What is a Chemical

Engineer?
a) An Engineer who manufactures
chemicals
b) A Chemist who works in a factory
c) A glorified Plumber?

None of the above

No universally accepted definition of ChE.
However, aimed towards design of processes that

change materials from one form to another more

useful (and so more valuable) form, economically,
safely and in an environmentally acceptable way.
Application of basic sciences (math, chemistry,
physics & biology) and engineering principles to
the
development,
design,
operation
&
maintenance of processes to convert raw
materials to useful products and improve
the human environment.
3

Chemical Engineering
ChE involves specifying equipment,

operating conditions, instrumentation and

process control for all these changes.
Chemistry
Mathematics

Air
Natural Gas
Coal
Minerals
Energy

Economics

Physics

Biology
4

What are the fields of Ch E?

The traditional fields of ChE are:
petrochemicals, petroleum and natural gas
processing
plastics and polymers
pulp and paper
instrumentation and process control
energy conversion and utilisation
environmental control
5

What are the fields of Ch E?

Biotechnology
Biomedical and Biochemical
food processing
composite materials, corrosion and

protective coatings
manufacture of microelectronic
components
Pharmaceuticals
6

What do Chemical Engineers

do?
Regarding Engineers: it is not what we do, but how we

think about the world, that makes us different. We use all

that we know to produce the best solution to a problem
(problems that engineers face usually have more than one
solution).
Engineers use techniques of Quantitative Engineering

Analysis to design/synthesize products (materials, devices),

services, and processes even though they have an
imperfect understanding of chemical, physical, biological,
or human factors affecting them.

Engineers operate under the constraint of producing a

product or service that is timely, competitive, reliable,

within the financial means of their company, and is
consistent with its philosophy.
7

What do Chemical Engineers

do?
Thus, they are involved in a wide range of
activities such as:
design, development and operation of
process plants
research and development of novel
products and processes
management of technical operations and
sales
8

Chemical engineer is either currently, or

has previously, occupied the CEO position

for:

3M
Du Pont
General Electric
Union Carbide
Texaco

Dow Chemical
Exxon
BASF
Gulf Oil
B.F. Goodrich
9

Where do Chemical Engineers

work?
The majority of Chemical Engineers work in businesses known
collectively as the Chemical Process Industries (CPI)
Chemicals,
Oil and Gas (upstream and downstream)
Pulp and Paper,
Rubber and Plastics,
Food and Beverage,
Textile,
Electronics/IT
Metals, mineral processing
Electronics and microelectronics
Agricultural Chemicals Industries
Cosmetics/ Pharmaceutical
Biotechnology/Biomedical
Environmental, technical, and business consulting

10

Where do Chemical Engineers

work?
Many

Chemical Engineers also work in supplier,

consulting and governmental agencies related to the CPI
by engaging in equipment manufacture, plant design,
consulting,
analytical
services
and
standards
development.
Chemical Engineers hold lead positions in industrial firms
and
governmental
agencies
concerned
with
environmental protection since environmental problems
are usually complex and require a thorough knowledge of
the Social Sciences, Physics, Biology, Mathematics and
Chemistry for their resolution.
Chemical engineers have been referred to as universal
engineers.
11

Chemical

23.3

26.7

Fuels

15.7

12.6

Electronics

15.9

15.6

Food/Consumer Prods.

10.6

11.4

Materials

3.1

3.3

Biotech & Related Inds.

9.3

6.9

Pulp & paper

2.1

2.4

Engineering Services (Design & Construction)

5.6

4.8

Engineering Services (Research & Testing)

1.8

2.4

Engineering Services (Environmental Engng.)

2.4

2.6

Business Services

5.8

6.4

Other Industries

3.9

4.8
12

How much money do Chemical

Engineers make? Starting salaries (USA)
The National Association of Colleges
and Employers (NACE) reported that,
between Sept 1999 - Jan 2000, the average
starting salary offer made to graduating
chemical engineering students in the USA
was:
$49,418 with a Bachelor's degree
$56,100 with a Master's degree
$68,491 with a Ph.D.
13

What is an Industrial Chemist?

Industrial Chemists are Applied Scientists.
Typically, they undertake optimization of complex

processes, but unlike engineers, they examine

and change the chemistry of the process itself.
Industrial Chemists are capable of fulfilling a

multiplicity of roles - as research scientists,

development chemists, technical representatives
and as plant/company managers.

14

Early Industrial Chemistry

As the Industrial Revolution (18th Century to the

present) steamed along certain basic chemicals

quickly became necessary to sustain growth.
Sulfuric acid was first among these "industrial
chemicals". It was said that a nation's industrial
might could be gauged solely by the vigor of its
sulfuric acid industry
With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that
English industrialists spent a lot of time, money,
and effort in attempts to improve their processes
for making sulfuric acid. A slight savings in
production led to large profits because of the vast
quantities of sulfuric acid consumed by industry.

