ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 99 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 24 Interactive Classroom: 24 Total: 150
Use languages Spanish, Galician, English
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Chemistry Engineering
Areas: Chemical Engineering
Center Higher Technical Engineering School
Call: First Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
The course is designed to apply and settle previously acquired theoretical concepts and increase the knowledge on practical aspects of unit operations, chemical reactors and process control, so as introducing the scientific method. Another objective is to develop sound attitudes and procedures in conducting and reporting experimental work. These objectives involve the teaching of computational methods to do so.
- Practical application of theoretical concepts acquired in other courses.
- Proper handling of laboratory equipment.
- Management of software for data processing and reporting.
- Safety in the lab.
- Knowledge about different unit operations and their classification according to more relevant property transfer (mass, energy or momentum) in the operation.
- Identification of the purpose of the main unit operations based on mass and heat transfer
- Capacity to apply mass balances and kinetics to correctly analyse the behaviour of chemical reactors.
- Improvement of the students' knowledge about the control of chemical processes.
Contents
The main core of the course consists of lab practices on applied chemical kinetics and chemical reactors, mass transfer operations and control units:
* Section: Unit Operations
GAS-LIQUID SYSTEMS
- Absorption in a stirred tank.
- Absorption in a packed column.
- Water cooling tower.
- VAPOUR-LIQUID SYSTEMS
- Batch rectification (Mass transfer)
- Rising film evaporator (Heat transfer)
- Double-effect evaporator (Heat transfer)
- LIQUID-LIQUID SYSTEMS
- Determination of solubility curves in ternary liquid-liquid systems.
- SOLID-LIQUID SYSTEMS
- Solid-liquid extraction.
- OTHER
- Operation in ion exchange columns.
- Reverse osmosis system.
* Section: Chemical Reaction Engineering
- Chemical reaction stoichoimetric and kinetic studies in an adiabatic system
- Dynamic behaviour stirred tanks connected in series
- Modelling of the dynamic and stationary behaviour of a stirred tank reactor
- Modelling and analysis of a tubular reactor
- Determination of power curves
- Residence time distribution in tubular reactors
- Pseudo-first order kinetics
- Solid-liquid heterogeneous reaction
* Section: Process Control
- Feed-back control of chemical processes.
- Control of a CSTR reactor by means of PLC.
BASIC:
Due to the special characteristics of this course, the following books are recommended for the different topics:
- Fogler, H.S., "Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering", 4th ed., Prentice Hall, New Jersey (2006).
- Wankat, P.C. Ingeniería de Procesos de Separación, 2ª Ed., Pearson Education, México 2008
COMPLEMENTARY:
-Seader, J.D., Henley, -E.J., Roper, D.K., "Separation Process Priciples", 3rd ed., Wiley, New York (2011).
- Marlin, T.E., "Process Control, Designing Processes and Control Systems for Dynamic Performance", McGraw-Hill, Boston (2000).
- Levenspiel, O., "Chemical Reaction Engineering", 3rd ed., Wiley, New York (1999).
- Perry, R.H., Green, D.W., Maloney, J.O., “Manual del Ingeniero Químico”, 7th ed., McGraw Hill, Madrid (2001).
- Ocón García, J., Tojo Barreiro, G., “Problemas de Ingeniería Química. Operaciones básicas”, Aguilar, Madrid (1974).
- Vián, A., Ocón, J., “Elementos de Ingeniería Química (Operaciones básicas)”, 5th ed., Aguilar, Madrid (1979).
- Coulson, J.M., Richardson, J.F., Backhurst, J.R., Harker, J.H., “Chemical Engineering”, vols. 2, 4, 6, 4th ed., Pergamon Press, New York (1991).
- Costa López, J., “Curso de Ingeniería Química. Introducción a los procesos, las operaciones unitarias y los fenómenos de transporte”, Reverté, Madrid (1994).
- Svrcek, W.Y., Mahoney, D.P., Young, B.R., "A real-time approach to Process Control", Wiley, Chichester (2014).
- Ruthven, D.M. (ed.), “Encyclopedia of Separation Technology - A Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia”, Wiley, New York (1997).
- Articles published in several journals of the Science Citation Index, which will be specifically indicated for each experiment to be carried out.
