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ENS3019 Reaction and Reactor Engineering 2

Module description

In this module you will build on the knowledge gained in ENS2009 Reaction and Reactor Engineering 1 by looking at advanced reactor construction, be able to specify suitable materials and control systems, along with instrumentation to monitor the reaction processes. The heating and cooling of reaction processes and the modelling of heat transfer systems will be explored in greater detail, along with the various methods of mixing during both batch and continuous reactions. Reaction simulation will be undertaken, and the actual reaction performance of a reactor measured and compared to simulated performance with various reaction parameters in a practical component. Energy inputs and outputs will be compared to calculated values, and yield assessed, providing an understanding of reactor design efficiency.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to further extend knowledge of reactor design and integration by looking at the way chemical reactions are controlled and how this impacts the yield and efficiency of reactor engineering considerations. Students will be able to balance material choice, cost and suitability requirements in reactor design. Students will understand and be able to calculate energy use in heating and cooling reactions, and how this can be recovered and utilised. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of how control and instrumentation systems are used to monitor and automate reactors, using open and closed loop and PID control. You will be able to identify potential challenges to scale up from bench/lab scale reactors to pilot scale and beyond and suggest possible solutions. You will be able to design a reactor for a given reaction, calculate the reaction parameters and suggest a relevant mixing system if required. You will be able to design instrumentation and control systems to manage your proposed reactor. You will produce a detailed engineering diagram and simulated reaction results based on your proposed reactor design including calculated yields and energy requirements. You will identify risks based on your design and highlight any environmental ethical or safety concerns.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

• 1. Understand the principles of equilibrium and chemical thermodynamics, and application to phase behaviour, to systems with chemical reaction and to processes with heat and work transfer;
• 2. Understand the instrumentation and control systems that are used to monitor and control the reaction in any reactor process. As part of this students will be able to select suitable measurement and control systems for a given reactor design.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

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

• 3. Understand the principles on which processing equipment operates to determine equipment size and performance of common items such as reactors, exchangers and columns;
• 4. Understand system dynamics, being able to determine the dynamic response to changes in a process, design measurement and control functions, and determine its performance;
• 5. Be competent in the use of numerical and computer methods, including commercial software for solving chemical engineering problems (detailed knowledge of computer coding is not required).

ILO: Personal and key skills

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

• 6. Identify the principal hazard sources in chemical and related processes (including biological hazards);
• 7. Understand the commercial, economic and social context of engineering processes; be aware of relevant legal requirements, codes or practice, and industry standards governing engineering activities, including personnel, health and safety, contracts, intellectual property rights, product safety and liability issues, and be aware that these may differ internationally;

Syllabus plan

Reactor Design Considerations
- Material selection – temperature and chemical resistances – cost, safety and legal responsibilities
- Reaction parameters
- Problems of scale – how to deal with scale up from an experimental reactor to pilot plant and production scales

Controlling exo- and endo-thermic reaction temperatures
- Controlling reaction rates
- Heat transfer systems
- Types and performance of heat exchangers

Reaction Control systems
- Types of control system
- Types of instrumentation, Online, inline and offline monitoring
- Control system operation, Open and Closed loop, feed forward and feedback PID systems and system tuning.

Cost, yield and efficiency considerations
- How are reactor design changes impact cost effectiveness

Health and Safety, Ethical and Environmental Issues
- Understand the safety principles related to reactor design including chemical, heat, acidity and pressure safety risks
- Be able to identify potential ethical issues
- Be aware of environmental issues of chemical process engineering and plant design
- Understand the implications of emissions and climate change

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

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

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 resubmission of the reactor design proposal for the coursework portion of the module (60%), and by written exam for the examined portion (40%). 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

• G. Towler, R. Sinnott, Chemical Engineering Design – Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant and Process Design, Third Edition, Elsevier, 2022.
• E. L. Paul, V. A. Atiemo-Obeng, S. M. Kresta, Handbook of industrial mixing, Wiley, 2003.
• T. Dogu, G. Dogu, Fundamentals of Chemical Reactor Engineering: A Multi-Scale Approach, Wiley, 2021.
• D G Peacock, J.F. Richardson, Coulson & Richardson’s Chemical Engineering Volume 3: Chemical and Biochemical Reactors and Process Control, Elsevier, 1994.
• O. Levenspiel Chemical Reaction Engineering: An Introduction to the Design of Chemical Reactors, 2nd Edition, Wiley, 1974.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE