e library instructions

7/31/2019 e Library Instructions

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An Introduction to Chemical Engineering

and the AIChE eLibrary

Chemical engineering is a major that encompasses several fields. The purpose of thisassignment is to help you understand the opportunities you will have available to you

should you become a chemical engineer. Youll need to use the American Institute of

Chemical Engineers eLibrary to answer the following questions. Just go to

www.aiche.org. Sign up for a student membership. Its free to enroll. Then under

Member Center, click on AIChE eLibrary, Start using AIChE eLibrary and start

exploring! Good luck!

1. Chemical engineering in the food industry: Most people are aware thatblueberries are a good source of antioxidants. However, what are antioxidants?

Are there other reasons food companies would put antioxidants in food? Why are

they good for you? The answer to these questions can be found in the AIChEeLibrary.

a. What are anti-oxidants?Answer:

Go to the AIChE eLibrary and search for antioxidants (or you could

click on the title Antioxidants in Food - Practical Applications.

Look at the introduction to read about what antioxidants are:
http://www.aiche.org/http://www.aiche.org/


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So antioxidants are a class of substances used to inhibit oxidation. This

involves interacting with lipid free radicals, or preventing lipid

hydroperoxide decomposition into free radicals.


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b. Are there other reasons food companies would put antioxidants in food?Answer:

The answer to this question can also be found in the introduction:

It looks like food companies add antioxidants to food because they also act

as great preservatives. That is, they prevent the decomposition (oxidation)

of the food.

c. Why are they good for you?

Answer: Go to the table of contents of Antioxidants in Food - Practical

Applications. Part II of the document discusses antioxidants in health.You can read these sections for detailed information on precisely how

antioxidants keep you healthy, such as the chemical mechanism of

preventing arteriosclerosis:


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Or you could just read in the subtitles that antioxidants aid cardiovascular

disease and help prevent tumors.


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2. Chemical engineering in the petroleum industry: Gasoline prices continue toskyrocket due to an interaction of factors, but how much do you really know

about gasoline? What is natural gas made of? List five components of natural

gas. If someone gave you the mole fractions of those components, how would

you find the pseudocritical temperature of your gasoline solution? (If youre notsure what that is, dont worry, youll probably learn it later on in this course!)

Gasoline is taken out of the ground in crude oil reserves, so it often has a lot of

impurities in it. How do you account for impurities when calculating

pseudocritical temperature and pressure of a mixture?

a. What is natural gas made of? List five components of natural gas.

Answer:Search the AIChE eLibrary for natural gas then select the first title that

appears.

Select the title What is Natural Gas


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There is a good table that lists some components of natural gas

Any of these five components would be an acceptable answer.


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b. If someone gave you the mole fractions of those components, how would you

find the pseudocritical temperature of your gasoline solution?

Answer: The answer to this section is found in chapter 2 of the Natural Gas

Engineering Handbook.

The formula to calculate pseudocritical temperature is highlighted below:


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A sample problem is included in the text as well. If you have Excel, you can

download the file to see how it works:

MixingRule.xlsThis spreadsheet calculates gas apparent molecular weight, specific gravity,

pseudo-critical pressure, and pseudo-critical temperature.

Compound yi MWi yiMWi pci (psia) yipci (psia) Tci, (oR)

yiTci(oR)

C1 0.775 16.04 12.43 673 521.58 344 266.60C2 0.083 30.07 2.50 709 58.85 550 45.65C3 0.021 44.10 0.93 618 12.98 666 13.99i-C4 0.006 58.12 0.35 530 3.18 733 4.40n-C4 0.002 58.12 0.12 551 1.10 766 1.53i-C5 0.003 72.15 0.22 482 1.45 830 2.49n-C5 0.008 72.15 0.58 485 3.88 847 6.78C6 0.001 86.18 0.09 434 0.43 915 0.92C7+ 0.001 114.23 0.11 361 0.36 1024 1.02

N2 0.050 28.02 1.40 227 11.35 492 24.60CO2 0.030 44.01 1.32 1073 32.19 548 16.44H2S 0.020 34.08 0.68 672 13.45 1306 26.12

1.000 MWa = 20.71 ppc = 661 Tpc = 411

g= 0.71

c. How do you account for impurities when calculating pseudocritical temperature

and pressure of a mixture?

Answer: This information is found directly after the sample problem

3. Chemical

engineering inconstruction:

Youd be

surprised how

often glue is used

in the

construction

industry and the

type of chemical

engineering it

takes to make

such specialglues. After all,

were not talking about that pastey-white stuff that comes in a stick and is a staple

diet for some first graders. Were talking specifically about epoxies. Please

describe two basic properties of epoxies other than they are good at adhering

one thing to another. Also, there is a shift in the industry toward being more

environmentally friendly. How can you fulfill this need with the type of epoxy


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you use, and are there any additional benefits to an environmentally-friendly

epoxy? (Hint, look up water-borne epoxy.)

a. Two basic properties of epoxies?Answer: Look up epoxy properties in the AIChE eLibrary. Then select

the first title: Chemi str y and Techn olo gy of T he rmoset tin g

Polymers in Construction Applications.

Then go to the table of contents and take a look at the introduction of

Epoxies in Construction.

Any two of the five properties listed below will serve as a

correct answer:


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b. How can you fulfill this need with the type of epoxy you use, and are thereany additional benefits to an environmentally-friendly epoxy? (Hint,

look up water-borne epoxy.)

Answer: Go back to the table of contents and examine the text under 3.12

Water-Borne Epoxy Systems.

The text list several additional benefits:


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