KMM 308E

Chemical Reaction Engineering

Spring 2024
COURSE CODE: KMM 308E
COURSE TITLE: CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING
TERMS OFFERED: Spring
PREREQUISITE(S): TER 201/TER 203/KIM 252
CREDITS: 4
INSTRUCTORS:
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sirkecioglu Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alper Sarıoğlan
Room #: B407 Room #: B315
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

ASSISTANTS:
Tuğba Hayri Şenel Utku Burgun
Room #: B502 B511
E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

Lectures: Thursday 09:30-12:30 and Friday 09:00-11:00

TEXTBOOK: H. S. Fogler, Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 5 th ed., Prentice Hall,

2016.
Supplementary Books
1. J. M. Smith, Chemical Engineering Kinetics, 3rd. ed., McGraw-Hill, 1981
2. O. Levenspiel, Chemical Reaction Engineering, John Wiley, 3rd ed., 1999.
3. C.G. Hill, T. R. Wood, An Introduction to Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design,
John Wiley, 2nd. ed. 2014.

BRIEF (CATALOG) DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE:

Fundamentals of chemical reaction engineering: Material balances, stoichiometry and kinetics.
Design of ideal flow, batch, semi-batch and membrane reactors. Pressure drop effects. Collection
and analysis of rate data. Multiple reactions. Heat effects and non-isothermal reactor design.
Unsteady-state nonisothermal reactor design. Nonelementary homogeneous reaction kinetics.
Enzymatic reactions and bioreactors. Catalysis. Heterogeneous reaction mechanisms and rate
expressions.
 Tentative Schedule
Week Topics
1 Introduction, Mole Balances
15-16 Feb Design equations
2 Rate Laws
22-23 Feb Stoichiometry in Batch, HW1, IC 1
3 Stoichiometry in Flow Systems
29 Feb – 1 March Isothermal Reactor Design, HW2, IC2
4 Pressure-drop in reactors
7-8 March Membrane Reactors, Semibatch Reactors, HW3, IC3
5 Analysis of Data, IC4
14-15 March Midterm Exam 1 (15 March)
6 Multiple Reactions
21-22 March Multiple Reactions, HW4, IC5
7 Derivation of Energy Balance
28-29 March Adiabatic Equilibrium Conversion/Staging, HW5, IC6
8 Heat Exchange
4-5 April Multiple Steady State, HW6, IC7
9 Unsteady State Nonisothermal Reactors
18-19 April Unsteady State Nonisothermal Reactors, HW7, IC8
10 PSSH
25-26 April Enzyme Kinetics, HW8, IC9
11 Bioreactors
2-3 May Midterm Exam 2 (3 May)
12 Catalysis, Steps in Catalytic Reaction, IC10
9-10 May
13 Mechanism and rate limiting step
16-17 May Heterogeneous Data Analysis, HW9, IC11
14 Catalyst Deactivation, HW10, IC12
23-24 May
COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To train students to analyze and design chemical reactors and reactor combinations for
homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions
2. To train students to analyze multiple reactions carried out both isothermally and non-isothermally
in various reactors to determine selectivity and yield
3. To train students to collect and analyze reaction rate data to derive rate expressions and propose
mechanisms for nonelementary homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions
4. To provide practice with computer software that can be used in the solution of reaction
engineering problems involving differential equations, simulation and data regression analysis
5. To provide practice at developing critical thinking skills and solving open ended problems
6. To provide experience for the students to work in teams

TOOLS USED TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES:

Lecturing, in-class problem sessions held regularly, homework problem sets solved by teams,
homework problems requiring computer and software use, open-book midterms (2) and final exam.

Homework: Homework assignments will be given on the day of class one week before they are due.
Eighty percent of the homework assignments, those with the highest grades, will be
considered in grading. Homework will be due the same day of the next week.

In-class Problem Sessions: The class problem sessions will be based on the material covered in
previous lectures and will mostly be carried out in teams.

Team Assessment

Students in a team should confidentially rate their teammates and themselves several times during
the term, on various aspects of team responsibilities. The verbal ratings will be converted into
numbers, which will be used to adjust individual's team homework grades. Team members should
return their peer ratings.

Exams: All exams are open-book but closed notes.

GRADING:
Homework – In-class Problems 30 %
Midterm Exams (2) 30 %
Final Exam 40 %

Eligibility threshold to take the final exam is 12 points out of 30 points from semester
activities (only midterm exams).

COURSE OUTCOMES:

Students will be able to,

1. Solve reaction engineering problems through logic rather than memorization.

2. Size isothermal and nonisothermal flow and batch reactors for homogeneous and heterogeneous
reactions.
3. Analyze multiple reactions carried out both isothermally and non-isothermally in various reactors
to determine selectivity and yield
4. Determine the rate expression (reaction order and specific reaction rate) from experimental data
5. Describe the steps in a catalytic reaction and suggest a rate law, mechanism, and rate-limiting
step that are consistent with experimental data.
6. Use computers and software to solve differential equations, simulate reactors and to carry out
data analysis.
7. Work together in same-discipline teams to solve engineering problems.
 COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Rules for Homework Problems

