Separation Processes

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

Students are introduced to the theoretical concepts and the application of separation unit operations in chemical engineering that are necessary in a systematic problem solving of procedures related to the mediterranean cultures. Acquired knowledge allows them to evaluate and select the optimal separation process and introduces them to equipment designing with a special emphasis on optimizing the process operating conditions.

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes)

After passing the exam, the student are expected to:
- acquire the basic theoretical knowledge of an advanced separation processes that are applied in chemical engineering
- know how to apply a basic methodology of chemical engineering necessary in a selection of an appropriate processes and devices used in chemical engineering and to define and optimize the process parameters to increase process efficiency
- develop a critical approach towards a certain procedures in chemical engineering in terms of their selection, advantages, disadvantages and applications
- adopt a methodological approach in device designing that are used in separation engineering

Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus)

1st. week: Separation processes in chemical engineering. Elementary proncipless of separation operations. Mehanical separations principles. Separation processes which include mass and heat transfer.
2nd. week: Structure and properties of dispersed systems.
3th. week Working principles of separators. Effectiveness of separation. Product purity and yield.
4th. week: Separation based on the motion of particles through fluids. Gravity settling processes. Batch sedimentation.
5th. week: Rate of sedimentation. Equipment for gravity sedimentation. Sedimentation zones in continuous thickeners. Clarifier and thickener design.
6th. week: Centrifugal settling processes. Principles of centrifugal sedimentation. Equipments for centrifugal sedimentation. Centrifugal decanters (tubular centrifuge, disk centrifuge, helical-conveyor centrifuge).
7th. week: Hydroclones. Centrifugal filters. Choice of centrifuge.
8th. week: Fundamentals of solid-gas separation. Separation by rotating flow (cyclone), Flow field in a cyclone. Collection efficiency and design of cyclones.
9th. week: Solid-gas filtration and types of filters. Electrostatic precipitation. Mechanism of an electrostatic precipitator. Mechanisms of scrubbing and types of scrubbers
10th. week: Basic concepts of adsorption.
11th. week: Adsorption kinetics. Adsorber design.
12th. week: Crystallization - elementary principles. Nucleation. Crystal growth theories. Influence of process parameters on final product of crystallization. Crystallizer equipments.
13th. week: Elementary concept of extraction and extraction equipment.
14th. week: Membrane separation processes. Adventage and disadventage of the membrane separation. Membrane types. Membrane selectivity. Mechanism of mass transfer across the membrane. Product purity and yield.
15th. week: Membrane structure. Flow patterns in membrane separators. Concentration polarization. Elementary principles of ultrafiltration, electrodialysis and reverse osmosis.
Laboratory exercises: Granulometric characterization of dispersed systems by analytical functions. Gravity settling processes - determination of sedimentation rate of suspension. Geometric characteristics determination of gravity settling separator. Impact of process parameters on final product of crystallization. Membrane separation process - reverse osmosis water demineralization.
Field exercises: Determination of the suspension flow in a centrifuge with a helical-conveyor (treatment plant oily water Cian - Solin). Equipment for gravity sedimentation (wastewater treatment plants Sinj and Trilj). Aeration and its application in biological wastewater treatment (wastewater treatment plant Trilj). Solid-gas filtration: process parameters control of the bag filters and electrofilters (CEMEX - Kastel Sućurac)

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Lecture attendance: 80 %. Laboratory exercises attendance: 100 %.

Optional literature (at the time of submission of study programme proposal)

E. Beer, Priručnik za dimenzioniranje uređaja kemijske procesne industrije, HDKI/Kemija u industriji, Zagreb, 1994.

Quality assurance methods that ensure the acquisition of exit competences

Quality assurance will be performed at three levels:
(1) University Level;
(2) Faculty Level by Quality Control Committee;
(3) Lecturer’s Level.

Other (as the proposer wishes to add)