INTRODUCTION TO CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Chemicalengineering is the study and practice of transforming substances (raw materials) at large scales for the tangible
improvement of human conditions. Such transformations are executed to produce other useful substances or energy.
Alternative Definition:
Chemical engineering deals with unit operations (mathematics, economics, and biology). These operations are tied to the
commercial success of industries based on chemical or physical transformations of matter.
Application:
Application of these unit operations to complex or large-scale industrial processes requires chemical engineering knowledge.
Assignment
Define chemical engineering according to the following:
(a) According to Professor James O. Wilkes (University of Michigan).
Chemical Engineering (Definitions and Scope)
According to the British Institution:
Chemical engineering is defined as the branch of engineering concerned with processes in which materials undergo required
changes in composition, energy content, or physical state, through processing that results in new products.
According to the German Body:
Chemical engineering is the discipline that deals with technical operations or processes in which materials undergo changes in
properties, composition, and energy content.
Who is a Chemical Engineer?
A chemical engineer applies the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics to solve problems involving the
production or use of chemicals, fuels, drugs, food, and many other products.
They design processes and equipment for large-scale manufacturing, plan and test production methods, and oversee product
treatment and direct applications.
History of Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. During its early development, the Industrial
Revolution in the late 1800s created a demand for industrial chemicals, which led to the growth of chemical engineering as a
distinct field.
In 1887, George E. Davis offered a series of lectures on chemical engineering at Manchester Technical School. These were among
the earliest formal lectures in the field, and Davis is credited with establishing the concept of unit operations.
In 1888, Lewis M. Norton introduced Course X, the world’s first 4-year chemical engineering curriculum at MIT. The course was
taught within the Department of Chemistry until 1920, when a separate Department of Chemical Engineering was formed.
By 1907, MIT had awarded seven B.S. degrees in chemical engineering. It later became the first school to award Ph.D. degrees in
chemical engineering.
Chemicalengineering is the study and practice of transforming substances (raw materials) at large scales for the tangible
improvement of human conditions. Such transformations are executed to produce other useful substances or energy.
Alternative Definition:
Chemical engineering deals with unit operations (mathematics, economics, and biology). These operations are tied to the
commercial success of industries based on chemical or physical transformations of matter.
Application:
Application of these unit operations to complex or large-scale industrial processes requires chemical engineering knowledge.
Assignment
Define chemical engineering according to the following:
(a) According to Professor James O. Wilkes (University of Michigan).
Chemical Engineering (Definitions and Scope)
According to the British Institution:
Chemical engineering is defined as the branch of engineering concerned with processes in which materials undergo required
changes in composition, energy content, or physical state, through processing that results in new products.
According to the German Body:
Chemical engineering is the discipline that deals with technical operations or processes in which materials undergo changes in
properties, composition, and energy content.
Who is a Chemical Engineer?
A chemical engineer applies the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics to solve problems involving the
production or use of chemicals, fuels, drugs, food, and many other products.
They design processes and equipment for large-scale manufacturing, plan and test production methods, and oversee product
treatment and direct applications.
History of Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. During its early development, the Industrial
Revolution in the late 1800s created a demand for industrial chemicals, which led to the growth of chemical engineering as a
distinct field.
In 1887, George E. Davis offered a series of lectures on chemical engineering at Manchester Technical School. These were among
the earliest formal lectures in the field, and Davis is credited with establishing the concept of unit operations.
In 1888, Lewis M. Norton introduced Course X, the world’s first 4-year chemical engineering curriculum at MIT. The course was
taught within the Department of Chemistry until 1920, when a separate Department of Chemical Engineering was formed.
By 1907, MIT had awarded seven B.S. degrees in chemical engineering. It later became the first school to award Ph.D. degrees in
chemical engineering.
