Principles of Chemical Engineering-II

Unit-I: Chemical Industry and Engineering

Introduction

• Chemical engineering is responsible for fulfilling everyday needs such as clothes, food and
energy. Chemical engineers devise these production processes while also remaining mindful
of managing resources, making sure health and safety standards are adhered to, and
protecting the world's environment.

• Chemical engineering uses principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and

economics to efficiently use, produce, design, transport and transform energy and materials.

• Chemical engineering is the area of applied science that puts to use that physical or chemical
biochemical rate processes to produce essential chemicals and articles for the betterment of
human uses.

• The various suspects of chemical engineering which actually leads to for the welfare of human-
being based on industrial focus with some mechanical design of equipment for the process of
production of essential chemicals. Hence the knowledge of applied sciences that employs
physicochemical and biochemical rate processes for the design of equipment and plant is
needed.

Chemical Industry Overview

Chemical industry, complex of processes, operations, and organizations engaged in the manufacture of
chemicals and their derivatives.

Although the chemical industry may be described simply as the industry that uses chemistry and manufactures
chemicals, this definition is not altogether satisfactory because it leaves open the question of what is a chemical.
Definitions adopted for statistical economic purposes vary from country to country. Also the Standard
International Trade Classification, published by the United Nations, includes explosives and pyrotechnic
products as part of its chemicals section. But the classification does not include the man-made fibres, although
the preparation of the raw materials for such fibres is as chemical as any branch of manufacture could be.

• The chemical industry involves the use of chemical processes such as chemical reactions and
refining methods to produce a wide variety of solid, liquid, and gaseous materials.

• Chemical industry, complex of processes, operations, and organizations engaged in the

manufacture of chemicals and their derivatives.

• Broadly speaking, engineers in the chemical sector work in one of four areas: design, research
and development (R&D), operations or commissioning.

• The U.S. Chemical Sector is made up of five distinct components: agricultural chemicals, basic
chemicals, specialty chemicals, consumer products, and pharmaceuticals. Each component
supports a specific and integral part of America's chemical needs.
 • The chemicals industry in India is very diversified and can essentially be classified into 6
categories: bulk chemicals, specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, petrochemicals, polymers and
fertilisers.

• The chemical industry is the backbone of India’s industrial and agricultural development.
Achieving the industry’s ambitious growth targets will require a combination of policy
intervention, company-level initiatives, industry-academic partnerships, wise investments,
and greater international access.

The products of the chemical industry can be divided into three categories:

✓ Basic chemicals/Life science

✓ Specialty chemicals

✓ Consumer chemicals

• Life sciences (about 30% of the dollar output of the chemistry business) include
differentiated chemical and biological substances, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, animal health
products, vitamins, and pesticides.

• While much smaller in volume than other chemical sectors, their products tend to have high
prices - over ten dollars per pound - growth rates of 1.5 to 6 times GDP, and research and
development spending at 15 to 25% of sales.

• Life science products are usually produced with high specifications and are closely scrutinized
by government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. Pesticides, also called
"crop protection chemicals", are about 10% of this category and
include herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.

• Specialty chemicals are a category of relatively high-valued, rapidly growing chemicals

with diverse end product markets. Typical growth rates are one to three times GDP with prices
over a dollar per pound.

• They are generally characterized by their innovative aspects. Products are sold for what they
can do rather than for what chemicals they contain.

• Products include electronic chemicals, industrial gases, adhesives and sealants as well as
coatings, industrial and institutional cleaning chemicals, and catalysts.

• In 2012, excluding fine chemicals, the $546 billion global specialty chemical market was 33%
Paints, Coating and Surface Treatments, 27% Advanced Polymer, 14% Adhesives and Sealants,
13% additives, and 13% pigments and inks.

• Specialty chemicals are sold as effect or performance chemicals. Sometimes they are mixtures
of formulations, unlike "fine chemicals," which are almost always single-molecule products.

• Consumer chemicals are sold directly to the public. Consumer products include
direct product sales of chemicals such as soaps, detergents, and cosmetics. Typical growth
rates are 0.8 to 1.0 times GDP.

• Consumers rarely come into contact with basic chemicals.

 • Polymers and specialty chemicals are materials that they encounter everywhere daily.
Examples are plastics, cleaning materials, cosmetics, paints & coatings, electronics,
automobiles and the materials used in home construction.

• These specialty products are marketed by chemical companies to the downstream

manufacturing industries as pesticides, specialty polymers, electronic chemicals, surfactants,
construction chemicals, Industrial Cleaners, flavours and fragrances, specialty coatings,
printing inks, water-soluble polymers, food additives, paper chemicals, oil field chemicals,
plastic adhesives, adhesives and sealants, cosmetic chemicals, water management
chemicals, catalysts, and textile chemicals.

