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ChE 360: Chemical Engineering Laboratory I

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Course #: CHE 360 (4 Credits)

Course Title: Chemical Engineering Laboratory I

Terms Offered: Fall, Winter

Prerequisites: CHE 342: Mass and Heat Transfer, CHE 343: Separation Processes

Textbooks/Required Materials: Course documents available on course page on Canvas LMS

Cognizant Faculty: Albayrak-Guralp, Hirshfield, Lesher-Pérez, Liu, Kamcev, Sheffield, Tadd

Instructor: Hirshfield, Tadd, Sheffield, Lesher-Pérez

Faculty Approval: 2022-08-24

CoE Bulletin Description:

Experimentation in thermodynamics and heat, mass, and momentum transport on a bench scale. Measurement error estimation and analysis, Lecture, laboratory, conferences, and reports. Technical communications. 

Course Topics: (number of hours in parentheses)

  1. Carry out three laboratory experiments using principles learned in previous courses.  Analyze experimental results and write technical reports. (continuous throughout the term)
  2. Concept of calibration and instrumentation. (3)
  3. Preparation of technical documents (reports, memos, SOPs). (6)
  4. Uncertainty analyses, such as error propagation and statistical analyses. (2)
  5. Data acquisition and data analyses. (3)
  6. Oral presentations. (2)
  7. Safety training (1)

Course Structure/Schedule: Lecture: 2 per week @ 1 hour; Laboratory:  1 per week @ 4 hours

Course Objectives: Links shown in brackets are to course outcomes that satisfy these objectives. 

  1. Expose students to a few hands-on experiments. [a]
  2. Teach students how to design and carry out experiments as well as how to analyze and interpret real data. [a, b, c]
  3. Teach students how to generate various technical documents and reports. [d, e]
  4. Provide opportunities for students to communicate orally experimental findings to colleagues. [g]
  5. Provide experience for students to work in a team environment. [f]
  6. Familiarize students with computer-based data acquisition and analyses. [a]
  7. Provide opportunities for students to experience and characterize uncertainty in experimental results. [b, c]
  8. Show students how previous work in chemical engineering is useful to them. [b]

Course Outcomes: Links shown in brackets are to ABET student outcomes 1-7.

A. Organize and carry out experimental design and actual hands-on experiments. [1, 6]

B. Apply previous course material to analyze and interpret experimental data. [1, 6]

C. Characterize uncertainty in experimental data. [3,6]

D. Write organized and cohesive technical memos and reports. [1, 3, 4, 6]

E. Organize and prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs). [3]

F. Work effectively in a team environment; prepare individual and team evaluations. [5]

G. Prepare and present technical presentations before colleagues and answer questions. [3]

Assessment Tools: Links shown in brackets are to course outcomes.

  1. Technical reports based on teamwork [a-d, f]
  2. Calibration reports [a, d]
  3. SOP creation [d, e]
  4. Work plans and progress reports with feedback from instructors [a-d]
  5. SOP assessment (individual assignment) [d] 
  6. Oral presentations of final reports with evaluations from instructors [a, b, g]
  7. Individual or team assignments on uncertainty analyses [a, b, d, e]
  8. Periodic individual, team, and laboratory supervisor evaluations [f]