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Separation Processes and Particle Technology 2

Module description

Separation technology is key to the design of chemical engineering operations, with the necessity to separate reaction products cleanly and efficiently a major consideration in any plant design. Phase of the components to be separated is a key factor and designing separation processes relies heavily on differences in phase between the extracted and bulk materials. Separation technology 2 will cover drying of solids, adsorption, crystallisation, and membrane separation techniques. This module will also further explore particulate systems and multi-phase mixtures and their properties, looking at changes in rheology of soft solids, gels, and emulsions, how they are created and what parameters affect their material characteristics.

Module aims - intentions of the module

In this module you will explore the various methods of separation of products of unit operations, and how temperature and phase are utilised in these separation processes. The module aims to provide advanced insight into how mixed phase systems are separated by various advanced methods, and introduce drying, crystallisation adsorption and membrane separation technologies. The module will also further extend your knowledge of multi-phase systems, including how they affect bulk rheology and contribute to material characteristics such as viscosity and elasticity. Students will have an appreciation of how phases in mixtures interact including surface tension and surfactant interactions of liquid/liquid and liquid/gas materials.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Understand and be able to use basic chemical principles to model the characteristics and performance of a range of typical mixing, separation and similar processing steps for fluids, particulates and multiphase systems;
• 2. Understand and be able to quantify the effect of processing steps on the state of the material being processed, and its transformation to the end product in terms of its composition, morphology and functionality

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Understand the most widely used unit operations of separation and mixing; particle technology; equipment sizing and performance; biological systems
• 4. Explain the significance of phase on the choice of separation process for a given product. Utilise this information to propose an efficient method of separation in each scenario.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate advanced integration and problem-solving capabilities that can be applied to any real-world problem.
• 6. Work as an integral part of a team in a laboratory and collaborate on drafting results and explanations.

Syllabus plan

Advanced separation processes

- Solid/liquid extractions
- leaching
- washing
- chemical extraction

- Drying
- direct and indirect heat drying
- suspended air drying
- microwave drying
- vacuum/freeze drying

- crystallisation
- How do we measure? The differential scanning calorimeter
- liquid solid equilibrium
- crystal nucleation and growth
- crystal form – case study chocolate processing
- crystal size distribution and characteristic properties
- crystal melting

- membrane separation technology
- selection and characterisation of membranes
- membrane modules
- microfiltration
- ultrafiltration
- reverse osmosis

- Multi-phase systems
- phase ratios and rheology
- rheological measurement and consequences for processing

Advanced Particle Technology

- Surface tension and surface chemistry
- Gel particles – case study creating gel particles and their uses, from bubble tea to slow-release pharmaceuticals.
- Hard shell microparticles
- Double emulsions
- Nano engineered materials
- Processes for creating complex micro-structured particulate systems

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Where a student fails part of the assessment on the module, but passes the module as a whole, the module will be deemed to have been passed and referral will not be applicable. Reassessment will be by a single written exam only worth 100% of the module. For referred candidates, the module mark will be capped at 40%. For deferred candidates, the module mark will be uncapped.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• B. P. Binks, Modern Aspects of Emulsion Science, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2007
• R. P. Chhabra, B. Gurappa, Coulson and Richardson’s Chemical Engineering: Volume 2A: Particle systems and Particle Technology, 6^th Edition, Elsevier, 2019.
• J. Humphrey, G. Keller, Separation Process Technology, McGraw-Hill, 1997.
• B. K, Dutta, Principles of Mass Transfer and Separation Processes. PHI Learning, 2023.
• S. Verma, Separation Process Technology, Westbury Publishing, 2020.
• G. Towler, R. Sinnott, Chemical Engineering Design – Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant and Process Design, Third Edition, Elsevier, 2022.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE