Quick links (for UMCP students)

• Virtual Computer Lab
• ELMS

 Grading

Grade scale: A: 90-100%; B: 80-89%; C: 70-79%; D: 60-69%; F: 0-59%

The overall grade is determined from a combination of individual and team reports, team presentations, plus one mid-term exam and one final exam. The value of each assignment is given by the points listed in the schedule below. All reports are to be turned in electronically through the ELMS system; generally, reports, presentations, and individual HW solutions must be turned in as a single pdf. Note that real-time assessment of your current letter grade is always available through ELMS as the total percentage listed in the right-most column of the gradebook.

 Report guidelines

For group reports, a single document must be turned in from each group through ELMS. Reports format specifications are as follows:

1. Page 1 must list the team number, report number, team members, and provide a single-sentence description of the member contributions for each. The honor code must appear on the first page.
2. Two pages (at most) should follow with a description of the week's objectives, solution strategies, and conclusions in weekly reports. This section can be up to five pages in final reports. Omit needless words.
3. Cite all sources and images used; cite sources in text by reference number: [1] or by author-date: Adomaitis, 2015 or Adomaitis et al., 2015.
4. Include relevant process flowsheets where equipment and stream names/numbers are legible.
5. List stream summaries; include all relevant streams and stream compositions and properties. Do not simply cut and past from ChemCAD output; be sure to use a justifiable level of precision when reporting results.
6. Include relevant equipment summaries in sufficient detail, e.g., number of column stages, feed stage location, column pressure and pressure drop, etc.
7. All results are to be reported in SI units (m, kg, s, K, Pa) with flows on a molar basis (mol s^-1)
8. Process economics are to be reported in USD/yr

 Meeting schedule

Teams will meet with the instructor during normal class time. The instructor will meet with teams on a rotating schedule to be arranged in advance. All team members are expected to participate in the weekly meetings. Review and special-topic lectures will take place at the start of class; when no lecture is scheduled, course announcements be made at the half-way point during the class period.

 Team expectations

The default team size is 4 members and, starting with group report 1.4, deliverables 1-4 (described in the weekly project report expectations) are expected. For teams of 3 students, deliverables 1-3 must be completed; for team of 5 students, deliverables 1-5 are expected. All deliverables are expected for individual assignments.

  What you should know from CHBE 444

1. Flowsheet synthesis, simple material and energy balances, rapid evaluation of design alternatives
2. Shortcut distillation, absorber column, flash drum, and other separations unit operations calculations
3. Separation sequences using simplified distillation columns, column hydraulics considerations
4. Shortcut reactor sizing using space velocity
5. Reactor and pressure vessel, distillation/absorber column, heat exchanger, pump, and compressor sizing and costing
6. Process utility calculations, heat exchanger networks, pinch design
7. Operating and capital costs, return on investment, discounted cash flow calculations, net present value
8. ChemCAD simulation, selection of thermodynamic models, detailed designs, elements of process optimization
9. Process safety concepts

 Course content

Useful external chemical process design links

Project Part 1: Solar home dehumidification system; Part 2: Solar versus conventional H₂ production

 Schedule