15

The German chemical industry experienced a

period of rapid growth during the 19th Century.

It was focused on the production of fine
chemicals or complicated dyestuffs based on
coal tar.
These were usually made in batch reactors
(something all chemists are familiar with).
Hence, their approach to running a chemical
plant was based on teaming research
chemists and mechanical engineers.

16

However,

the English and American chemical

industries produced only a few simple but widely
used chemicals such as sulfuric acid and alkali
(both made in continuous reactors, something
chemists have little experience with). These bulk
chemicals were produced using straightforward
chemistry, but required complex engineering on
a large scale.

The chemical reactors were no longer just big pots,

instead they involved complex plumbing systems

where
chemistry
and
engineering
were
inseparably tied together. Because of this, the
chemical and engineering aspects of production
could not be easily divided; as they were in Germany.
17

Economics drives industry and technological

developments.
Sulfuric Acid (Oil of Vitriol) & "Fuming" Sulfuric
Acid (Oleum) (H2SO4)
Required for the production of alkali salts

(used in fertilizers) and dyestuffs

18

Lead Chamber Process

1749 John Roebuck developed the process to make

relatively concentrated (30-70%) sulfuric acid in lead

lined chambers rather than the more expensive glass
vessels.
Air, water, sulfur dioxide, a nitrate (potassium,
sodium, or calcium nitrate, and a large lead container.
The nitrate was the most expensive ingredient
because during the final stage of the process, it was
lost to the atmosphere (in the form of nitric oxide).

19

Additional nitrate (sodium nitrate) was imported

from Chile - costly!

In 1859, John Glover helped solve this problem
with a mass transfer tower to recover some
of this lost nitrate. Acid trickled down against
upward flowing burner gases which absorbed
some of the previously lost nitric oxide. When the
gases were recycled back into the lead chamber
the nitric oxide could be re-used.

20

Figure 1-1: Lead Chamber process

21

Figure 1-2: Source: "US Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics from Colonial Times to 1970."

22

Notice how sulfuric acid production closely mirrors

historical events effecting the American economy.

Sulfuric acid production dropped after the American
involvement in World War I (1917-1919) and open world
trade resumed.
The stock market crash of 1929 further stagnated growth
which was restored at the outbreak of
World War II (1938). As the U.S. entered the war (1941)
economy was rapidly brought up to full production
capacity.
The post war period (1940-1965) saw the greatest
economic growth in America's history, and this was
reflected in ever increasing sulfuric acid production.
Massive inflation during the late sixties and the energy
crisis and economic recession of the early seventies also
reveal themselves in the sulfuric acid curve
23

Making soap a luxury

It has been suggested that some form of soap,

made by boiling fat with ashes, was being

made in Babylon as early as 2800BC, but
probably used only for washing garments.
Pliny the Elder (7BC53AD) mentions that soap
was being produced from tallow and beech
ashes by the Phoenicians in 600BC.

24

Oils or fats are boiled with alkali in a reaction

which produces soap and glycerin

Saponification is hydrolysis of an ester under
basic conditions, forming an alcohol and salt
Soap acts to reduce surface tension (surfactant)
of water to make it wetter and emulsifiying dirt
(holding it in suspension)

25

Historically,
Na2CO3 was used

26

 1700s the demand for soap increased due to washing of

clothes, requiring Na2CO3

The Alkali compounds, Soda ash (Na 2CO3) and potash
(K2CO3), were used in making glass, soap, and textiles
and were therefore in great demand.
This alkali was imported to France from Spanish and Irish
peasants who burned seaweed and New England settlers
who burned brush, both to recover the ash
At the end of the 1700's, English trees became scarce and
the only native source of soda ash in the British Isles was
kelp (seaweed).
Alkali imported from America in the form of wood ashes
(potash), Spain in the form of barilla (a plant containing
25% alkali), or from soda mined in Egypt, were all very
expensive due to high shipping costs.
27

King Louis XVI of France offered an

award (equivalent to half a million
dollars) to anyone who could turn NaCl
(common table salt) into Na2CO3
because French access to these raw
materials was threatened.
Nicolas Leblanc was a poor young man working in a

chemistry research lab established by the wealthiest

man in France, the Duke of Orleans.
It took Leblanc 5 years to stumble upon the idea of
reacting NaCl with sulfuric acid to form sodium sulfate,
and
then converting to sodium carbonate with
limestone.
In 1789 he went to collect his prizeunfortunately this
was during the time of the French Revolution.
A factory was built, but the Duke was executed and the
factory seized.
28

