Sustainable development and its implications for chemical engineering

Sustainable development presents us all with the challenge of living in ways which are compatible with the long-term constraints imposed by the finite carrying capacity of the closed system which is Planet Earth. The chemical engineering approach to the management of complex systems involving material and energy flows will be essential in meeting the challenge. System-based tools for environmental management already embody chemical engineering principles, albeit applied to broader systems than those which chemical engineering conventionally covers. Clean technology is an approach to process selection, design and operation which combines conventional chemical engineering with some of these system-based environmental management tools; it represents an interesting new direction in the application of chemical engineering to develop more sustainable processes. Less conventional applications of chemical engineering lie in public sector decisions, using the approach known as post-normal science. These applications require chemical engineers to take on a significantly different role, using their professional expertise to work with people from other disciplines and with the lay public. The contribution of chemical engineering to the formation of UK energy policy provides an example of the importance of this role. Recognising the role of engineers as agents of social change implies the need for a different set of skills, which just might make the profession more attractive to potential new recruits.     

生物化工研究现状与发展趋势

综述了化学生物学作为一个化学与生命科学交叉的新兴学科，正在世界各国迅速兴起，并逐渐成长为未来几十年或更长一段时间内的重要前沿方向。生物化工是20世纪中叶兴起的一项重要的化学工业技术，它是建立在高效化学化工技术与生命科学的相互交叉与融合的基础之上，充分体现了学科交叉的优势，必将引起现代化学化工技术产生革命性的变革。并在全面概述当今化学化工行业的发展现状的基础上。重点阐述了当今生物化工技术研究的前沿领域。     

化学工程在低碳发展转型中的关键作用探讨——从物质资源利用与碳排放关联的视角

当前物质资源利用模式迫切需要向低碳发展转型。化学工程的科研人员及流程工业领域的利益相关者,有必要以资源利用模式的系统视角,重新审视物质资源利用与碳排放的复杂关系。基于本研究团队近年来对资源效率模式及低碳转型的研究成果,结合国内外相关研究进展,针对化学工程与低碳转型发展的关系进行深入分析,总结提出三个主要观点：（1）低碳转型中提升资源效率与碳减排存在正向协同,即物质资源利用与碳排放存在强关联,需要提升资源效率促进低碳发展转型;（2）低碳转型中碳减排和物质资源利用存在反向协同,低碳转型将拉动大量物质资源需求,需要通过技术创新和发展循环经济来对冲;（3）气候目标下化石资源利用模式将发生深刻变革,化石资源将更多地发挥“材料属性”而不是“能源属性”;“可持续的能源”和“可持续的碳源”将成为低碳流程工业的未来发展方向。化学工程作为研究物质资源转化的核心学科,将在人类向低碳社会过渡中发挥重要的和不可替代的作用。     

Chemical engineering and industrial ecology: Remanufacturing and recycling as process systems

Climate change and resource scarcity are just two of the planetary crises that make radical socio-economic change essential if human society is to be sustainable. Chemical engineering is a skill-set that can make a unique contribution to the socio-economic transition, going beyond new technological processes to provide a system-level understanding of economic activities from the perspective of industrial ecology. This paper provides an example by applying process system analysis to the use, re-use, remanufacturing, and recycling of material products. Unlike the ‘circular economy’ approach, the analysis starts from the stock of goods and materials in use in the economy and models the flows required to build up, operate, and maintain the stock. Metrics are developed to account for the effect of stock growth on demand for materials. The significance of the analysis is illustrated for four metals whose industrial ecologies are at different levels of maturity: lead, copper, aluminium, and lithium. Extending product life through re-use and remanufacturing is crucial for resource efficiency, using labour to reduce demand for energy and non-renewable resources. If end-of-life products are processed to recover individual elements, the cost penalties increase rapidly with the decreasing concentration of valuable materials and increasing number of materials in the mixture. Thus, shifting from a linear economy (make−use−dispose) to closed-loop use of materials involves rethinking product design to reduce the number of materials used. Material substitution to reduce demand for scarce materials needs to look beyond equivalence of function to consider changing patterns of use in the regenerative economy.     

