Chemical engineering
George E. Davis, an English consultant born in 1850 and died in 1907, is regarded as the founding father of chemical engineering. A 1996 article cites James F. Donnelly for mentioning an 1839 reference to chemical engineering related to sulfuric acid production. Davis tried to found a Society of Chemical Engineering but instead helped establish the Society of Chemical Industry in 1881 with himself as its first secretary. The History of Science in United States: An Encyclopedia places the use of the term around 1890. Chemical engineering became common vocabulary in England after 1850 when it described using mechanical equipment in the chemical industry. By 1910 the profession called chemical engineer was already in common use in both Britain and the United States.
In the 1940s engineers realized that unit operations alone were insufficient for developing chemical reactors. While unit operations dominated courses in Britain and the United States until the 1960s transport phenomena started receiving greater focus. This shift created what experts now call a second paradigm alongside process systems engineering. Transport phenomena gave chemical engineering an analytical approach while process systems engineering focused on synthetic elements like control systems and process design. Developments before and after World War II were mainly incited by the petrochemical industry though advances occurred elsewhere too. Advancements in biochemical engineering during the 1940s found application in pharmaceutical manufacturing allowing mass production of antibiotics including penicillin and streptomycin. Progress in polymer science during the 1950s paved way for what historians call the age of plastics.
Silent Spring published in 1962 alerted readers to harmful effects of DDT a potent insecticide used widely at the time. The 1974 Flixborough disaster in the United Kingdom resulted in 28 deaths plus damage to a chemical plant and three nearby villages. The 1984 Bhopal disaster in India caused at least 4,000 deaths according to available records. These incidents along with other events affected the reputation of the trade as industrial safety gained more focus. In response the Institution of Chemical Engineers required safety to be part of every degree course it accredited after 1982. By the 1970s legislation and monitoring agencies were instituted in various countries such as France Germany and the United States. Systematic application of safety principles to chemical plants began being considered a specific discipline known as process safety.
Advancements in computer science found applications for designing and managing plants simplifying calculations that previously had to be done manually. Programs such as Aspen HYSYS were developed to complete multiple chemical engineering calculations efficiently. The completion of the Human Genome Project is seen as a major development advancing both chemical engineering and genetic engineering. Chemical engineering principles were used to produce DNA sequences in large quantities during this period. Both applied research facets could make extensive use of computers for scaling up theoretical reactions to create better methods. Engineers now design experiments by scaling up theoretical chemical reactions to create safer production methods and pollution control strategies.
Chemical engineering design concerns creation of plans specifications and economic analyses for pilot plants new plants or plant modifications. Design engineers often work in consulting roles designing plants to meet client needs while facing constraints like funding government regulations and safety standards. Plant construction is coordinated by project engineers and project managers depending on size of investment involved. A chemical engineer may do job of project engineer full-time or part of time requiring additional training and job skills. In USA education of chemical engineering graduates from Baccalaureate programs accredited by ABET does not usually stress project engineering education which can be obtained through specialized training electives or graduate programs. Project engineering jobs are some of largest employers for chemical engineers today.
A unit operation is physical step in individual chemical engineering process such as crystallization filtration drying and evaporation. Unit operations prepare reactants purify separate products recycle unspent reactants and control energy transfer in reactors. On other hand a unit process is chemical equivalent of unit operation involving conversion of materials by biochemical thermochemical means. Chemical engineers responsible for these conversions are called process engineers according to standard industry definitions. Details about equipment types sizes connections and materials of construction are printed on Process Flow Diagrams used to control capacity reliability of factories. Education for first college degree three or four years stresses principles practices of process design throughout curriculum.
Modeling analysis of transport phenomena essential for many industrial applications involves fluid dynamics heat transfer mass transfer governed mainly by momentum transfer energy transfer transport of chemical species respectively. Models often involve separate considerations for macroscopic microscopic molecular level phenomena requiring understanding of applied mathematics. Transport phenomena give analytical approach to solving complex problems while process systems engineering focuses on synthetic elements like control systems. Engineers use this knowledge when designing plants selecting optimal production methods minimizing costs maximizing safety profitability after plant construction. Equipment upgrades troubleshooting daily operations continue using these fundamental theories throughout facility lifetime.
Common questions
Who is the founding father of chemical engineering?
George E. Davis, an English consultant born in 1850 and died in 1907, is regarded as the founding father of chemical engineering.
When did the term chemical engineering become common vocabulary in England?
Chemical engineering became common vocabulary in England after 1850 when it described using mechanical equipment in the chemical industry.
What caused the shift to transport phenomena in chemical engineering during the 1960s?
Engineers realized that unit operations alone were insufficient for developing chemical reactors while unit operations dominated courses until the 1960s.
Which disasters led to stricter safety regulations in chemical engineering after 1982?
The 1974 Flixborough disaster in the United Kingdom resulted in 28 deaths plus damage to a chemical plant and three nearby villages and the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India caused at least 4,000 deaths according to available records.
How does chemical engineering contribute to the Human Genome Project?
Chemical engineering principles were used to produce DNA sequences in large quantities during this period and engineers now design experiments by scaling up theoretical chemical reactions to create safer production methods.