Reactor or Separation Process Design
8 weeks · 0 milestones
Design a reactor or separation unit for a defined chemical process objective — reactor design (sizing for a target conversion), distillation column design (sizing for a separation specification), liquid-liquid extraction, or absorption column. The design must include: a clear design basis statement (feed composition, target conversion or separation, operating temperature and pressure), design equations with documented derivation or standard reference (CSTR, PFR, or distillation design methods), sizing calculations with equipment dimensions (volume, height, diameter) and operating conditions, a performance analysis showing the design meets the specification under the base case conditions and identifying the sensitivity to the most important design variable, and identification of the key engineering assumptions and their effect on reliability of the result. Preferred proof: design calculations from a real project. Accessible alternative: DWSIM (free, open-source) with reactor or separation unit operation models — input file submitted alongside the results; for hand calculations, Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook is accessible through many university open-access portals, and many design equations are in open textbooks and NIST resources. Proof artifacts: the design equations and sizing calculation (analysis artifact) and the design summary with performance analysis (documentation artifact). Verification: a chemical engineer reviews the sensitivity analysis — 'your design has X% conversion margin; at what feed temperature would this margin be consumed, and what does the process do then?' — requiring specific reasoning from your own design parameters.
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3 milestones
State the process objective — what feed will be converted, to what product, at what purity and yield. For a reactor, identify the reaction type (batch, CSTR, PFR), operating conditions (temperature, pressure, catalyst), and key side reactions to suppress. For a separation, identify the physical property difference driving the separation (vapour pressure for distillation, solubility for extraction, size for filtration). Choose the route and document the selection rationale — alternative routes considered and why they were rejected.
Proof required
Submit your route selection document (≥600 words): the process objective, the selected reactor or separation route, operating conditions, key design assumptions, and rationale for rejecting ≥1 alternative route.
What gets checked
- Process objective states feed, product, target purity, and yield — not just 'design a reactor'
- Operating conditions are quantitative (temperature in °C, pressure in bar, catalyst type named if applicable)
- At least one alternative route is considered and rejected with a specific engineering reason