The Breakthrough Introduction to Chemical Engineering for Today’s Students   Fundamental Concepts and Computations in Chemical Engineering is well designed for today’s chemical engineering students, offering lucid and logically arranged text that brings together the fundamental knowledge students need to gain confidence and to jumpstart future success.   Dr. Vivek Utgikar illuminates the day-to-day roles of chemical engineers in their companies and in the global economy. He clearly explains what students need to learn and why they need to learn it, and presents practical computational exercises that prepare beginning students for more advanced study.   Utgikar combines straightforward discussions of essential topics with challenging topics to intrigue more well-prepared students. Drawing on extensive experience teaching beginners, he introduces each new topic in simple, relatable language, and supports them with meaningful example calculations in Microsoft Excel and Mathcad. Throughout, Utgikar presents practical methods for effective problem solving, and explains how to set up and use computation tools to get accurate answers.   Designed specifically for students entering chemical engineering programs, this text also serves as a handy, quick reference to the basics for more advanced students, and an up-to-date source of valuable information for educators and professionals.   Coverage includes Where chemical engineering fits in the engineering field and overall economy Modern chemical engineering and allied industries and their largest firms How typical chemical engineering job functions build on what undergraduates learn The importance of computations, and the use of modern computational tools How to classify problems based on their mathematical nature Fundamental fluid flow phenomena and computational problems in practical systems Basic principles and computations of material and energy balance Fundamental principles and calculations of thermodynamics and kinetics in chemical engineering How chemical engineering systems and problems integrate and interrelate in the real world Review of commercial process simulation software for complex, large-scale computation

Table of Contents:
Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii About the Author xix   Chapter 1: The Chemical Engineering Profession 1 1.1 Engineering and Engineers 2 1.2 Engineering Disciplines 8 1.3 Defining Chemical Engineering 12 1.4 Roles and Responsibilities of a Chemical Engineer 14 1.5 Employment of Chemical Engineers 19 1.6 Summary 22   Chapter 2: Chemical and Allied Industries 27 2.1 Classification of Industries 27 2.2 The Chemical Industry 29 2.3 Related Industries 34 2.4 Top 50 Chemical Companies 36 2.5 Important Chemical Products 40 2.6 Characteristics of Chemical Industries 50 2.7 Summary 53   Chapter 3: Making of a Chemical Engineer 57 3.1 A Chemical Process Plant: Synthesis of Ammonia 57 3.2 Responsibilities and Functions of a Chemical Engineer 61 3.3 Chemical Engineering Curriculum 63 3.4 Summary 87   Chapter 4: Introduction to Computations in Chemical Engineering 91 4.1 Nature of Chemical Engineering Computational Problems 91 4.2 Solution Algorithms 102 4.3 Computational Tools—Machines and Software 107 4.4 Summary 113   Chapter 5: Computations in Fluid Flow 117 5.1 Qualitative Description of Flow in Conduits 117 5.2 Quantitative Analysis of Fluid Flow 119 5.3 Basic Computational Problems 124 5.4 Summary 140   Chapter 6: Material Balance Computations 143 6.1 Quantitative Principles of Material Balance 143 6.2 Material Balances in Nonreacting Systems 146 6.3 Material Balances in Reacting Systems 151 6.4 Material Balances over Multiple Process Units 159 6.5 Summary 163   Chapter 7: Energy Balance Computations 167 7.1 Quantitative Principles of Energy Balance 167 7.2 Basic Energy Balance Problems 175 7.3 Summary 186   Chapter 8: Computations in Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 191 8.1 Fundamental Concepts of Thermodynamics 192 8.2 Basic Computational Problems 204 8.3 Summary 211   Chapter 9: Computations in Chemical Engineering Kinetics 217 9.1 Fundamental Concepts of Chemical Engineering Kinetics 218 9.2 Basic Computational Problems 229 9.3 Summary 240   Epilogue 245   Appendix A: Introduction to Mathematical Software Packages 247 Appendix B: Computations Using Process Simulation Software 259   Index 273