Economy of the chemical Industries

In most fields the United States is the largest producer of chemicals. Germany, the United Kingdom, France,
Italy, and some other European countries are also large producers, and so is the Soviet Union. Japan in the 1960s
came into prominence as a very large producer in certain areas. Investment in the chemical industry as a
percentage of total investment in a given country may range from 5 to 15 percent for the less-developed
countries; for the industrial countries it averages about 6 to 8 percent. For some developing countries this
percentage can fluctuate widely; for example, the installation of one sizable fertilizer factory could change the
percentage markedly in a specific country.

Early in the 20th century there was a marked distinction between economies that were based on coal as a fossil
fuel and those based on petroleum. Coal was almost the unique source of the aromatic hydrocarbons. Two
forces, however, have worked together to change this situation. First, aromatics can now also be obtained from
petroleum, and indeed all hydrocarbon raw materials are now almost interchangeable; second, modern
transportation technology makes possible very large-scale shipments by sea not only of petroleum, crude or in
various stages of refinement, but also of natural gas, refrigerated and condensed to a liquid.

• Sales of the chemical business can be divided into a few broad categories, including basic
chemicals (about 35% - 37% of dollar output), life sciences (30%), specialty chemicals (20% -
25%) and consumer products (about 10%).

• The Chemical industry in India provides several building blocks and raw materials for many
industries, including textiles, paper, paints, soap and detergents, pharmaceuticals
and agrochemicals.

• India is the 6th Largest producer of Chemicals in the world and 3rd in Asia. India ranks 14th
position in the export of chemicals.

• India is 4th largest producer of agrochemicals in the world and manufactures more than 50%
technical grade pesticides.

• Indian chemical sector continues to grow at a rate of 1.2-1.5 times the GDP.

• India is the largest producer and exporter of castor oil in the world and is responsible for
almost 85-90 % of total global exports in this segment.

• Market size of Chemicals & Petrochemicals sector in India is worth ~$178 bn.

• Indian chemicals and petrochemicals industry is growing to new heights, looking forward to
an investment of INR 8 lakh cr. by 2025.
 • India exports Chemicals to more than 175 countries. It accounts for 13% of India’s total
exports.

• India is the second highest producer and consumer of chemical fertilizers in the world. Per
hectare fertilizer consumption in the country has increased by 75% during the last two
decades.

Chemical processing
In a scientific sense, a chemical process is a method or means of somehow changing one or more chemicals or
chemical compounds. Such a chemical process can occur by itself or be caused by an outside force, and involves
a chemical reaction of some sort. During chemical processing, raw materials are chemically converted into
finished products. There are several ways that chemical processing can occur. For instance, it's possible for
chemical reactions to be produced from inorganic or organic materials.

For example, a chemical process could include one or more: reaction vessels, mixing vessels, heat exchangers,
storage tanks, transfer pipelines. Numerous different metals and alloys are used to fabricate the different types
of equipment that are part of a chemical process.

• Chemical engineering is the first type of engineering that was discovered. Right from the
toothpaste in the morning to nuclear bombs, it's chemical. we chemical engineers can change
the nation by improving nuclear power and pharmaceutical, oils etc, coz chemical engineering
has a lot of scope.

• The basic principles of chemical analysis: Principal stages. The main steps that are performed
during a chemical analysis are the following: (1) sampling, (2) field sample pretreatment, (3)
laboratory treatment, (4) laboratory assay, (5) calculations, and (6) results presentation. Each
must be executed correctly in order for the analytical result to be accurate.

• Typically material and energy balances are the foundations of computational modelling in
Chemical Engineering.

• Ensure that the risks of any unattended experiments are eliminated as far as possible first and
otherwise minimised in advance.
• The chemical industry is diverse, covering more than 1,000 individual commodities, each with their own
unique set of process needs. The comprehensive coverage of the chemical industry allows you to
evaluate the installed base of plants and units globally by commodity, sector or geography while also
keeping track of relevant market trends that influence future capital and maintenance investments.

• The range of products and solutions enable our end-users to analyze and track the size, shape and
location of plant and asset ownerships and their capital and maintenance spending, pinpoint current
and prevailing technology demand requirements, and analyze plant and asset ownerships.

• Thermodynamics used to know the possibility of reaction occur by determining the Gibbs Free Energy
and the Enthalpy. Thermodynamics is also used to determining the maximum product that can be
formed in Reaction Equilibrium.