Alkali and the Le Blanc

Process
Dependence on imported soda ended with the Le

Blanc Process which converted common salt into

soda ash using sulfuric acid, limestone and coal as
feedstock (raw materials) and produced hydrochloric
acid as a by-product.
2NaCl

(salt) + H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) => Na2SO4

(saltcake, intermediate) + 2 HCl (hydrochloric acid gas,
a horrible waste product)

Na2SO4

(saltcake) + Ca2CO3 (calcium carbonate,

limestone) + 4 C(s) (coal) => Na2CO3 (soda ash
extracted from black ash) + CaS (dirty calcium sulfide
waste) + 4 CO (carbon monoxide)
29

Alkali and the Le Blanc

Process
In many ways, this process began the modern

chemical industry.
From its adoption in 1810 it was continually

improved over the next 80 years through elaborate

engineering efforts mainly directed at recovering
or reducing the terrible by-products of the process,
namely: hydrochloric acid, nitrogen oxides, sulfur,
manganese, and chlorine gas.
Indeed because of these polluting chemicals many

manufacturing sites were surrounded by a ring of

dead and dying grass and trees.
30

Alkali and the Le Blanc

Process
A petition against the Le Blanc Process in 1839 complained that:
"the

gas from these manufactories is of such a

deleterious nature as to blight everything within its
influence, and is alike baneful to health and property.
The herbage of the fields in their vicinity is scorched,
the gardens neither yield fruit nor vegetables; many
flourishing trees have lately become rotten naked
sticks. Cattle and poultry droop and pine away. It
tarnishes the furniture in our houses, and when we
are exposed to it, which is of frequent occurrence,
we are afflicted with coughs and pains in the
head...all of which we attribute to the Alkali works."
31

32

Soda Ash and the Solvay

Process
In 1873 a new process - the Solvay Process - replaced Le

Blanc's method for producing Alkali.

The process was perfected in 1863 by a Belgian chemist,

Ernest Solvay. The chemistry was based upon an old

discovery by A. J. Fresnel who in 1811 had shown that
Sodium Bicarbonate could be precipitated from a salt
solution containing ammonium bicarbonate.

This chemistry was far simpler than that devised by Le

Blanc, however to be used on an industrial scale many

engineering obstacles had to be overcome. Sixty years of
attempted scale-up had failed until Solvay finally
succeeded. Solvay's contribution was therefore one of
chemical engineering.

33

Soda Ash and the Solvay

Process
The heart of his design was an 80 foot tall high-efficiency

carbonating tower in which ammoniated brine trickled

down and carbon dioxide flowed up. Plates and bubble caps
created a large surface area (contacting area) over which
the two chemicals could react forming sodium bicarbonate.
Solvay's engineering resulted in a continuously
operating process free of hazardous by-products and
with an easily purified final product.
By 1880 it was evident that it would rapidly replace the
traditional Le Blanc Process.

34

The dawn of Chemical

Engineering
English industrialists spent a lot of time, money, and effort in

attempts to improve their processes for making bulk chemicals

because a slight savings in production led to large profits
because of the vast quantities of sulfuric acid consumed by
industry.
The term "chemical engineer" had been floating around

technical circles throughout the 1880's, but there was no

formal education for such a person.
The

"chemical engineer" of these years was either a

mechanical engineer who had gained some knowledge of
chemical process equipment, a chemical plant foreman with a
lifetime of experience but little education, or an applied
chemist with knowledge of large scale industrial chemical
reactions.
35

The dawn of Chemical

Engineering

In 1887 George Davis, an Alkali Inspector from the

"Midland" region of England molded his knowledge into a

series of 12 lectures on chemical engineering, which he
presented at the Manchester Technical School. This
chemical engineering course was organized around
individual chemical operations, later to be called unit
operations. Davis explored these operations empirically
and presented operating practices employed by the British
chemical industry.

36

A new profession Chemical

Engineering
For all intents and purposes the chemical engineering

profession began in 1888 when Professor Lewis Norton

of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
initiated the first four year bachelor program in chemical
engineering entitled "Course X" (ten). Soon other colleges,
such as the University of Pennsylvania and Tulane
University followed MIT's lead in 1892 and 1894
respectively.

37

First US Chemical Engineering

education
1888, Lewis M. Norton at MIT, as part of

Chemistry Department.
In response to rapid rise of the industrial
chemical industries.
Based on descriptive industrial chemistry, of
salt, potash, sulfuric acid, soap, coal.
Graduates lacked concepts and tools to solve
new problems in the emerging petroleum and
organic chemical industries.