According to the Official Guide of the Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering of the USC, the skills that the students will develop in this course are:
Specific:
CQ3 Capacity for the design and management of experimental procedures applied especially to: CQ3.1 The determination of thermophysical and transport properties, and the modelling of phenomena and systems in the field of chemical engineering. CQ3.2 Systems with fluid flow, heat transfer. CQ3.3 Mass transfer operation. CQ3.4 Chemical reaction kinetics and reactors.
CQ4 Capacity to design, manage and operate procedures of: CQ4.1 Simulation of chemical processes. CQ4.2 Control and instrumentation of chemical processes.
General:
CG.4 Capacity to solve problems with initiative, decision making, creativity, critical thinking and to communicate knowledge, skills and abilities in the field of Industrial Chemical Engineering.
Transferable:
CT.2 Capacity for organising and planning.
CT.3 Oral and written communication in native and some foreign languages.
CT.4 Ability for the use and development of computer applications.
CT.8 Teamwork.
CT.13 Capacity to apply knowledge in practice.
Additionally, skills will be acquired in connection to:
- Safety in the laboratories.
- Knowledge about different unit operations and their classification according to the more relevant property transferred (mass, energy or momentum).
- Identification of the purpose of the main unit operations based on mass and heat transfer.
Students:
- The student will have all the necessary information for the development of the practices (guidelines), as well as the Safety Regulations and the Training Template on the USC Learning Management System, in the classroom corresponding to the subject.
- The experiments are conducted by groups of 2-3 students under the guidance of the professor.
- Have notes of all lab practices that will be assigned one to one to be performed by each group.
- Use a lab notebook/diary where laboratory observations and experimental data will be recorded.
BEFORE PRACTICE:
- A reading of the lab notes between 15 and 45 minutes depending on the practice and basic and complementary books is perceptive. Student must analyze the basic principles, how to avoid mistakes and complementary techniques that are not discussed in the practice notes.
-Students should read the USC laboratory security manual for students, developed by the Service of Prevention of Hazards of University and sign an acknowledge sheet. Also, students will be given a hazards identification sheet, which must be covered with relevant observations during the development of laboratory classes.
- Students need to prepare in advance each experiment because the time spent and effort put into prepare the practice will be reflected in a good job.
- It is very important to be clear before starting the experimental, the objectives and procedures, as well as the inherent safety features.
- Before operating with the experimental equipment, the student will show and discuss with the professor the acquired information collected from this study and the next steps.
IN PRACTICE:
- All doubts that arise during the equipment handle will be exposed.
- In the lab notebook, experimental data and relevant incidents that are deemed to affect the experiment will be annotated.
- Calculations will be carried out using computer software (including spreadsheet).
- Data analysis, calculations and conclusions will be shown and discussed with the professor.
AT THE END OF THE PERIOD OF PRACTICE:
- The group will present a short laboratory report corresponding to two practices (one to Unit Operations section and one to Chemical Reaction Engineering section).
- The notebook/diary used during the practical work development will also presented. It is very important to elaborate a good discussion section.
The possibility of dedicating part of one of the laboratory sessions to visit the installations gallery of the School of Engineering will be considered, always within the safety framework that the access to this restricted area implies.
The work of competences in this area shall be in the light of the following distribution:
Practices Laboratory Tutoring Examination and Review
CQ.3.1, CQ3.2 70% 20% 10%
CQ3.3, CQ3.4 70% 20% 10%
CQ4.1 80% 20%
CQ4.2 80% 20%
CG.4 80% 20%
CT2, CT.3, CT4 70% 30%
CT8 90% 10%
CT13 100%
The course will be assessed through an official exam, a laboratory notebook prepared by the team, a report on some of the labs completed (to be specified by the instructor), and monitoring of students' individual and team performance in the lab. Particular emphasis will be placed on monitoring and complying with laboratory safety regulations.
The laboratory data processed in spreadsheets will be incorporated into a dedicated activity on the USC Learning Management System (LMS).
Approximately four different practices will be completed per team during the lab period. The quality of the work will be prioritized over the number of practices.
Given the experimental nature of the course, class attendance is mandatory and is also required for taking the exam. It is also important to justify absences according to the USC class attendance regulations. Attendance will be monitored by a signature list at the beginning of each session. Attendance will not be considered in the assessment.
Four factors will be taken into account for the final grade:
1) Quality of laboratory work (25%). - Laboratory notebook: order, legibility, clarity, data processing, etc.