• Heat Transfer used to know how the heat move from the first block to the other block, how many heat
transferred, what is the factor that can influence the heat, how to make the heat transferring more
efficient, etc.
 • Mass and Heat Balance used as the basic principles of the conservation of Heat and Energy. The basic
principle is the heat and energy of feed that enter the system is constant. When the product exit the
system, the heat and energy is same with the entrance.

• Chemical products are made by a combination of processes that include synthesis, separation, and
purification.

• The traditional chemical engineering methods of separation and purification include distillation,
crystallization, adsorption, membrane processes, absorption and stripping, and extraction.

• Chemical reaction, a process in which one or more substances, the reactants, are converted to one or
more different substances, the products. Substances are either chemical elements or compounds.

• A chemical reaction rearranges the constituent atoms of the reactants to create different substances as
products.

• Chemical reactions often involve color changes, temperature changes, gas production, or precipitant
formation.

• Simple examples of everyday reactions include digestion, combustion, and cooking

Chemical Reactions

• A chemical reaction occurs when compounds or substances undergo a chemical change to

form different compounds or substances. Chemical equations express chemical reactions in
terms of symbols and chemical formulas of the compounds involved in reactions.

• In a physical change, a compound’s shape may change, but its chemical identity will not. For
example, freezing or boiling water is a physical change. Once melted or boiled, the water may
be in a different form (solid ice or gaseous water vapor), but it is still water, H2O, and it still has
the same chemical composition.

• A chemical change happens when a substance’s chemical identity changes. An example of this
is rusting. When an iron nail comes into contact with water and is then exposed to the air, it
rusts, forming a brown-red substance. This process changes the chemical composition of the
original substance.

• While some physical changes are easily reversible, such as re-freezing melted ice, reversing a
chemical change requires another chemical reaction.

Chemical Industry Safety

Chemical safety includes all those policies, procedures and practices designed to minimize the risk of exposure
to potentially hazardous chemicals. This includes the risks of exposure to persons handling the chemicals, to the
surrounding environment, and to the communities and ecosystems within that environment.
Chemical Safety is achieved by undertaking all activities involving chemicals in such a way as to ensure the safety
of human health and the environment. It covers all chemicals, natural and manufactured, and the full range of
exposure situations from the natural presence of chemicals in the environment to their extraction or synthesis,
industrial production, transport use and disposal.
Chemical safety has many scientific and technical components. Among these are toxicology, ecotoxicology and
the process of chemical risk assessment which requires a detailed knowledge of exposure and of biological
effects.
Through the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), WHO works to establish the scientific basis for
the sound management of chemicals, and to strengthen national capabilities and capacities for chemical safety.
Despite the necessity of chemical processing, these industries has some safety issues that everyone at the facility
must be able to properly handle. For one, the use of heavy machinery means that workers must account for a
range of different mechanical hazards, all of which could lead to serious injury. There are also numerous
chemical hazards that workers must contend with, which extend to:

– Fire hazards
– Explosion hazards
– Toxic hazards
– Reactivity hazards

The safety procedures that are needed for a chemical processing facility depend on the complexity of the
chemical processes that are ongoing. More complex processes will invariably require more stringent safety
procedures. Any chemical process engineers who work at the facility must have complete understanding of how
to perform various processes safely.

Chemical process safety has become highly important in any industrial facility that relies on chemical
processes. The exact safety procedures that are used by each facility depend on which chemicals or materials
are being handled by the workers. For instance, it’s possible that workers will be tasked with handling powders
and various bulk solids. In this situation, every equipment operator must be properly trained. It’s also important
that anyone who comes into contact with the powder handling equipment has received some training.

It’s important to understand that the processing and handling of dusts and dry materials represent distinct
toxicity, fire, and explosion hazards. Even if materials are inert when they are in a consolidated form, they could
become very hazardous once converted to granules or powders. Any powder handling equipment that’s used in
a chemical processing facility must be able to remove the 13 possible ignition sources that exist with dry
substances.

• Manufacturing processes frequently involve high temperatures, high pressures, and reactions which can
be dangerous unless carefully controlled. Because of this the industry operates within the safety limits
demanded by national and international legislation.

• Basic chemical safety practice includes wearing protective personal protective equipment such as safety
goggles. Personal protective equipment alone does not provide sufficient protection from the risks
posed by hazardous chemicals but it helps minimize the risk of exposure in controlled environments.

• Chemicals in use in industry and research have a range of properties which cause them to be hazardous
to life.

• These include explosiveness, flammability, toxicity, carcinogenicity and teratogenicity.

• Corrosive substances such as strong alkalis or acids can cause chemical burning. Any one chemical or
mixture may exhibit several of these properties.

• Toxic materials may be solids in powdered or finely divided form, liquids or gases and any of these
materials may all be absorbed by inhalation, directly through the skin of by contact with mucous
membranes in the nose or eyes.

