Chemical Processes and Plants I

Course objectives

The course contributes to the achievement of the training objectives set out in the Manifesto of Studies of the Bachelor Degree in Chemical Sciences. In particular, the course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge related to the phenomena of transport of heat, matter and momentum in order to: a) select the separation / purification operations of material stream based on their chemical-physical characteristics; b) dimension the equipment to perform unit separation operations based on thermodynamic properties; c) size the equipment to perform the heat exchange; d) apply a kinetic or equilibrium approach in the design of the equipment to perform unit operations of a physical nature. Students who have passed the examination will have known and understood (descriptor 1: acquired knowledge): • Fundamentals on the phenomena of transport of heat, matter and momentum • Fundamentals and main types of unit separation operations based on thermodynamic properties • Fundamentals of unitary heat exchange operations • Fundamentals of equipment design for unit operations Students who have passed the examination will be able to (descriptor 2 - acquired skills): • select from the various options the separation / purification operations most suitable for the characteristics of the materials to be treated • sizing preliminarily equipment for matter transfer (absorption columns, plate distillation columns, number of stages in solvent extraction) • preliminarily size heat exchange equipment (concentric tube heat exchangers , plate heat exchangers and tube bundle heat exchangers) Along with lectures, participation to in class demonstrations and numerical exercises with self-employment of written reports on the studied topics will allow to get the acquisition of these skills and to increase and evaluate the critical skills and judgment (descriptor 3) and the ability to communicate what has been learned (descriptor 4)