Homework is a major part of this course because the principles and concepts we cover in class can only be
learned by practicing their applications. You will be working on homework sets in groups of three or four
students. Each group will contain no more than two students with a GPA greater than 3.5. The object is for the
group to meet to discuss and compare answers to each problem set and then to pick the best answer to be
turned in to the grader. One group member will be designated the coordinator for each assignment. The
coordinator (leader) will be responsible for coordinating the work. After being a coordinator, an individual may
not be coordinator again until everyone else in the group has held the position. Everyone should show up for
the group meeting with his/her solution to every problem assigned. As a bare minimum, everyone must arrive
at the meeting having attempted every problem assigned for that day, and state where they got stuck on the
problem before the group begins working out the details. If someone arrives without having attempted every
problem in the problem set, the coordinator will be honor-bound to remove that person's name from the
problem set. If someone's name is excluded three times, that person will be dropped from the group and will
have to work the remaining problem sets alone. If a member is sick or if there are extenuating circumstances
with regard to making a group meeting that person can work out the assignment alone and turn in the problem
set individually only after notifying the instructor, and before the assignment is due.
If a student's name appears on a solution set, it certifies that he/she has participated in solving some of the
problems and understands all the solutions. If this turns out not to be the case, the student in question and the
coordinator will receive a zero for that assignment. If a student's name is not on the solution set, he/she will
receive a zero for that assignment.

Homework Grading System

Homework assignments due on the next week will be a group effort (one solution set per group) unless
instructed otherwise. The assignments should be turned in on time on the day they are due and they must be
neat and easy to grade and handle. Late assignments will be accepted, your paper will be corrected and
returned with comments. Late homework will not be graded.

Class Problems
The class problems will be based on the material covered in the previous lectures. If a group member did not
attend the lecture, they will most likely not be able to contribute fully to the group effort and therefore will not
be allowed to attend the session.

Team Assessment

Students in a team should confidentially rate their teammates and themselves several times during the term,
on various aspects of team responsibilities. The verbal ratings will be converted into numbers, which will be
used to adjust individual’s team homework grades. Team members should return their peer ratings.
 TEAM POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Your team will have a number of responsibilities as it completes problem and project assignments.

• Designate a coordinator (leader), recorder, a monitor, and a checker for each assignment. In teams of
three, the same individual functions as monitor and checker. Rotate these roles for every assignment.

• Agree on a common meeting time and what each member should have done before the meeting by way
of preparation.

• Do the required individual preparation. Each team member should attempt to outline the solution of each
problem before the team meets.

• Coordinator checks with other team members before the meeting to remind them of when and where they
will meet and what they are supposed to do.

• Meet and work. Coordinator keeps everyone on task and makes sure everyone is involved, recorder
prepares final solution to be turned in, monitor makes sure everyone understands both the solution and
the strategy used to get it, and checker checks the final solution for accuracy and turns it in at the beginning
of the class session when it is due. If the checker anticipates a problem getting to class on time on the due
date of the assignment, it is his/her responsibility to make sure someone turns it in. Agree on next meeting
time and roles for next assignment.

Note to monitors: If you ask people if they understand something and they say yes, you've learned
nothing. To check for understanding in a way that means something, ask for an explanation. If someone
on a team misses a problem on a test that is very much like a homework problem, the monitor has not
done his/her job.

• Review returned assignments. Make sure everyone understands why points were lost and how to correct
errors.

• Consult with your instructor if a conflict arises that can't be worked through by the team.

• If a team member refuses to cooperate on an assignment, his/her name should not be included on the
completed work. If the non-cooperation continues, the team should meet with their course instructor so
that the problem can be resolved, if possible. If no resolution is achieved, the cooperating team members
may notify the uncooperative member in writing that he/she is in danger of being fired, sending a copy of
the memo to the course instructor. If there is no subsequent improvement, they should notify the individual
in writing (copy to their instructor) that he/she is no longer with the team. The fired student should meet
with his/her instructor to discuss options. Similarly, students who are consistently doing all the work for
their team may issue a warning memo (copy to instructor) that they will quit unless more cooperation is
forthcoming, and a second memo (copy to instructor) if the non-cooperation continues. The student who
quits should meet with his/her instructor to discuss options. Students who are fired or who quit must find
a team of 3 willing to accept them as a member or work individually for the rest of the term, otherwise they
get zeroes for the remaining assignments.

As you will find out, group work isn't always easy: team members sometimes cannot prepare for or attend
group sessions because of other responsibilities, and conflicts often result from differing skill levels and work
ethics. When teams work and communicate well, however, the benefits more than compensate for the
difficulties. One way to improve the chances that a team will work well is to agree beforehand on what everyone
on the team expects from everyone else. Reaching this agreement is the goal of the following assignment.
 TEAM EXPECTATIONS ASSIGNMENT

On a single sheet of paper, put your names and list the rules and expectations you agree as a team to adopt.
You can deal with any or all aspects of the responsibilities outlined above: preparation for and attendance at
group meetings, making sure everyone understands all the solutions, communicating frankly but with respect
when conflicts arise, etc. Each team member should sign the sheet, indicating acceptance of these
expectations and intention to fulfill them.

These expectations are for your use and benefit: we won't grade them or even comment on them unless you
ask us to. Note, however, that if you make the list fairly thorough without being unrealistic you'll be giving
yourselves the best chance. For example, "We will each solve every problem in every assignment completely
before we get together" or "We will get 100 on every assignment" or "We will never miss a meeting" are
probably unrealistic, but "We will try to set up the problems individually before meeting" and "We will make
sure that anyone who misses a meeting for good cause gets caught up on the work" are reasonable.