Department of Chemical Engineering

Professor Richard W. Tock, Interim Chairperson.

Professors R. Bethea, Mann, Parker, and Riggs; Associate Professor Desrosiers and Heichelheim; Assistant Professor Wiesner; Adjunct Faculty: N. Bethea; Visiting Assistant Professor Krishnan.

This department supervises the following degree programs: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy. The undergraduate degree requirements appear in the accompanying curriculum table.

Along with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, a student may declare a minor in a field of his or her choice. Any required or elective courses in the chemical engineering curriculum may be applied toward the minor, with the approval of the minor department. While declaration of a minor is not required, it is strongly recommended. A minor in chemistry or mathematics can be earned with very few additional hours. An approved minor in Business Administration with a B.S.Ch.E. permits a student to enter the MBA program at Texas Tech with no additional leveling in B.A. or Economics courses.

An agreement has been reached between the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Chemical Engineering whereby degrees in both fields can be earned. The additional semester hours are specified as follows:

Semester hours

MATH 2360, Linear Algebra--3

EE 2372, Introduction to Computer Logic--3

CS 1462, Fundamentals of Computer Science I--4

CS 1463, Fundamentals of Computer Science II--4

CS 2350, Computer Org. and Assembly Lang. Programming--3

C S 2365, Software Engineering--3

CS 2382, Discrete Computational Structures--3

CS 2461, Concepts of Programming Languages--4

CS 3352, Introduction to Systems Programming--3

CS 3362, Advanced Digital Design--3

CS 3364, Design and Analysis of Algorithms--3

CS 3372, Advanced Digital Projects--3

CS 4311, Senior Project Design--3

CS 4312, Senior Project Implementation Laboratory--3

CS elective--3

Total additional specified hours--48

Six of these hours may be used as free electives in the B.S.Ch.E. curriculum, resulting in an additional forty-two hours for the B.S.C.S.

Several substitutions are made in the B.S.C.S. curriculum:

Semester hours

CHE 4343 for Math. Prob. & Stat. elect.--3

CHE 2343 for Computer sci. elect.--3

CHE 4353, 4153 for Computer sci. elect.--4

CHE 3306, or

PETR 3308 for ENGL 2309--3

Technical or professional development electives required for the B.S.C.S. degree may be selected from required CHE courses. Oral communication is included in CHE 3306, 4121, 4232, 4233, 4354, and 4355.

A minor in chemical engineering consists of 18 or more hours in chemical engineering courses, including CHE 1311, 2311, 3225, 3226, 3321, and 3322. Prerequisites for all of these courses will be enforced.

The profession of chemical engineering combines the principles of physical and chemical sciences with the discipline of engineering to solve modern technological problems, and be of effective service to society. The chemical engineer is largely responsible for the continual development of new processes and new products that have a direct impact on improving the quality of life and the environment. To this end, the Department of Chemical Engineering provides a broad-based program with individual, academic, and professional counseling.

The importance of professionalism in engineering cannot be overemphasized. Chemical engineering students are presented with a code of expected professional behavior and ethics at each academic level, and are required to adhere to it. Copies of these codes are available on request.

The senior-year courses, as indicated in the list of courses in chemical engineering, are taught as a year of professional practice. Professional behavior constitutes a significant portion of grade evaluation in these courses.

The chemical engineering curriculum is sufficiently general that upon completion the student is prepared for a career in any of the process industries which involve chemical transformations. Employment opportunities cover a wide spectrum which includes, among others, petroleum refining, petroleum production, plastics production, basic chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, metal production, textiles, semiconductors, and various biomedical and biological specialties. Many chemical engineers also are directly involved in the design of systems to minimize pollution of our environment or are active with governmental regulatory agencies which set environmental standards.

Continuing advances in the practice of chemical engineering include extensive use of computer simulation and computer control of chemical processes. The Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech has well-established programs in both of these areas. All chemical engineering students must have access to a personal computer running the Windows operating system, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Mathcad software. Many on-campus classes have their own Internet sites, and some classes are available only on the Internet. For this reason, access to an Internet provider is strongly recommended.

In order to be prepared for professional training as well as to practice chemical engineering professionally, it is essential that the prospective engineer have a good background in the physical sciences, namely mathematics, physics, and chemistry, in addition to the engineering sciences which include basic civil, electrical, and chemical engineering. Summer experience in a chemical processing industry is strongly recommended as part of the preparation for professional practice. In order to illustrate the application of engineering principles, visits to processing installations may be required as part of academic course work.

In accord with the Dynamic Enrollment Management Plan of the College of Engineering, the progress of each chemical engineering student is carefully monitored to ensure that all prerequisites for upper-level courses are satisfied, and that degree requirements will be met in a timely manner. A grade of C or better is required in any course applied toward the B.S.Ch.E. degree. The department uses outcome assessment to monitor quality. Students should expect periodic assessment of technical competence.