• Some chemicals may persist in the body for substantial periods and can continue to exhibit toxicity.
Examples of such materials include mercury, arsenic, dioxins and many organic solvents which can be
stored in fat cells.
10 ways to stay safe in chemical Industry
1. Proper training and resources

2. Label everything clearly (Material safety data sheet)

3. Regularly assess the location of all chemicals.

4. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines require emergency equipment to be on
hand and functions properly. Safety check of equipment

5. Cleanliness is next to safety

6. To keep employees away from chemical exposure, safety gear needs to be worn when in the area.

7. Forbid eating and drinking around the work area to prevent workers from accidentally ingesting chemicals.
Create a specific location far from the chemical storage and worksite for eating, drinking, and breaks.

8. Have a clearly outlined chain of command to respond in the event of an emergency. Employees at each level of
responsibility should work each shift. Teach each worker whom they should report to if an accident occurs.

9. Give New Employees a Language Course. Too often, the jargon used by employees around chemicals may seem
like a foreign language to new hires or transfers. Confusion and mistakes happen when workers cannot
understand each other.

10. Practice safety procedures for emergencies. Fire drills and chemical spill drills will keep the skills employees
learned during training finely honed. When an emergency does arise, the employees will know their roles and
functions to mitigate harm to themselves and the building.

Statutory provisions

1. Factory Acts & Rules 1. Sta c & Mobile Pressure essels 1981
2. Boiler Act 1923 2. Water & Air Pollu on Control Acts &
Rules
3. State Boiler Rules 3. Environment Protec on Act 1986 &
4. Indian Boiler Regula ons 1950 Rules
5. The petroleum Act & Rules 4. Hazardous Waste Management Rules
6. The Explosive Act & Rules 1989
7. The Insec cide Act & Rules 5. MSIHC Rules 1989
8. The poisonous Acts & Rules 6. Chemical Accident Rules 1996
9. The Electricity Act & Rules 7. Bio Medical Waste Rules 1998
10.Gas Cylinder Rules 1981 8. Building & Construc on Act 1996.
9. Radia on protec on Rules
10.Atomic Agency Act
Reasons for the chemical accidents

HUMAN ERROR

A majority of the industrial accidents that occur every year are a result of human error. Many of these
accidents are a result of the worker failing to follow the safety procedures that have been put into
place by the company where he or she works. As of 2009, a majority of industrial injuries (74.8%)
happened in the service-related industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.When the proper
equipment is not used by personnel, accidents can occur. Many injuries happen when personnel
attempt to use improper tools to work on equipment. This can damage the machines and create a
safety hazard.

IMPROPER TRAINING

When personnel are not trained properly or adequately, industrial accidents are more likely to occur.
Workers should be taught how to operate the equipment in the way it was designed to be used. They
should also learn to employ correct safety procedures when they are operating the equipment.
Employees should be well versed in what to do if something goes wrong so that they can work to
correct the problem quickly before it gets out of control.

MANUFACTURING DEFECTS

Accidents that occur in a chemical plant can also be the result of a manufacturing defect. These defects
can be present in a piece of equipment or in the materials used. Although companies employ several
quality-control measures during the manufacturing process, some of these may fail. This is because
many of these control measures are handled by employees. Where humans are involved there is
always a chance of human error. An inspector may miss a defect that occurred during manufacturing.
The problem may not be recognized until after an accident has occurred.

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE

A common reason that industrial accidents occur in chemical plants is the improper maintenance of
equipment. Regular maintenance at scheduled intervals following the manufacturer’s
recommendations is important for ensuring that the equipment runs smoothly and safely. When a
piece of equipment is not properly maintained, it can malfunction and ultimately fail. This can result
in dire consequences for the personnel who are operating and working around the machine.

INADEQUATE SAFETY REVIEW/ANALYSIS

It is essential to continuously carry out risk assessment tests in your facility to ensure you are
implementing the best practices to chemical safety management. A key issue in many workplaces is
the total lack or absence of a solid chemical safety risk assessment process. Particularly in large scale
workplace chemical accidents, investigations afterwards almost always tend to discover flaws in the
chemical review and analysis procedures. Failure to regularly assess chemical safety and storage
procedures meant that workplaces were more vulnerable to chemical hazards.

EQUIPMENT FAILURE

One of the top causes for chemical accidents in the workplace is due to the use of inappropriate
equipment as it leads to equipment malfunctions. Inappropriate equipment includes chemical
storage (for example, using non-flammable storage units to store flammable chemicals), mishandling
of containment barriers or spill kits, and malfunctioning valves. The use of pressure relief systems in
place of fully functioning valves are adequate to relive the pressure flow and therefore will results in a
chemical accident.

