IDENTIFYING DATA 2017_18
Subject (*) REACTOR ENGINEERING Code 20705223
Study programme
Nanoscience, Materials and Processes: Chemical Technology at the Frontier
Cycle 2nd
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
6 Optional 2Q
Language
Anglès
Department Chemical Engineering
Coordinator
MONTANÉ CALAF, DANIEL
E-mail daniel.montane@urv.cat
pezhman.kazemi@urv.cat
Lecturers
MONTANÉ CALAF, DANIEL
KAZEMI ., PEZHMAN
Web
General description and relevant information The course deals with the fundamental aspects of chemical reactor engineering in multiphase systems involving multiple simultaneous reactions, either catalytic or non-catalytic. The course is based on examples or relevant industrial processes.

Competences
Type A Code Competences Specific
 A1.1 A1.1. Successfully studying and learning about the chosen research ambit: evaluating the technical and scientific importance, the technological potential and the viability of the nanoscience, design, preparation, properties, processes, developments, techniques and applications of materials.
 A1.4 A1.4. Conceiving, designing, constructing, reformulating and maintaining equipment, applications and efficient designs for experimental and numerical simulation studies in chemical technology.
 A2.4 A2.4 Developing awareness in environmental and social issues related to nanoscience, materials and the general field of chemical technology.
Type B Code Competences Transversal
 B1.1 B1.1. Communicating and discussing proposals and conclusions in specialized and non-specialized multilingual forums in a clear and unambiguous manner.
Type C Code Competences Nuclear
 C1.1 Have an intermediate mastery of a foreign language, preferably English
 C1.2 Be advanced users of the information and communication technologies

Learning outcomes
Type A Code Learning outcomes
 A1.1 A1.1 Know and classify reactions and catalytic and non-catalytic heterogeneous reactors.
A1.1 Be familiar with the latest developments in heterogeneous reactors.
A1.1 Design heterogeneous reactors with special emphasis on catalysis.
A1.1 Design intensified reactors (membrane reactors, reactive distillation, etc.).
A1.1 Propose suitable reactors for technical problems.
 A1.4 A1.4 Use numerical tools such as Polymath and MATLAB to design reactors.
 A2.4 A2.4 Design reactors bearing in mind safety, economics, and the environment.
Type B Code Learning outcomes
 B1.1 B1.1 Can intervene effectively and transmit relevant information.
B1.1 Plan their communication: generate ideas, seek information, select and order information, make schemes, decide on the audience and the aims of the communication, etc.
B1.1 Prepare and deliver structured presentations, complying with the requirements.
B1.1 Draft documents with the appropriate format, content, structure, language accuracy, and register, and can illustrate concepts using the correct conventions: format, headings, footnotes, captions, etc.
B1.1 Use language that is appropriate to the situation.
B1.1 Are aware of the strategies that can be used in oral presentations (audiovisual support, eye contact, voice, gesture, timing, etc.).
Type C Code Learning outcomes
 C1.1 Express opinions on abstract or cultural topics in a limited fashion.
Explain and justify briefly their opinions and projects.
Understand instructions about classes or tasks assigned by the teaching staff.
Understand routine information and articles.
Understand the general meaning of texts that have non-routine information in a familiar subject area.
Write letters or take notes about foreseeable, familiar matters.
 C1.2 Understand basic computer hardware.
Understand the operating system as a hardware manager and the software as a working tool.
Use software for off-line communication: word processors, spreadsheets and digital presentations.
Use software for on-line communication: interactive tools (web, moodle, blogs, etc.), e-mail, forums, chat rooms, video conferences, collaborative work tools, etc.

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
Review of fundamental concepts Kinetics of homogeneous reactions.
Heterogeneous catalysis. Kinetic modeling of surface-catalyzed reactions. Kinetics of polymerization reactions and enzymatic reactions.
Thermodynamic equilibria in reacting systems
Macroscopic mass and energy balances for single-phase reacting systems: isothermal and non-isothermial ideal reactors.
The equations of change of mass, energy and momentum Review of the fundamental microscopic balances of mass and energy, and their application to reactor design.
Numerical solution of the microscopic balances: introduction to COMOSL multiphisics
Influence of heat and mass transfer on the reaction rates in multiphasic reacting systems Analysis of interfacial mass and energy transport in a catalyst particle.
Internal transport inside a catalyst pellet: simultaneous diffusion and reaction. Internal effectiveness factors and global effectiveness factors in simple situations.
Numerical solution of generalized systems with multiple simultaneous reactions.
Design of biphasic catalytic reactors (S-G and S-L) Packed bed catalytic reactor
Fluidized bed reactor
Monoliths and catalytic-wall reactors
Design of multiphasic catalytic reactors (GLS) A generalized model for GLS catalytic reactors.
Bubble column slurry reactors
Stirred tank slurry reactors
Trickle-bed reactors
Introduction to process intensification through reactor design Reactive distillation.
Membrane reactors.

