Chemical Engineering
Application of physical sciences, mathematics, and economics to transform raw materials into valuable products via food-chemistry and physical unit operations. Focuses on design, analysis, optimization, and scaling of processes.
Fundamental Principles
- Chemical thermodynamics: Energy balances, phase equilibria, and process feasibility.
- Transport phenomena: Conservation of mass, momentum, and heat transfer.
- Reaction kinetics: Rate laws, mechanisms, and reactor design.
- Process control: Automation, feedback loops, and system stability.
- Catalysis: Acceleration of reaction rates and selectivity using catalysts.
Key Applications & Systems
- Petrochemicals: Refining, cracking, polymerization, and fuel synthesis.
- Pharmaceuticals: Synthesis, purification, and formulation of active ingredients.
- Food and Beverage Processing:
- Application of separation processes and extraction techniques to modify chemical composition while preserving sensory properties.
- Specific case study on solvent-based and supercritical fluid extraction for caffeine removal and alcohol reduction: Decaffeination and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Methods, History, and Chemistry.