Chemical hazards can be caused by numerous sources, such as:

1) Leaks from storage tanks containing highly flammable chemicals
2) Unstable chemical compound explosions
3) Fires involving combustible materials
4) Unintentional emissions from industrial processes
5) Explosive gas combustion
6) Combustion of natural gas
7) Combustion of organic chemicals
8) Ignition of stored explosives
9) Toxic and/or hazardous substance combustion
10) Incendiaries
11) Combustion of high-energy materials
12) Improper disposal of chemicals
13) Improper chemical handling
14) Improper chemical transportation
15) Use of improper methods of handling
16) Inadequate ventilation
17) Human error
18) Improper container handling
19) Misuse of equipment
20) A combination of multiple factors, like a leaky pipe leading to a tank holding liquid hydrocarbons,
can result in an accident.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) in safety

Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize

exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses
may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other
workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses
and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits.
What is the 5 importance of PPE?

Provides protection against hazards. Promotes good hygiene. Encourages safety in the workplace. Protects you
and those around you.

What can be done to ensure proper use of personal protective equipment?

All personal protective equipment should be safely designed and constructed, and should be
maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use. If the
personal protective equipment does not fit properly, it can make the difference between being safely
covered or dangerously exposed. When engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are
not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective
equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use. Employers are also required to train each worker
required to use personal protective equipment to know: When it is necessary, What kind is necessary,
How to properly put it on, adjust, wear and take it off
The limitations of the equipment: Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the equipment.
If PPE is to be used, a PPE program should be implemented. This program should address the hazards
present; the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the
program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.

Study the different case studies of Chemical accidents (Any two examples)

Research and development in Chemical Engineering

• Chemical engineers in research and development (R&D) are responsible for researching,
developing, and applying necessary chemical processes to create a wide range of items for
both commercial and industrial uses.

• Chemists involved in research and development apply their academic knowledge to real-world
problems. They develop products that meet a specific need, while factoring in business
considerations.

• One example of R&D would be a pharmaceutical company testing a new drug. The company
would first conduct research to see if the drug is effective and safe. If the research shows that
the drug is effective and safe, the company would then develop a plan to mass-produce and
market the drug.

• The three main categories of R&D are Basic Research, Applied Research, and Experimental
Development. Basic research aims to expand knowledge without any specific application in
mind.

• Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new

knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any
particular application or use in view.

• Applied research is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is,
however, directed primarily towards a specific, practical aim or objective.

• Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research

and practical experience and producing additional knowledge, which is directed to producing
new products or processes or to improving existing products or processes

From research to production

• Research carried out in the laboratories of industry and universities is only the first step. These
discoveries have to be converted into realistic industrial processes. This is the job of the
chemical engineer who is responsible for translating the laboratory chemistry to a larger scale.

• Scaling up production from grams under laboratory conditions to thousands of tonnes in a full
scale industrial plant is very painstaking work for chemists and chemical engineers.

• The intermediate stages between laboratory and full-scale production involve equipment that
is able to mimic the large-scale process and enable the most favourable conditions to be found
for a high yield of product obtained at a suitable rate.
 • The important step as often the conditions that are suitable for the process in the laboratory
are not necessarily suitable when the process is transferred to larger scale equipment.

• Thus, many experiments under very carefully controlled conditions are carried out to obtain
the maximum yield. The chemists and chemical engineers doing this work must also bear in
mind the maximum yield may involve additional costs which make the process uneconomic.

Current trends in chemical engineering research

Chemical engineers work in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, design and construction, pulp and
paper, petrochemicals, food processing, specialty chemicals, microelectronics, electronic and advanced
materials, polymers, business services, biotechnology, and environmental health and safety industries.
Molecular and nanoscale bioengineering, drug and gene delivery, nanobiotechnology, theranostics, synergistic
therapeutics, sub-cellular delivery, biological separation