Students earning a grade lower than a C in any course will be required to meet with their advisor before the start of the next semester. Any course or prerequisite completed with an unsatisfactory grade must be repeated. Students with unremoved unsatisfactory grades will not be permitted to register in CH E 3226, 3306, or 3322.

Students transferring into this department from other institutions or from another department at Texas Tech must have an overall grade-point average of 2.00 or better, as well as a grade-point average of 2.00 or better in all science, mathematics, and engineering courses. All grades assigned in the matriculation of these courses will be included in the computation of grade-point averages.

In addition to scholarships offered through the University Financial Aids Office and the College of Engineering, the Chemical Engineering Department also offers scholarships to qualified students. The awards are based on consistent academic performance of maintaining a GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or better.

Specification of prerequisites implies all prior prerequisites must have been met.

The following table gives an eight-semester sequence of required courses which must be taken in the order shown as partial requirements for the B.S.Ch.E. degree. The remaining requirements can be taken as the student's load permits, provided all prerequisites are met.

Chemical Engineering Curriculum.

FIRST YEAR
Fall Spring
ENGL 1301, Ess. Coll. Rhetoric 3 ENGL 1302, Adv. Coll. Rhetoric 3
!MATH 1351, Calc. I 3 MATH 1352, Calc. II 3
$CHEM 1307&1107, Prin. of Chem. I 4 CHEM 1308&1108, Prin. of Chem. II 4
CHE 1305, Engr. Anal. & Des. 3 CHE 1311, Intro. to Chem. Proc. 3
CHE 1121, Freshman Seminar 1 13
14
SECOND YEAR
Fall Spring
MATH 2350, Calc. III 3 MATH 3350, Adv. Math. for Engr. I 3
CHEM 3105 & 3305, Org. Chem. I 4 PHYS 2301 & 1106, Prin. of Phys. II 4
CHE 2311, Process Principles 3 CHE 3225, Trans. Proc. I 2
%PHYS 1308 & 1105, Prin. of Phys. I 4 CHE 3321, Chem. Engr. Thermo. I 3
14 12
THIRD YEAR
Fall Spring
CH E 2343, Num. Sol. Ch E Probs. 3 CHE 4343, Eng. Experimentation 3
CHE 3306, Expos. Tech. Info. 3 CHEM 3308 & 3108, Phys. Chem. II 4
CHE 3322, Chem. Engr. Thermo. II 3 CHE 3441, Mass-Trans. Operations 4
CHE 3330, Engr. Mat. Sci. 3 CHE 4323, Chem. Reactor Engr. 3
CHE 3226, Trans. Proc. II 2 14
14
FOURTH YEAR
Fall Spring
CHE 4232, Unit Oper. Lab. I 2 CHE 4233, Unit Oper. Lab. II 2
CHE 4353, Process Control 3 CHE 4355, Chem. Proc. Des. & Sim. 3
CHE 4354, Chem. Engr. Plant Des. 3 CHE 4153, Process Control Lab. 1
CHE 4121, Chem. Engr. Seminar 1 6
9

Critical-path hours­­96

Additional requirements:

American Government--6

Chemistry Electives --8
(must include two laboratory courses from
approved sophomore or higher
courses)

American History --6

*Humanities or Fine Arts--6

C E 2301, Statics -- 3

E E 2304, Elect. Cir. Anal.--3

Approved General Electives --6

Group or Individual Behavior--3

Minimum hours required for graduation­137.

*These courses must satisfy the Category D: General Education Requirements and Multicultural Requirements.

!Students who are not adequately prepared for calculus must take appropriate courses (MATH 0301, 0302, 1320, 1321, 1350) before enrolling in MATH 1351.

$ Students who are not adequately prepared for chemistry must take CHEM 1301 before enrolling in CHEM 1307.

%Students who are not adequately prepared for physics must take appropriate courses (PHYS 1304, MATH 0301, 0302, 1320, 1321, 1350, 1351, 1352) before enrolling in PHYS 1308. A strong high-school physics course and a year of calculus are recommended as adequate preparation.

Courses in Chemical Engineering. (CHE)

1121. Freshman Seminar in Chemical Engineering (1:1:0). Corequisite: CH E 1305 or permission of department. Selected readings and small-group discussion of the chemical engineering profession; requirements, responsibilities, ethics, opportunities, history, personalities, types of companies.

1305. Engineering Analysis I (3:2:3). Corequisite: ENGL 1301 and MATH 1351. The profession of engineering and its relation to energy, materials, resources, computers, communication, and control. Word processing, spreadsheet and compiler programming. Synthesis and analysis of typical engineering problems.

