Chemical Engineering?
What is this?
Richard. E. Smalley
Nobel in Chemistry 1996
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Τop 10 problems for the next 50 years
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ENERGY
WATER
FOOD
ENVIRONMENT
POVERTY
WAR-TERRORISM
DISEASES
EDUCATION
DEMOCRACY
POPULATION
Πληθυσμός της γης
2003
2050
6.3
10
Billion
Billion
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Energy
Economy
Economic
Safety
Security
• Energy demands increase rapidly
Energy
Energy
– Population increase
– Economic growth
• Fossil fules dominate
– Abundant and low cost in comparison
with alternative solutions
Environment
Environmental
• Energy without carbon
involvement is needed and CO2
capture is essential to avoid
stresses on environment and for
climate change management
Chemical transformations are of key importance
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What is Engineering and what
Chemical Engineers do ?
Different definitions for engineering. A typicορισl is
that it is «application of science" because engineers
take abstract ideas which they use for the
construction and production of products used in
everyday life.
The profession in which Math and natural sciences
knowledge gained either through study or practical
applications is applied critically for the development of
economic resources for the valorization of both the
materials and of nature’s forces for the sake of the
good of humanity
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Chemical Engineering
Traditionally, chemical engineers are responsible for
the design and the control of large scale chemical
plats producing essential chemicals, plastics, fibers
etc.
Today’s chemical engineers are involved in the
production of food and fertilizers, the synthesis of
electronic materials, the development of chemical
and biochemical sensors, recycling of all sorts
wastes, the development of energy and alternative
energy sources (e.g. fuel cells). Develop new
products (ceramics, composites and novel electronic
materials) and biochemical and pharmaceutical
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goods.
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Chemical Engineering is Central
Mathematics
Physics
Computer Science
Fluids
Materials Science
Ceramics and polymers
Electrical Eng.
Microelectronics
MEMS
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Applied Chemistry
Mechanical
Transport Engineering
Energy
Biochemistry Environmental engineering
Biomedicine
Biology
Civil Engineering
sciences
Chemical Engineering possesses a unique place at the
interface between molecular science and Engineering
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Chemical Engineers at different scales..
J. Wei, Chemical Engineering Science, 59, 1641(2004).
Chemical engineers are Global Engineers.
Why?
During the last century, chemical
engineers contributed significantly to
the improvement of the living
standards. American Institute of
Chemical Engineers, AIChE made a list
with
the
"10
most
important
achievements of chemical engineering:
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The atom..Great as life!
The astonishing developments in the fields of
Medice,Biology, metallurgy and energy production
have been promoted from the discovery of the
atom fission and the isolation of isotopes. Chemical
Engineers had a leading role in these achievements.
Medical doctors use nowadays isotopes to follow
up functions of our organism : Identification of
clogged arteries, Biologists obtain valuable
information for fundamental mechanisms of life
and archaeologists can very precisely date their
historic findings, geologists can trace water
transport, etc.
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The age of plastics
During 19th century enormous progress
was achieved in polymer chemistry.
However, the vision of chemical engineers
was that during the 20th century made
polymer production sustainable reality.
The Human Reactor..
Chemical engineers study complex
processes by analyzing them to smaller
unit operations.
Heat exchangers, filters, chemical
reactors etc. This concept has been
successfully applied for the human
body.
Results: Better clinical care, new and
improved diagnostics
Top achievements : Artificial organs.
Medical doctors work together with
chemical engineers to increase both life
expectancy and quality of life!
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Use engineering to solve
biological problems
Use biology to solve
engineering problems
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Artificial pancreas in the
struggle against diabetes
Problem:
Pancreas
implants are
rejected by the
body.
Solution:
Encapsulate
insulin-producing
cells within an
artificial pancreas
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Drugs and pharmaceuticals
–mass production
Chemical engineers managed to maximize
the production of substances like antibiotics,
discovered by scientists : Sir Arthur Fleming
(penicillin 1929). The production was increased by
thousand of times by the development of
incubation methods and transformations. The
fact that today medicines are available in large
quantities and low prices thanks to the work of
chemical engineers.
The possibility of making widely available
materials which at some point they were rare,
is an important achievement of chemical
engineering.
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…millions were saved
with penicillin mass
production
Activated
Carbon
Spent
Solvent
Water
Solvent
Solvent
Broth
Filtrate
FILTER
FERMENTATION
EXTRACTION
FILTER
ADSORPTION
Cells
Solvent
Solvent
Air
Penicillin
Product
Spent
Carbon
FILTER
Solvent
DRYER
Spent
Solvent
CRYSTALLIZATION
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Synthetic fibres. The
sheep’s friend...
Synthetic fibres from which
blankets, bedsheets, pillows and
other
everyday
commodities
which ensure a good sleep!
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Liquified Air
Air is liquefied upon cooling (-196 C).
At this temperature, chemical
separated the various air components.
engineers
pure nitrogen is used for oil recovery, frozen
food, semiconductors production, ensuring inert
atmosphere to avoid undesirable chemical
reactions.
Oxygen is used in steel and copper production,
metals welding and to support life in hospitals.
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Our Environment:We all live in it!
Chemical engineers provide economically
feasible solutions for the cleanup of wastes
from earlier times and for the prevention of
pollution today and for tomorrow.
Catalytic converters, modified gasoline, flue
gas purification installations, contribute in
keeping a clean world.
Chemical engineers, help in the reduction of
stresses in raw materials with synthetic
substitutes,
more
efficient
treatment
methods and recycling technologies.
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Food:What do we have for today???
Plants need large quantities of nitrogen,
potassium and phosphorus so that they
may grow in sufficient quantities.
Ferilizers ensure that sufficient nutrients
reach the plants which pay back with a
balanced and sufficient food.
Advances in biotechnology make possible
the increased production of food globally.
Chemical engineers are leaders in food
treatment
contributing
in
the
development of more tasty and nutricious
food.
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Petrochemicals Black gold ή Texas Tea
Chemical Engineers developed processes
like catalytic pyrolysis in which complex
molecules, present in crude oil are
decomposed in simpler compounds. These
compounds separated and then combined
appropriately so that useful products are
obtained including : gasoline, lubrication
oils, plastics, synthetic rubber, and
synthetic fibres.
Petroleum treatment is recognized as a
technology of fundamental importance,
that has shaped our modern life .
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Replacement of petrochemicals with
modern biocatalytic methods
(biorefineries 3rd generation)
Problem:
Difficult to
convert
agricultural waste
to useful materials
Solution:
Use novel enzymes
to break down
agricultural waste.
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Other examples of development of novel
products
Bioproducts:
 Controlled drug-release: dosage and rate of supply
 Aerosol drugs design : They reach their target
through the appropriate aerodynamic design and
sustained supply
Cussler, E. L. and Wei J. AIChE J., 49(5), 1072-1075 (2003)
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Chemical Engineering is the key for new
discoveries for the future which starts today!
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