• New Materials, Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

• Environment, Renewable Resources, Green Processes
• Biotechnology, Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering
• Separation processes
• Transport phenomena, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics
• Innovative Electrocatalytic Materials for Renewable Energy Generation in Fuel Cells and Electrolysis
Cells
• Microfluidic-Based Technologies for Sustainable Process Intensification
• Waste-Derived Nanocomposites for the Photodegradation of Toxic Pollutants
• Novel Multi-Scale, Multi-Platform and Multi-Feedstock Integrated Bio-Refineries (IBRs) for Sustainable
Bio-Fuels (BF) and Bio-Products (BP) Production
• Recent Advances in Process Intensification of Gas-Liquid and Gas-Liquid-Solid Processes in
Microreactors
• Functionalized Lignocellulosic Biomass and Biopolymers for the Production of High alue-Added
Chemicals and Materials
• Microplastics and Microorganisms in the Environment
• Nanomaterial Applications in Chemical Engineering: Water Remediation, Energy Storage and
Conversion
• Sustainable Adsorbents and Photosensitizers for the Removal and (Photo)degradation of Emerging
Organic Pollutants from Water
• carbon dioxide capture/sequestration,
• Colloids and interfacial science and nanotechnology.
• Sustainable Energy
• Water Treatment
• Microfabricated Systems
• Bioengineering and Health
• Clean Energy Technologies and renewable energy
• Food Science and Technology
• Process Systems Engineering

Software’s in chemical engineering research

The field of chemical engineering is in constant change, so are available calculation tools and software
packages. In fast everyday life, it is a considerable challenge for a chemical engineer to know which
tool can serve best for solving a certain problem. The different packages can be applied to solve typical
problems in mass and energy balance, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, unit operations, reactor
engineering, and process and equipment design and control.
Python is now one of the most popular and widely used programming languages in the world. Besides
web and software development, Python is used for data analytics, machine learning, and even design.
M-Excel is a known fact that Microsoft Office Excel is a spreadsheet application that features
calculation, graphing tools, tables, and a macro programming language - isual Basic. The main
advantage of Excel is that it is available and is widely used in industry and academia. Thus, it is a perfect
tool or interface not only to perform calculations but also to connect different software so that the
end user can interact with Excel, and behind the scenes, other software such as CHEMCAD, MATLAB
etc. is running and reporting the results back to Excel.

MATLAB is a programming language. Its operation is based on the use of .m files that can be divided
in two classes, scripts and functions. A script is basically a number of operations that we want to
perform in a certain sequence. Functions are a particular type of scripts that must begin with the word
“function” at the top of them.
MATLAB can be used in chemical engineering operations like distillation column operation, modelling
of different reactors, reactor design, momentum, heat and energy transfer.

Process Simulators, The simulation, design, and optimization of a chemical process plant, which
comprises several processing units interconnected by process streams, are the core activities in
process engineering. These tasks require performing material and energy balancing, equipment sizing,
and costing calculation. A computer package that can accomplish these duties is known as a computer-
aided process design package or simply a process simulator.

CHEMCAD is Chemstations’ software suite for process simulation. Features include process
development, equipment design, equipment sizing, thermophysical property calculations, dynamic
simulations, process intensification studies, energy efficiency/optimization, data reconciliation,
process economics, troubleshooting/process improvement, Microsoft isual Basic etc.

ASPEN HYSYS & ASPEN PLUS, Two similar software packages with all the functionalities that process
simulator should have are also the most widespread among chemical engineers. AspenTech has a wide
portfolio of modeling tools, among them most important and most known are process simulation tools
Aspen Hysys and Aspen Plus.

Aspen HYSYS (or simply HYSYS) is a chemical process simulator used to mathematically model chemical
processes, from unit operations to full chemical plants and refineries. HYSYS is able to perform many
of the core calculations of chemical engineering, including those concerned with mass balance, energy
balance, vapor-liquid equilibrium, heat transfer, mass transfer, chemical kinetics, fractionation, and
pressure drop. HYSYS is used extensively in industry and academia for steady-state and dynamic
simulation, process design, performance modeling, and optimization.
Aspen Plus is a process modeling tool for conceptual design, optimization, and performance
monitoring for the chemical, polymer, specialty chemical, metals and minerals, and coal power
industries. It can also be used for mass and energy balances, physical chemistry, thermodynamics,
chemical reaction engineering, unit operations, process design and process control.

Computational fluid dynamics, known as CFD, is the numerical method of solving mass, momentum,
energy, and species conservation equations and related phenomena on computers by using
programming languages.

DWSIM is an open-source CAPE-OPEN compliant chemical process simulator for Windows, Linux and
macOS. DWSIM is built on top of the Microsoft .NET and Mono Platforms and features a Graphical
User Interface (GUI), advanced thermodynamics calculations, reactions support and petroleum
characterization / hypothetical component generation tools.
Role of Engineers in a typical chemical plant

• The main role of chemical engineers is to design and troubleshoot processes for the
production of chemicals, fuels, foods, pharmaceuticals, and biologicals and so on.

• Chemical engineers address some of today's most pressing environmental problems. Their
work involves efficiently transforming raw materials into useful products, developing new
materials from sustainable sources, generating clean energy, capturing emissions, and
removing contaminants from the air and water.

• They are most often employed by large-scale manufacturing plants to maximize productivity
and product quality while minimizing costs.

