An Introduction to Chemical Engineering and the AIChE eLibrary

Chemical engineering is a major that encompasses several fields. The purpose of this assignment is to help you understand the opportunities you will have available to you should you become a chemical engineer. Youll need to use the American Institute of Chemical Engineers eLibrary to answer the following questions. Just go to www.aiche.org. Sign up for a student membership. Its free to enroll. Then under Member Center, click on AIChE eLibrary, Start using AIChE eLibrary and start exploring! Good luck! 1. Chemical engineering in the food industry: Most people are aware that blueberries are a good source of antioxidants. However, what are antioxidants? Are there other reasons food companies would put antioxidants in food? Why are they good for you? The answer to these questions can be found in the AIChE eLibrary. a. What are anti-oxidants? Answer: Go to the AIChE eLibrary and search for antioxidants (or you could click on the title Antioxidants in Food - Practical Applications.

Look at the introduction to read about what antioxidants are:

So antioxidants are a class of substances used to inhibit oxidation. This involves interacting with lipid free radicals, or preventing lipid hydroperoxide decomposition into free radicals.

b. Are there other reasons food companies would put antioxidants in food? Answer: The answer to this question can also be found in the introduction:

It looks like food companies add antioxidants to food because they also act as great preservatives. That is, they prevent the decomposition (oxidation) of the food. c. Why are they good for you? Answer: Go to the table of contents of Antioxidants in Food - Practical Applications. Part II of the document discusses antioxidants in health. You can read these sections for detailed information on precisely how antioxidants keep you healthy, such as the chemical mechanism of preventing arteriosclerosis:

Or you could just read in the subtitles that antioxidants aid cardiovascular disease and help prevent tumors.

2. Chemical engineering in the petroleum industry: Gasoline prices continue to skyrocket due to an interaction of factors, but how much do you really know about gasoline? What is natural gas made of? List five components of natural gas. If someone gave you the mole fractions of those components, how would you find the pseudocritical temperature of your gasoline solution? (If youre not sure what that is, dont worry, youll probably learn it later on in this course!) Gasoline is taken out of the ground in crude oil reserves, so it often has a lot of impurities in it. How do you account for impurities when calculating pseudocritical temperature and pressure of a mixture? a. What is natural gas made of? List five components of natural gas. Answer: Search the AIChE eLibrary for natural gas then select the first title that appears.

Select the title What is Natural Gas

There is a good table that lists some components of natural gas

Any of these five components would be an acceptable answer.

b. If someone gave you the mole fractions of those components, how would you find the pseudocritical temperature of your gasoline solution? Answer: The answer to this section is found in chapter 2 of the Natural Gas Engineering Handbook.

The formula to calculate pseudocritical temperature is highlighted below:

A sample problem is included in the text as well. If you have Excel, you can download the file to see how it works:
MixingRule.xls This spreadsheet calculates gas apparent molecular weight, specific gravity, pseudo-critical pressure, and pseudo-critical temperature.
Compound

yi 0.775 0.083 0.021 0.006 0.002 0.003 0.008 0.001 0.001 0.050 0.030 0.020 1.000

MWi 16.04 30.07 44.10 58.12 58.12 72.15 72.15 86.18 114.23 28.02 44.01 34.08 MWa = g =

yiMWi 12.43 2.50 0.93 0.35 0.12 0.22 0.58 0.09 0.11 1.40 1.32 0.68 20.71 0.71

pci (psia) 673 709 618 530 551 482 485 434 361 227 1073 672 ppc =

yipci (psia) 521.58 58.85 12.98 3.18 1.10 1.45 3.88 0.43 0.36 11.35 32.19 13.45 661

Tci, (oR) 344 550 666 733 766 830 847 915 1024 492 548 1306 Tpc =

yiTci (oR) 266.60 45.65 13.99 4.40 1.53 2.49 6.78 0.92 1.02 24.60 16.44 26.12 411

C1 C2 C3 i-C4 n-C4 i-C5 n-C5 C6 C7+ N2 CO2 H2S

c. How do you account for impurities when calculating pseudocritical temperature and pressure of a mixture? Answer: This information is found directly after the sample problem 3. Chemical engineering in construction: Youd be surprised how often glue is used in the construction industry and the type of chemical engineering it takes to make such special glues. After all, were not talking about that pastey-white stuff that comes in a stick and is a staple diet for some first graders. Were talking specifically about epoxies. Please describe two basic properties of epoxies other than they are good at adhering one thing to another. Also, there is a shift in the industry toward being more environmentally friendly. How can you fulfill this need with the type of epoxy

you use, and are there any additional benefits to an environmentally-friendly epoxy? (Hint, look up water-borne epoxy.) a. Two basic properties of epoxies? Answer: Look up epoxy properties in the AIChE eLibrary. Then select the first title: Chemistry and Technology of Thermosetting Polymers in Construction Applications.

Then go to the table of contents and take a look at the introduction of Epoxies in Construction.

Any two of the five properties listed below will serve as a correct answer:

b. How can you fulfill this need with the type of epoxy you use, and are there any additional benefits to an environmentally-friendly epoxy? (Hint, look up water-borne epoxy.) Answer: Go back to the table of contents and examine the text under 3.12 Water-Borne Epoxy Systems.

The text list several additional benefits: