10 Greatest Achievements of
Chemical Engineers
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The Atom:
Played prominent role in splitting the atom and isolating isotopes, useful for many processes today.
The Plastic Age:
Allowed mass produced polymers to become an economic reality. The Human Reactor:
Studied complex chemical processes, eventually related these processes to the human body and led to many useful applications.
Wonder Drugs for the Masses:
Able to take small amounts of antibiotics
and increase the yields. Synthetic Fibers:
These fibers are useful in many ways, they are used in blankets, bedding, pillows, clothing, etc.
Liquified Air:
Able to condense air, then can separate out the different components.
The Environment:
Provided answers that cleaned up waste and prevented pollution.
Food:
Helped develop plant fertilizers, also design food manufacturing processes.
Petrochemicals:
Helped develop processes that create building blocks that can be recombined to form many useful products (gasoline, oils, plastics, etc.).
Synthetic Rubber:
Played prominent role in creating rubber
industry (tires, gaskets, hoses, etc.).
A Fundamental Chemical
Engineering Process:
Chemical
Engineering
The image above is a basic process
flow diagram which is very commonly
used in the field of chemical
engineering to indicate the general
Rochester Institute of Technology
WE/WiC Open House 2015
What is Chemical
Engineering?
Chemical Engineer vs.
Chemist
Chemical engineering is a branch of
engineering that applies the major scientific
disciplines including chemistry, physics,
biology and mathematics to transform
chemicals or raw materials into more
valuable forms. Chemical Engineers work
diligently to create new and more effective
ways to manufacture chemicals and they
work alongside chemists to develop new
high tech materials for many different
special applications. Chemical engineering
focuses on the development, design and
optimization of industrial-sized processes
for manufacturing chemicals and advanced
materials. Chemists typically develop new
molecules via chemical reaction,
examine the underlying mechanisms
involved, and make precise
measurements of both physical and
organic chemistry parameters on a
bench scale in small volumes. Chemical engineers utilize the
work of the chemists to build processes
to manufacture and purify chemicals and
new materials on a larger scale. Using
their knowledge of scientific principles
(physical and organic chemistry
integrated with physics, mathematics,
and biology) and design constraints
(such as economics, environmental
requirements) chemical engineers
develop processes to manufacture raw
materials with desired purity on a scale
that meets the demands of virtually every
industry in our modern society.
The Develop, Design and
Optimization of What
Processes?
Bulk chemicals (fuels, primary building
blocks, acids, etc.)
Bulk materials (plastics and synthetic
fibers, fertilizer, paper products)
Fine chemicals (pigments and dyes,
coatings, adhesives, fragrances)
Household products (detergents,
cosmetics, shaving cream, etc.)
Pharmaceuticals (ampicillin,
streptomycin, aspirin, vitamin C)
Biologically-active compounds
(enzymes, anti-coagulants, etc.)
Food products (sugar, instant coffee,
preservatives, etc)