• Chemical engineers use their knowledge of physics, math, chemistry, materials & energy
balances, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and kinetics to provide the critical
resources required while protecting the environment from irreparable damage

Job skills in chemical engineering job

• maths knowledge
• knowledge of engineering science and technology
• knowledge of chemistry including the safe use and disposal of chemicals
• design skills and knowledge
• knowledge of physics
• analytical thinking skills
• science skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
•
Job description of chemical Engineers

• A Chemical Engineer conducts research, analyzes data, and designs solutions to improve
production processes and equipment.

• They work on minimizing waste, increasing product quality, and implementing safety
procedures.

• They collaborate with a team of engineers, run simulations, and communicate findings to
stakeholders.

• Designing, proposing, implementing, reviewing, and correcting plans to ensure company goals
are achieved.

• Observing production processes, conducting research, and finding ways to increase efficiency
and quality. Using computers to compile and analyze data.

• Storing, retrieving, mixing, and monitoring chemicals used in the production process.
Recording information, such as ingredients, weights, and temperature, and input into the
database. Troubleshooting issues with production equipment and processes.
Production Engineer

• A production engineer is a person who is employed to design, develop, modify, and assess
manufacturing systems. They usually work in large production facilities, however, their work
often spans the entire supply chain.

• Production engineers are responsible for supervising and improving production at plants and
factories.

• They support engineering teams, draw up safety protocols, report issues to the manager, and
develop strategies to improve efficiency and profit.

• Production Engineers should also attend seminars and keep learning to ensure best practices.

Responsibilities

• Supervising the manufacturing processes, ensuring quality work is done in a safe, efficient
manner.

• Liaising with other engineers to develop plans that improve production, costs, and labour
required.

• Diagnosing problems in the production line and providing recommendations and training.

• Establishing safety procedures and protocols that take the workers' well-being into account,
and that also minimize the carbon footprint.

• Keeping abreast of advancements in engineering and production, and sharing knowledge with
co-workers.

• Identifying, documenting, and reporting unsafe practices.

• Drawing up production schedules and budgets for projects.

• Scheduling meetings with relevant departments and stakeholders.

• Analyzing all facets of production and making recommendations for improvement.

• Obtaining any materials and equipment required.

• Develop best practices to improve production capacity, quality and reliability.

• Investigate problems, analyze root causes and derive resolutions.

• Aid in budget preparation and monitor expenses and profitability.

• Implement cost reduction initiatives while maintaining high quality standards.

Process Engineering

• Process Engineers design, implement and optimise chemical and biochemical processes,
especially continuous flow ones on an industrial scale to turn raw materials such as oil, natural
gas or milk (using heat, pressure or a chemical agent) into an end product (e.g. drugs, milk
formula, gasoline, beer, butter, etc.).

• By designing, controlling and operating the chemical or biochemical processes and equipment
that are used to turn raw materials into valuable products, process engineers play a vital role
in many industries – particularly in the manufacturing sector.
 • The role of a process engineer is to transform raw materials into valuable everyday products.
They are responsible for designing, implementing, controlling and optimising industrial
processes and machinery in the manufacturing industry.

• Process engineers spend most of their time in an office or laboratory environment. Engineers
may also be based onsite at industrial plants, refineries, and other large-scale manufacturing
locations, where they are often required to monitor and/or direct operations.

• Process engineers design, implement and optimize industrial processes for large-scale
manufacturing companies. They mainly work in the manufacturing, chemical, and
biotechnology industries but may also work in sales or IT to design and optimize sales or
software processes.

Responsibilities

• Meeting with production managers to assess existing processes.

• Drafting process ideas to reduce costs and improve production rates.

• Performing risk assessments.

• Designing and testing process upgrades and new process systems.

• Ensuring processes comply with safety and quality standards.

• Performing process simulations and troubleshooting issues.

• Performing optimization tests.

• Developing routines and best practices to ensure product quality.

• Developing standardized operating instructions for the upgrades process.

• Providing the Product Manager with process documents and standard operating procedures.

• Monitoring upgrades systems.

Piping Engineer

• Piping Design Engineers deal with the piping routing design of the entire plant. They utilize
various design software such as SP3D, PDMS, CADWORX, SOLIDWORKS, AutoCAD, PDS, Micro
station, E3D, etc.

• Piping layout is the process of defining the piece of equipment, the maintenance spaces and
the related electrical needs. Then routes the piping to accomplish the process function of the
piece of equipment then add the space requirements for operation and you have a piping
layout.

• Piping Designing means deciding the overall plant layout, the equipment location, the Plot
Plan, the pipe routing, the development of the 2D or 3D CAD models, and finally the piping
isometrics. Broadly Piping Design Engineers or Piping Designers perform a maximum of the
piping design work scope.

