Unit 6: Chemical Engineering
Students explore the field of Chemical Engineering: the discipline which involves the transformation of raw materials to finished products. Students experience how chemical engineers take materials that are not desirable or not useful and use their knowledge of math and science to transform them into products that are needed. Students learn elements of process design, process monitoring, and product characterization as they complete a group project in Chemical Engineering.
Students learn about Chemical Engineering, how chemical engineers scale up processes, and about process flow diagrams.
- Lesson Plan (6.1 Introduction to Chemical Engineering)
- In Class
- Assignment 6.1.1: Process Flow Diagrams and Chemical Engineer Definition
- Homework
- Assignment 6.2: Chemical Engineering Project Introduction
- Links
- Chemical Engineering Project Introduction Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQHJkCh4nf8
- Chemical Engineering Project Introduction Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh3aPUc1cow
Students learn about the process of growing algae in a photobioreactor for use as a biofuel.
- Lesson Plan (6.2 Chemical Engineering Project Introduction)
- In Class
- Assignment 6.2.1: Understand the Problem
- Homework
- Assignment 6.3: Spectrophotometers
- Links
- Spectrophotometer Introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08QcvGbMS6c
Students build their own spectrophotometer that will allow them to measure the concentration of algae in their photobioreactor.
- Lesson Plan (6.3 Spectrophotometers)
- In Class
- Homework
- Assignment 6.4 Photobioreactors
- Links
- Photobioreactors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Onp09eODY
Students design and build a photobioreactor to grow algae that could be used for biodeisel production. Students must use their understanding of the needs of algae in their photobioreactor design.
- Lesson Plan (6.4 Photobioreactors)
- In Class
- Homework
- Assignment 6.5 Spectrophotometer Calibration
- Links
- Spectrophotometer Calibration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDb7sqzLHjs
Students calibrate their spectrophotometers so that they can relate the measured resistance to algae concentration.
- Lesson Plan (6.5 Spectrophotometer Calibration)
- In Class
- Homework
- Assignment 6.6 Transesterification
- Links
- Transesterification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pESqlQ8We1M
Students observe the transesterification reaction to transform vegetable oil into biodiesel. They perform product characterization to compare the properties of biodiesel, diesel, and vegetable oil.
- Lesson Plan (6.6 Transesterification and Product Characterization)
- In Class
- Assignment 6.6.1 Biodiesel Analysis:
- Homework
- Assignment 6.7 Chemical Engineering Student Presentation
- Links
Students present their research into a technology they have chosen that is related to Chemical Engineering.
- Lesson Plan (6.7 Student Presentations on Chemical Engineering Technology)
- In Class
- Assignment 6.7.1: Presentation Summaries
- Homework
Students complete their Chemical Engineering project by writing a memo report explaining what they have done.
- Lesson Plan (6.8 Chemical Engineering Project Memo)
- In Class
- Assignment 6.8.1 Biodiesel Memo
- Homework
- Review for unit quiz.
Students review for and take a quiz on the Chemical Engineering unit.
- Lesson Plan (6.9 Chemical Engineering Review and Quiz)
- In Class
- Unit Quiz review sheet
- Homework
- Assignment 7.1: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
- Links
- Mechanical Engineer – profiles of scientists and engineers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-7B_YfHWXQ&index=1&list=PLUkThcD2fe6uIHKUiSiu3eq4IwX7t42Fm
- Introduction to Materials Science https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwn2yxapmJI&list=PLUkThcD2fe6t65RM4F5GKw_uCF5x50wpg&index=4