Course aim

In designing and optimizing important steps in chemical processes, such as reactors and separators, a thorough understanding of the behaviour and limitations of these steps are needed. The aim with this course is to deepen the student’s competence within the field of transport phenomena in chemical engineering, biotechnology and ecological systems.

A special focus is upon the analysis of transport of momentum, heat and mass in heterogeneous systems, e.g. absorption, catalytic reactors and protein chromatography, and on the analysis of flow systems, mixing systems and the influence of flow fields on the transport of mass and heat, e.g. biotechnical reactors and mixing.

Content

The course deals with transport of momentum, heat and mass in advanced applications in chemical engineering, biotechnology and ecological systems. The following areas are treated:

• Fundamental descriptions of transport phenomena in micro-scale is presented and studied. Mathematical models and computational tools are discussed and used for prediction and analysis of transport phenomena.
• Transport phenomena in boundary layers and at interfaces like in gas/liquid. Exchangers are important applications, particular heat exchangers and mass exchangers.
• Transport of mass and heat in heterogeneous systems is studied. Special focus is on interfaces in gas/solid and liquid/solid systems in packed bed applications such as heterogeneous catalysis, adsorption and chromatography.
• Transport of heat, mass and momentum is studied in flow systems. Special focus is on the effect of flow patterns, laminar as well as turbulent, in chemical and biotechnical mixers and reactors.

The student projects, focused on central concepts within the course, are important in training student skills and for the student to acquire a professional approach to the subject. The projects are also part of the assessment.