Material Transfer

- To apply theoretical knowledge and skills in problem solving to unit operations based on mass transfer: distillation, absorption, and extraction. Study of fundamentals and design methodology. It is intended to show to the students that there is a common methodology for these operations, providing them with the capacity to autonomously initiate the study of other unit operations of this kind.
- To provide an overall and real vision of the equipment to carry out the above mentioned operations.
- To provide the students with the capacity to use the appropriate calculation techniques and tools in the solving of Chemical Engineering problems – and specifically of Mass Transfer problems.

Unit 1. General aspects
Unit operations. Separation processes based on mass transfer. Mass transfer coefficients. Types of contact. Continuous contacting. Transfer unit. Discrete-stage contacting. Equilibrium stage.

Unit 2. Absorption.
Introduction. Continuous and discrete contacting between phases. Isothermal absorption. Calculation methods. Multicomponent mixtures.

Unit 3. Simple distillation.
Introduction. Vapour-liquid equilibrium. Open distillation. Flash distillation.

Unit 4. Distillation (rectification) with discrete-stage contacting.
Introduction. Binary systems. Shortcut and rigorous calculation methods. Limiting operating conditions. Batch distillation. Multicomponent systems.

Unit 5. Distillation (rectification) with continuous contacting.
Introduction. Mass transfer coefficients. Binary systems. Transfer unit. Height equivalent to a theoretical plate. Multicomponent systems.

Unit 6. Liquid-liquid extraction.
Introduction. Liquid-liquid equilibrium. Single-stage, cross-current, and countercurrent extraction. Discrete-stage and continuous contacting. Multicomponent mixtures.

* Basic bibliography:
In Spanish:
- P.C. Wankat; Ingeniería de Procesos de Separación, 2nd ed., Pearson Education, México (2008)
In English:
- P.C. Wankat; Separation Process Engineering, 3rd ed., Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ (2012)

* Complementary bibliography:
- J.D. Seader, E.J. Henley, D.K. Roper; Separation Process Principles, 4th ed., Wiley, Hoboken, NJ (2016).
- R. Sinnott, G. Towler; Chemical Engineering Design, 6th ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford (2020). [Available as electronic resource in the USC Library.]
- J.R. Backhurst, J.H. Harker, J.F. Richardson, J.M. Coulson; Chemical Engineering, vols. 1 and 2, 6th ed., Pergamon Press, Oxford (1999)
- R.E. Treybal; Mass Transfer Operations, 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill, New York (1980)
- C.D. Holland; Fundamentals of Multicomponent Distillation, McGraw-Hill, New York (1981)
- P.J. Martínez de la Cuesta, E. Rus; Operaciones de Separación en Ingeniería Química – Métodos de Cálculo, Pearson, Madrid (2004)

* Specific skills:
- CQ.1.3. Knowledge on mass transfer and separation operations
- CQ.2.2. Capacity for the simulation and optimisation of processes and products.

* General skills:
- CG.4. Capacity to solve problems with initiative, decision making, creativity, and critical thinking; and to communicate and disseminate knowledge, abilities and skills in the field of industrial chemical engineering.

* Transferable skills:
- CT.1. Capacity of analysis and synthesis
- CT.4. Ability for the use and development of software applications
- CT.6. Problem solving
- CT.8. Team working
- CT.13. Capacity to apply knowledge in practical contexts
- CT.19. Independent learning

The expositive lectures will be dedicated to the presentation of the theoretical contents of the course, illustrated with some problem solving examples, and always with the active participation of the student and with the support of audiovisual tools.

The seminars will focus in developing the ability of the students to solve, either individually or in groups, problems related with the different topics; in particular with aspects of design of the separation equipment. The spreadsheet used in problem solving will be mainly Excel.

The group tutorial sessions will be dedicated to the development of specific topics, with particular emphasis on the active participation of students; either individually or organised in groups.

In the computer room sessions, the software Aspen Hysys for simulation of industrial chemical processes will be used. The attendance to these sessions is mandatory.

A technical visit to an industrial plant of relevance in the context of the content of the course will be programmed, subjected to the availability of funds. Coordination with the course “Mass Transfer” will be sought in planning this technical visit.

The online materials and resources of the course in the USC virtual learning environment (Moodle platform) will be used as a teaching support tool. Moreover, the student will have the possibility of arranging individualised tutorial sessions with the teacher to solve doubts.

The skills related to the different types of training activities are:
- Expositive lectures: CQ.1.3, CG.4, CT.1, CT.4, CT.6, CT.13
- Seminars/Group tutorials: CQ.1.3, CG.4, CT.1, CT.4, CT.6, CT.8, CT.19
- Computer room sessions: CQ.2.2, CT.4, CT.19
- Technical visit: CT.13

The overall mark of the student will be configured by the following assessment parts:
- Ongoing assessment activities in connection with the expositive lectures, seminars, and group tutorials (including participation in the lectures and solving of specific problems, or related works, to be assessed): 15 % of the overall mark.
- Computer room sessions (including performance during the sessions and an assessment test at the end , along with a requested simulation exercise): 20 % of the overall mark.
- Final exam: 65 % of the overall mark. It will consist of a first part on theoretical aspects (30 % of the overall mark of the exam) and a second part on the solving of problems (70 % of the overall mark of the exam).

A minimum overall mark of 5.0 on a basis of 10 will be needed to pass the course, reaching at least the 35 % of the maximum possible mark in each of the assessment parts. For those students who meet the first requisite but not the second, the overall mark finally assigned to the student will be the one resulting from considering solely the mark in that part in which the minimum was not achieved.

The marks of the ongoing assessment and of the computer room sessions will be notified to the student prior to the date of the exam. The partial marks obtained in these assessment parts during the development of the in-person lectures will be kept for the second call, where the exam will represent again 65 % of the overall mark.

No partial marks will be carried over across different academic years.

Only those students not having participated in any of the seminars or group tutorial sessions, nor in the exam, will be graded as “Not-shown”.

The skills evaluated in each assessment part are:
- Participation/Computer room sessions: CQ2.2, CQ1.3, CG4,CT1, CT4, CT8, CT 13, CT19
- Group tutorials: CQ 1.3, CT1, CT6, CT8, CT19, CG4
- Exam: CQ1.3, CG4, CT1, CT6, CT13,CT19

For the cases of fraudulent execution of tests, exams or other assessment tasks, the “Norms of assessment of the academic performance of the students, and of the revision of the qualifications” (“Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión das cualificacións”) will be of application.

The course has a workload of 6 ECTS (an overall work load for the student of 150 h).

Activity – Classroom time (h) – Independent work time (h)

Expositive lectures: 28 - 42
Seminars: 6 - 9
Computer room: 15 - 8
Group tutorials: 2 - 8
Individualised tutorials: 2 - 3
Exam and revision: 5 - 22

Total: 58 – 92

It is recommended that the students have taken previously the following courses: "Fundamentals of Chemical Processes", "Analysis of Chemical Processes", and “Applied Thermodynamics”.

There will be two groups in this course, using different instruction languages: one will be taught in Spanish, and the other one in English.