• Piping Designing means deciding the overall plant layout, the equipment location, the Plot
Plan, the pipe routing, the development of the 2D or 3D CAD models, and finally the piping
 isometrics. Broadly Piping Design Engineers or Piping Designers perform a maximum of the
piping design work scope.

• Piping design is a very critical activity. It requires knowledge of various aspects. As the
maximum part of any plant is covered by piping and equipment and structures are connected
to piping, it is very important that piping design must be proper. Failure to do any single part
can cause serious damage to the plant. So piping engineers and designers should follow their
duty with utmost care.

Responsibilities

• Prepare work plus instructions to designers involved in mechanical plus piping design package.

• Discuss all pertinent problems encountered during design stage.

• Ensure to openly communicate with various discipline.

• Develop detailed material plus purchase parameters for piping and fittings.

• Head responsibility for piping layout, stress analysis, piping procurement activities and hanger
design.

• Head responsibility to prepare piping bulk quantity forecasts for proposals.

• Conduct piping design analysis and guide others to application of nuclear codes and standards
along with licensing requirements.

• Provide technical supervision and support training engineers as well as designers in Class 1, 2
and 3 piping evaluation and design.

• Develop and present technical as well as marketing presentations associated with power plant
layout plus piping design.

• Support development of designers and engineers especially in nuclear industry area

requirements as well as practices.

• Plan, arrange and schedule work activities for piping team.

• Identify, evaluate and resolve problems.

• Review vendor drawings for information related to commercial nuclear facilities design.

• Provide commissioning and construction support with irregular site visits.

• Perform effectively with vendors, clients, management and varied team members.

• Report administratively to piping design department manager.

• Supervise and administer responsibility over large group of designers and engineers.

• Head responsibility to ensure effective utilization of engineering staff and technical quality.

• Conduct calculations and evaluate design of industrial facilities

Environmental Engineer

• Environmental engineers apply scientific and engineering principles to evaluate if there are
likely to be any adverse impacts to water quality, air quality, habitat quality, flora and fauna,
agricultural capacity, traffic, ecology, and noise.

• Environmental engineers work on a variety of projects. For example, they may conduct
hazardous-waste management studies in which they evaluate a hazard and advise on treating
and containing it. They also design systems for municipal and industrial water supplies and
wastewater treatment.

• Environmental engineers work to prevent, control or remediate any hazards to the

environment using their engineering expertise. Their work might focus on topics like waste
disposal, erosion, and water and air pollution.

• Environmental engineers develop solutions to environmental issues using the principles

of engineering, soil science, biology and chemistry. The aim of the profession is to prevent
harmful biological and chemical contaminants from being released into the air, soil or water.

• The goal of environmental engineering is to ensure that societal development and the use of
water, land and air resources are sustainable. This goal is achieved by managing these
resources so that environmental pollution and degradation is minimized.

Responsibilities

• They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution
control. They also address global issues, such as unsafe drinking water, climate change, and
environmental sustainability.

• Designing technology for pollution control and waste management.

• Collecting and analyzing environmental data.

• Carrying out site assessments to determine the environmental impact of commercial activity.

• Studying human influences on the environment.

• The EIA is a required method as mandated by the national government and other distinguished
development funding agencies. Through the EIA methodology, the environmental
engineer assists developers and authorities in conceptualizing and choosing a project that is
environmentally responsible and economically sound.

Material Engineer

• Materials engineers work with metals, ceramics, and plastics to create new materials.
Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products,
from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and biomedical devices.

• Materials engineering is concerned with investigating the properties of existing materials and
substances in order to create new materials and items with enhanced chemical and physical
properties.

• New materials have been among the greatest achievements of every age and they have been
central to the growth, prosperity, security, and quality of life of humans since the beginning of
history. It is always new materials that open the door to new technologies, whether they are
 in civil, chemical, construction, nuclear, aeronautical, agricultural, mechanical, biomedical or
electrical engineering.

• Materials scientists and engineers continue to be at the forefront of all of these and many
other areas of science, too. Materials science and engineering influences our lives each time
we buy or use a new device, machine, or structure.

Responsibilities

• testing, modifying and evaluating the performance of different materials (and combinations
of materials) for different qualities

• analysing test data

• investigating incidents of material failure

• providing technical advice about the suitability of materials for different products and
problems

• building prototypes and testing them

• exploring the environmental impact of different materials and their manufacture and use

• developing manufacturing processes

• overseeing operational quality control processes

• liaising with suppliers, customers and manufacturing/development staff

• supervising engineering and technical staff.