38

First Canadian Chemical Engineering

education
1878
1902
1904
1912

Toronto (Analytical and Applied Chemistry)

Queens (Department of Chemical Engineering)
Toronto (Department of ChE and Applied Chemistry)
Ecole Polytechnique (from Diploma dingenieur-chimiste
granted through Laval)
1942 Ecole Polytechnique (Industrial Chemistry)
1958 Ecole Polytechnique (Department of chemical Engineering)
1914 McGill
1915 UBC
1926 Alberta
1934 Saskatchewan
1940 Laval
(Nova Scotia Technical College 1947)

39

A new profession Chemical

Engineering
From its beginning chemical engineering was tailored to fulfill

the needs of the chemical industry which, in the USA, was

mostly based on petroleum derived feedstocks. Competition
between manufacturers was brutal, and all strove to be the "low
cost producer." However, to stay ahead of the pack chemical
plants had to be optimized. This necessitated things such as;
continuously operating reactors (as opposed to batch
operation), recycling and recovery of unreacted reactants,
and cost effective purification of products. These advances inturn required plumbing systems (for which traditional chemists
where unprepared) and detailed
physical
chemistry
knowledge (unbeknownst to mechanical engineers). The new
chemical engineers were capable of designing and operating the
increasingly complex chemical operations which were rapidly
emerging.
40

Unit operations
In transforming matter from inexpensive raw materials to

highly desired products, chemical engineers became very

familiar with the physical and chemical operations
necessary in this metamorphosis.

Examples of this include:

filtration
drying
distillation
crystallization
grinding
sedimentation
combustion
catalysis
heat exchange
coating, and so on.

Physical
Chemical operations

41

Unit Operations
These "unit operations" repeatedly found their

way into industrial practice, and became a

convenient manner of organizing chemical
engineering knowledge.
Additionally, the knowledge gained concerning
a "unit operation" governing one set of
materials can easily be applied to others
driving a car is driving a car no matter what
the make .
So, whether one is distilling alcohol for hard liquor
or petroleum for gasoline, the underlying
principles are the same!

42

Unit operations
The "unit operations" concept had been latent in the

chemical engineering profession ever since George Davis

had organized his original 12 lectures around the topic.
But, it was Arthur Little who first recognized the potential
of using Unit Operations" to separate chemical
engineering from other professions
While mechanical engineers focused on machinery,
and industrial chemists concerned themselves with
products, and applied chemists studied individual
reactions, no one, before chemical engineers, had
concentrated upon the underlying processes common
to all chemical products, reactions, and machinery.
The chemical engineer, utilizing the conceptual tool that
was unit operations, could now make claim to industrial
territory by showing his or her uniqueness and worth to
the American chemical manufacturer.
43

Chemical Engineering
accomplishments

Production of Synthetic Ammonia and Fertilizers,

Production of petrochemicals,
Commercial-scale
production of antibiotics

(biotechnology/

pharmaceuticals),
Establishment of the plastics industry,
Establishment of the synthetic fiber industry,
Establishment of the synthetic rubber industry,
Electrolytic production of Aluminum,
Energy production and the development of new sources of energy,
Production of fissionable isotopes,
Production of IT products (storage devices, microelectronics,
ultraclean environment),
Artificial organs and biomedical devices,
Food processing,
Process Simulation tools.

44

Undergraduate
curriculum

Designed to provide students with a broad background in

the underlying
Mathematics

sciences

of

Chemistry,

Physics

and

Detailed

knowledge of engineering principles and

practices, along with a good appreciation of social and
economic factors

Laboratory involvement is an important component

Develop team work skills,
Development of problem-identification and problem-solving

skills.
Stress the preparation of students for independent work and

development of interpersonal skills necessary for professional

engineers.
45

Undergraduate
curriculum

Elective courses provide an opportunity to obtain additional

training in areas of emphasis:

Environment
Computers and Process Control
Energy
Biotechnology
Petroleum
Research & Development

46

Curriculum
Basic Sciences
Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry

Engineering Sciences
Thermodynamics

(Heat, work, phase equilibrium,

chemical equilibrium)
Transport Phenomena (heat transfer, fluid mechanics,
mass transfer)
Numerical Analysis
Engineering Design
Computer-Aided Design
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Separation Processes
Process Control
Process Design
47

Chemical Engineering: New

Directions?
Phasing out of formerly successful products: tetra-

ethyl lead, DDT, cellophane, freon or CFC.

End of the parade of new polymers: celluloid,
bakelite, nylon, kevlar.
To attract the best students, the lure of new
products to enhance lives - laptop computers,
cellular phone and internet.
Cost-cutting and environmental protection is no
match for glamorous new products.
We need to give chemical engineers the
intellectual toolbox, to innovate exciting new
products that people will learn to love.
48

How do I find out more

information?
AIChE

www.aiche.org
CSChE
www.chemeng.ca
IChemE www.icheme.chemeng.ed.ac.uk
Join the student chapter of CSChE
Talk to Chemical Engineers
Read Chemical Engineering magazines

49