- Equipment handling.
- Preparation of the safety sheet for a laboratory experiment.
- Compliance with laboratory safety regulations.
- Teamwork.
- Punctuality.
- Student contributions: planning of experiments, new experiments within each experiment in addition to those indicated.
- Application of theoretical knowledge throughout the work.
2) Quality of the presented report (25%)
- Content of the report.
- Originality and student contributions.
3) Instructor's report (15%)
Previous preparation for each experiment, compliance with laboratory safety regulations, experimental plan, observations, and individualized follow-up of the student by the instructor during the laboratory experiments.
4) The exam, which will consist of approximately 4 short-answer questions on each of the experiments performed (35%).
The completion and submission of all these activities (lab notebook, lab report, and exam) is mandatory. The due dates are:
- The notebook and report must be submitted within one week of completing the lab activity.
- The exam will be held on the date officially established in the course calendar. Students must obtain at least a 3/10 in each section.
The grades obtained in sections 1, 2, and 3 will be provided to students before the exam.
These grades will be recorded from the first opportunity to the second one. Students who have not completed any of the mandatory activities will be considered as NOT SHOWN. No grade will be retained for repeat students.
Competency assessment: it shall be carried out in accordance with the following table:
...................................... Notebook............ Memory................ Tutorials................. Test
CQ3.1....................................... X.......................................................................... X
CQ3.3....................................... X................................................. X.........................
CQ3.4....................................... X................................................. X.........................
CQ4.1....................................... X................................................. X.........................
CQ4.2.................................... X................................................. X.........................
CG4............................................. X................................................. X....................... X
CT.2 Ability to organize and plan................. X................................................. X.........................
CT.3 Oral and written communication................... X..................... X................................................... X
CT.4.Skills for the use and development of computer applications....................................... X........................
CT.8 Teamwork....................... X.................... X........................... X........................
CT.13 Ability to apply knowledge in practice.......................... X.......................................................................... X
In cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Regulations for the evaluation of students' academic performance and review of grades will apply.
Distribution of the training activity:
Activity......................In-situ hours.......Self-work hours
Laboratory practices...........51........................68
Individual tutorships............2..........................3
Exam and revision...............5.........................21
TOTAL (6 ECTS, 150 h).......58........................92
It is recommended to have passed the following courses: Chemical Reaction Engineering, Chemical Reactors, Mass Transfer, and Process Control.
The admission and permanence of students enrolled in the lab requires that they know and comply with the rules included in the Basic Training Protocol on safety for experimental spaces of the School of Engineering, available in the safety section of its website which can be found in the following link: https://www.usc.gal/gl/centro/escola-tecnica-superior-enxenaria/segurid…
In relation to occupational safety and risk prevention, for each of the practices, the student will have a basic operating manual that includes the most relevant aspects.
Language: Galician / Spanish.
The LMS of the USC will be used to communicate with the students and deposit the necessary material to carry out the reports.
Enrique Roca Bordello
Coordinador/a- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816774
- enrique.roca [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
Maria Amaya Franco Uria
- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816777
- amaya.franco [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Daniel Jose Franco Ruiz
- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- daniel.franco.ruiz [at] usc.es
- Category
- PROFESOR/A PERMANENTE LABORAL
Alba Pedrouso Fuentes
- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- alba.pedrouso [at] usc.es
- Category
- Researcher: Ramón y Cajal
Alba Pedrouso Fuentes
- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- alba.pedrouso [at] usc.es
- Category
- Xunta Post-doctoral Contract
| Monday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Spanish | LB 4 |
| Tuesday | |||
| 09:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Spanish | LB 4 |
| Wednesday | |||
| 09:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Spanish | LB 4 |
| Thursday | |||
| 09:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Spanish | LB 4 |
| Friday | |||
| 09:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Spanish | LB 4 |
| 12.16.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Classroom A2 |
| 12.16.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLIL_02 | Classroom A2 |
| 12.16.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLIL_01 | Classroom A2 |
| 06.17.2026 16:00-20:30 | Grupo /CLIL_01 | Classroom A5 |
| 06.17.2026 16:00-20:30 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Classroom A5 |
| 06.17.2026 16:00-20:30 | Grupo /CLIL_02 | Classroom A5 |