Research
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering can have a specific focus — protecting the natural environment from significant local human impacts and mitigating damage from previous human impacts. These tasks are generally accomplished in the context of detailed governmental regulations.A holistic approach to environmental engineering stresses the concept of societal responsibility.This larger responsibility includes sustainability, energy conservation, global warming, species preservation, etc.
Chemical engineers are well prepared to accomplish environmental engineering tasks, either in the specific focus of direct human impacts, or that of fostering a holistic regard for our planet Earth. Skills and knowledge that chemical engineers provide for environmental tasks include the following:
- Applied chemistry and biochemistry
- Chemical process design
- Cost analysis for both processes and whole systems
- Engineering science skills, particularly transport phenomenon (momentum, heat and mass transfer)
- Computer modeling and simulation skills
Some specific environmental activities of chemical engineers are as follows:
- Designing "zero" emissions processes
- Manufacturing of products via "green" chemistry
- Planning for recycling of materials
- Facilitating use of renewable materials
- Energy conservation and alternative energy and energy utilization systems
- Processing hazardous wastes generated in the past
Research:
Texas Tech University, College of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering,
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