and microelectronic devices.