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
Hours outside the classroom
(**) Total hours
Introductory activities
1 0 1
Lecture
A1.1
A1.4
A2.2
A3.1
C1.1
24 24 48
Laboratory practicals
A1.4
A2.4
24 60 84
Presentations / expositions
B1.1
C1.1
C1.2
3 6 9
Personal tuition
2 0 2
 
Practical tests
A1.1
A1.4
A2.4
B1.1
C1.1
C1.2
6 0 6
 
(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies
  Description
Introductory activities Presentation of the course: description of the course contents, objectives, methodologies, planning and evaluation criteria.
Lecture Lecture sessions to develop the content of the course, and discussion of practical examples. Support material will be provided to the students in advance through the Moodle space of the course.

Laboratory practicals The students will work in group on the analysis and design of heterogeneous reactors based on a "real-life" case studies. The solution of these problems will involve the use of numerical computational tools (COMSOL simulation laboratory).
A total of 3 short cases and a more complex final design project will be solved. The results of each short case will be presented as a short written report. The design project will be presented as a written report and a public exposition.
Presentations / expositions The students will perform a public presentation and discussion of the results attained on their reactor design project
Personal tuition Individual interviews/meetings will be scheduled for those students requiring specific assistance to deal with any aspect of the course

Personalized attention
Description
The instructor will be available during office hours to provide further help and guidance to the students individually. Students should take advantage of these meetings to solve questions and doubts they may have about specific parts of the course material. The hours in which those meetings may be scheduled will be posted in the Moodle workspace before the course starts. Dr. Daniel Montané. Department of Chemical Engineering. Office 217. daniel.montane@urv.cat 977 559 652

Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
Laboratory practicals
A1.4
A2.4
A total of 4 case studies will be developed during the laboratory practicals:
- 3 short closed-ended problems, accounting for 10% of the final grade each.
- 1 open-ended design project, that will account for 25% of the final grade
55
Presentations / expositions
B1.1
C1.1
C1.2
Oral public presentation of the results of the reactor design project (group activity) 5
Practical tests
A1.1
A1.4
A2.4
B1.1
C1.1
C1.2
2 practical tests, to be solved individually, will be developed during the course. To pass the course, and regardless of the other items to be evaluated, it is mandatory that:
- The average grade of the 2 tests is at least of 5.0 points over 10.
- The grade in one of the tests has to be at last of 4.0 over 10 points.
40
Others  
 
Other comments and second exam session

Second call:

Students who need to take the second evaluation call will be graded based on the following items and contributions:

  • Final exam (second call): 70%
  • Written report of the reactor design project: 30%

Please, note that a minimum grade of 4.0 over 10.0 will be also required in the Final Exam to pass the course in the second call.

NOTE: The use of electronic communication devices (phones, tablets, etc.) during the individual written exercises/exams is strictly forbidden. All devices must be disconnected and stored away while the students are inside the classroom during the entire length of the exercise. If numerical calculation tools were required for the exam, the students will be informed in advance about the conditions and restrictions to use personal laptop computers. In any case, the computers will be used for the sole purpose of the exam and with its network access deactivated (WiFi, GSM, etc.).

Students that fail to comply with these rules will be sanctioned with a grade of "0" (zero) in the exercise/exam, regardless of other disciplinary actions taken by the ETSEQ.


Sources of information

Basic G. F. Froment, K. B. Bischoff, J. De Wilde, Chemical reactor analysis and design, 3rd, John Wiley & Sons, cop. 2011

Class notes and copies of the slides used during the lectures will be posted as PDF files on the Moodle space of the course. Examples solved with COMSOL will be provided as well to illustrate the practical application of the topics covered along the semester. Also, a few papers from scientific journals will be used as reference material. These papers will be provided by the instructor beforehand through the Moodle workspace of the course.

Complementary H. Scott Fogler, Elements of chemical reaction engineering, 4th, Prentice Hall, 2006
O. Levenspiel, Chemical reaction engineering, 3rd, Wiley, cop. 1999
D. Kunii, O. Levenspiel, Fluidization engineering, 2nd, Butterworth-Heinemann, cop. 1991
R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart, E. N . Lightfoot, Transport phenomena, 2nd, Wiley, 2007
B. E. Poling, J. M. Prausnitz, J. P. O'Connell, The properties of gases and liquids, 5th, McGraw-Hill, 2001

Recommendations


(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.