1311. Introduction to Chemical Processing (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHE 1305; corequisite: MATH 1352, CHEM 1308, CHE 1121, ENGL 1302. Dimensions, units and conversions, process variables, processing modules, simple material balances, flow-sheeting.

2311. Chemical Process Principles (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHE 1311; corequisite: MATH 2350, PHYS 1308. Integrated processing modules; complex material balances; energy balances, simple equilibrium relations, elementary transient balances.

2343. Numerical Techniques for Solutions of Chemical Engineering Problems (3:3:0). Corequisite: MATH 3350. Introduction to numerical methods for integration, root finding, algebraic systems, optimization, initial- and boundary-value problems.

3225. Transport Processes I (2:2:0). Prerequisite: CHE 2311, Math 2350; Corequisite: CHE 3321, MATH 3350. Principles of momentum transport. Application to laminar and turbulent flow, metering, porous media, and settling.

3226. Transport Processes II (2:2:0). Prerequisite: CHE 3321, MATH 3350; Corequisite: CHE 3225 and 2343. Principles of energy transport. Application to heat conduction, convection, and radiation. Design and performance of heat exchangers and furnaces.

3306. Exposition of Technical Information (3:1:6). Prerequisite: ENGL 1302, junior standing. Organization and presentation of derivations, equations, experimental data, and research conclusions. Computer-aided preparation of tables, graphs, and equations.

3321. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics I (3:3:0). Prerequisite: MATH 2350, PHYS 1308. Properties of pure substances, ideal gas behavior, first and second law analysis, and applications to energy conversion and power cycles. (Cross-listed with ME 3321.)

3322. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics II (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHE 3321; corequisite: MATH 3350. Solution thermodynamics, phase and chemical equilibria, analysis of processes.

3330. Engineering Materials Science (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHEM 3305. The engineering properties of metals, ceramics, and polymers are described in terms of molecular, crystal, and microstructure configurations. This information is then used to explain the selection of various materials for particular applications.

3440. Transport Processes (4:4:2). Prerequisite: CE 2301, CHE 2311; corequisite: CHE 2343. Unified principles of energy, mass, and momentum transport. Application to heat conduction, diffusion, fluid flow, and heat exchanger design.

3441. Mass-Transfer Operations (4:3:3). Prerequisite: CHE 3322 with a grade of C or better or approval of the department. Theory and practice of mass transfer. Particular emphasis on the operations of distillation, absorption, and extraction.

4000. Special Problems in Chemical Engineering (V1-6). Prerequisite: Departmental approval. Individual studies in chemical engineering areas of special interest. May be repeated for credit.

4121. Chemical Engineering Seminar (1:1:0). Prerequisite: Advanced standing and approval of the department chairperson. Group discussion of current events, chemical engineering education, professionalism, as well as individual prepared talks. Field trips, as necessary, will be scheduled. May be repeated for credit. Professional-practice course.

4153. Process Control Laboratory (1:0:3). Prerequisite: CHE 4353. Experiments with control equipment and the minicomputer. Professional-practice course.

4232. Unit Operations Laboratory I (2:0:6). Prerequisite: CHE 3306, 3322, 3225, 3226, 4343. Laboratory experiments illustrating the basic principles of unit operations. Includes instruction on experimental methods, equipment scale up, and technical communication. Professional-practice course.

4233. Unit Operations Laboratory II (2:0:6). Prerequisite: CHE 3441, 4232. Laboratory experiments on combined unit operations. Includes instruction on design and scale up of equipment and technical communications. Professional-practice course.

4323. Chemical Reaction Engineering (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHE 3322, 3225, 3226; Corequisite: CHEM 3108, 3308. An introduction to the kinetics of chemical conversion processes and the design of chemical reactors.

4342. Polymer Science and Technology (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHEM 3305. Theory of macromolecular structures and the relation of properties to structure. The manufacture and application of polymeric materials.

4343. Engineering Experimentation (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Junior standing in physical science or engineering. Strategy in experimentation; planning efficient experiments; analysis of data and presentation of results.

4353. Process Control (3:3:0). Prerequisite: CHE 3441, 4323. Study of the principles of process dynamics and control and their applications to feedback control. Professional-practice course.

4354. Chemical Engineering Plant Design (3:2:3). Prerequisite: CHE 3441, 4323, or consent of instructor. Development of process and equipment designs for integral manufacturing plants. Professional-practice course.

4355. Chemical Process Design and Simulation (3:2:3). Prerequisite: CHE 4354 or consent of instructor. Application of computer simulation and flowsheeting, optimization, and process synthesis techniques to the design of chemical processes and equipment. Professional-practice course.


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