Channel 1
MARCO PETRANGELI PAPINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
1. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF UNITARY OPERATIONS AND TRANSPORT PHENOMENA • Classification of unit operations: Unitary Operation based on thermodynamic, physical / mechanical and kinetic properties. • Transport Phenomena: Molecular transport: steady state generalized molecular transport equation, application of molecular transport in stationary conditions, molecular transport in non-stationary conditions. Turbulent transport: Reynolds experiment, velocity distribution in turbulent flow, turbulent diffusivity model, analysis of the mechanism ratio, friction factor and Reynolds number, boundary layer and resistance of the medium, motion of fluids through granular solids, mass and heat transfer. Transfer between multi-phase: heat transfer, mass transfer 2. UNITARY OPERATIONS BASED ON THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES • Heat Exchangers: Construction and operation of heat exchangers. Sizing of heat exchangers: energy balance, the logarithmic mean temperature difference, comparing equi-current and countercurrent, design of shell and tube exchangers. • Absorption: Construction and operation of absorption columns. Calculation of the diameter of a packed absorption column. Calculation of the height of filling in an absorption column: method of transfer unit, calculating the number of transfer units, transfer unit height calculation, calculation of optimum L/V ratio • Distillation: Construction and operation of plate distillation columns. Liquid-vapor equilibrium. Calculation of the diameter of a distillation column with plates: calculation of the spacing between the plates, calculation of the diameter. Calculation of the number of plates in a distillation column: working curves, calculating the number of theoretical plates, simplified graphical method of McCabe-Thiele, Fenske method, graphical method of Ponchon-Savarit, determining the efficiency of a plate distillation column. Steam distillation. • Solvent extraction: Liquid-liquid solvent extraction: design features and operation of the liquid-liquid extractor, liquid-liquid equilibria, two component systems, three-component systems, calculating the number of theoretical stages of extraction, multiple stages with crossed current, multiple-stage countercurrent without reflux, multiple-stage countercurrent with reflux, design criteria. Solid-liquid solvent extraction (outline).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of mathematics and physics (especially contents related to the study of continuous functions and Physics I program) and of physical chemistry (the frequency and preparation for the physical chemistry course are required)
Books
“I Principi delle Operazioni Unitarie” Foust, Wenzel, Clump, Maus e Andersen. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Supporting material provided by the teacher Digital material on the Eiduco platform
Teaching mode
Mainly traditional teaching with frontal lectures. In addition, demonstrations and numerical exercises will be performed to learn the design of the industrial equipment. The course will also be carried out with the use of the Eiduco digital platform which will allow the student to interact both during the lesson and subsequently with the teacher and elaborate the didactic material presented
Exam mode
The final examination will be held through a written test (with the possibility of a further oral interview) to evaluate the learning of the training objectives of the course.
Lesson mode
Mainly traditional teaching with frontal lectures. In addition, demonstrations and numerical exercises will be performed to learn the design of the industrial equipment. The course will also be carried out with the use of the Eiduco digital platform which will allow the student to interact both during the lesson and subsequently with the teacher and elaborate the didactic material presented
Channel 2
MARIANNA VILLANO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
1. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF UNITARY OPERATIONS AND TRANSPORT PHENOMENA (3 CFU) • Classification of unit operations: Unitary Operation based on thermodynamic, physical / mechanical and kinetic properties. • Transport Phenomena: Molecular transport: steady state generalized molecular transport equation, application of molecular transport in stationary conditions, molecular transport in non-stationary conditions (mentions). Turbulent transport: Reynolds experiment, velocity distribution in turbulent flow, turbulent diffusivity model, analysis of the mechanism ratio, friction factor and Reynolds number, mass and heat transfer. Transfer between multi-phase: heat transfer, mass transfer – Numerical exercises 2. UNITARY OPERATIONS BASED ON THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES (3 CFU) • Heat Exchangers: Construction and operation of heat exchangers. Sizing of heat exchangers: energy balance, the logarithmic mean temperature difference, comparing equi-current and countercurrent, design of shell and tube exchangers – Numerical exercises • Absorption: Construction and operation of absorption columns. Calculation of the diameter of a packed absorption column. Calculation of the height of filling in an absorption column: method of transfer unit, calculating the number of transfer units, transfer unit height calculation, calculation of optimum L/V ratio – Numerical exercises • Distillation: Construction and operation of plate distillation columns. Liquid-vapor equilibrium. Calculation of the diameter of a distillation column with plates: calculation of the spacing between the plates, calculation of the diameter. Calculation of the number of plates in a distillation column: working curves, calculating the number of theoretical plates, simplified graphical method of McCabe-Thiele, determining the efficiency of a plate distillation column – Numerical exercises • Solvent extraction: Liquid-liquid solvent extraction: design features and operation of the liquid-liquid extractor, liquid-liquid equilibria, two component systems, three-component systems, calculating the number of theoretical stages of extraction, multiple stages with crossed current, design criteria – Numerical exercises
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of mathematics and physics (especially contents related to the study of continuous functions and Physics I program) and of physical chemistry (the frequency and preparation for the physical chemistry course are required)
Books
“I Principi delle Operazioni Unitarie” Foust, Wenzel, Clump, Maus e Andersen. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Supporting material provided by the teacher. Digital material on the Eiduco platform.
Teaching mode
Mainly traditional teaching with frontal lectures. In addition, demonstrations and numerical exercises will be performed to learn the design of the industrial equipment. The course will also be carried out with the use of the Eiduco digital platform which will allow the student to interact both during the lesson and subsequently with the teacher and elaborate the didactic material presented.
Frequency
Presence in class during lectures is suggested
Exam mode
The final examination will be held through a written test (with the possibility of a further oral interview) to evaluate the learning of the training objectives of the course.
Lesson mode
Mainly traditional teaching with frontal lectures. In addition, demonstrations and numerical exercises will be performed to learn the design of the industrial equipment. The course will also be carried out with the use of the Eiduco digital platform which will allow the student to interact both during the lesson and subsequently with the teacher and elaborate the didactic material presented.
Channel 3
MARCO ZEPPILLI Lecturers' profile
  • Lesson code10596324
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseChemical Sciences
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year2nd year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDING-IND/25
  • CFU6
  • Subject areaDiscipline chimiche industriali e tecnologiche