The evolution of US pollution prevention, 1976–2001: a unique chemical engineering contribution to the environment – a review

The importance of pollution prevention or cleaner production has been substantial in changing the environmental approach within advanced industrialized countries. Since the critical factors for pollution prevention success relate to fundamental understanding of diverse industrial processes, chemical engineering has had a major and unique role in this environmental field. Expanding this new and evolutionary topic into the undergraduate curriculum of chemical engineering has also been vital to improving the sustainability of cleaner production. This article describes the fundamental concepts that led to active pollution prevention progress and then the historical progress toward this new paradigm. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

非环境化学专业大学生加强环境教育必要性的研究

通过对某高校在校化学专业大学生环境意识及环境类课程选修状况的调查研究及结果分析,论证了高等院校非环境化学专业大学生加强环境教育的必要性及将环境类课程纳入高校非环境化学专业必修课的重要性。调查结果显示,面向非环境化学专业的学生开设环境类课程,有利于培养具可持续发展环境意识的高素质化学人才。更重要的是,在今后的工作和生活中,能使他们做出与环境和谐相处的理性决策,并且将环境之道弘扬光大。     

Teaching mathematical modeling software for multiobjective optimization in chemical engineering courses

This paper expects to give undergraduate students some guidelines about how to incorporate environmental considerations in a chemical supply chain and how the introduction of these concerns have an important effect on the results obtained in the multiobjective optimization problem where both economic and environmental aspects are considered simultaneously.To extend the economic and environmental assessment outside the chemical plant and to identify the tradeoffs associated with the reality of chemical and petrochemical industries, a simplified problem of a chemical supply chain is proposed as a case study.The inclusion of environmental concerns to this economic problem make this new case study a good example for undergraduate students interested in implementing simultaneous economic and environmental considerations in the chemical process design incorporating mathematical modeling software for solving this multiobjective problem.Thus, the final objective of this paper is to show to undergraduate students how environmental together with economic considerations could have an important impact in the logistics of a supply chain and how multiobjective optimization could be used to make better decisions in the design of chemical processes including its supply chain.To reach our purpose, the Pareto curve of the supply chain is obtained using the ?-constraint method. In addition, the tradeoffs of this multiobjective optimization have been identified and analyzed and ultimately a good decision based on the set of ‘equivalent’ optimal solutions for this chemical supply chain problem determined.     

Whither chemical engineering?

The 1988 Amundson Report on research needs in chemical engineering encouraged the pursuit of frontier areas in chemical engineering with the warning, however, that attention to core areas must be preserved. Indeed, the strong core base in chemical engineering during the latter half of the 20th century enabled chemical engineers to contribute extensively to many areas outside of the traditional. The depth of such involvement has led researchers to confront questions much more engaging to the field of application. This effort has led to adopting and cultivating expertise more native to the field of application than to secure chemical engineering as a discipline. It therefore seems appropriate to ask if the warning voiced in the Amundson Report needs to be reiterated. If chemical engineering research must leave a strong trail of fundamental understanding through developed methodologies to ensure continuing progress, then this article yields considerable scope for discussion.     

Systems engineering approach for chemical process energy optimization

Process energy integration and continuous improvement of process technology are everlasting issues to ensure profitability of chemical productions. And both objectives become increasingly important due to long-term environmental effects of energy degradation, such as resource depletion, emissions and the release of “waste” heat. The key success factor for process improvement lies in combining up-to-date expertise from different areas in an overall approach. One such approach is the systems engineering concept. It helps to structure and to organize problem-solving process. We strongly believe that the increasing complexity of large and interlinked chemical production system and the tightening of global economic pressure force us to use more than ever systematic analysis and design methods to guarantee optimality throughout the entire product life. First we present a brief introduction to systems engineering in general. Then, in the main part of the paper, we give examples for optimizing the use of energy in chemical plants in order to illustrate advantages of the systems engineering concept. The examples range from improving the performance of individual pieces of equipment over changes in the process structure up to optimizing process clusters.     

Assessing the impact of augmented reality application on students’ learning motivation in chemical engineering

Application of augmented reality (AR) in education has recently grown in interest due to distant, online, and self-directed learning. In this study, the impact of implementing an AR application on chemical engineering students’ learning motivation and performance was assessed. Two interactive AR lessons on common industrial equipment (i.e., centrifugal pump and shell-and-tube heat exchanger) were developed on the EON-XR platform. A cohort of 50 undergraduate chemical engineering students participated in the AR lessons and evaluated its impact on students’ learning motivation and usefulness as a learning resource. The level of students’ learning motivation was assessed with a 16-item questionnaire based on the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) from Keller’s ARCS model, and qualitative questions related to the future of AR technology in chemical engineering education. Results show that 82% of respondents found AR lessons helpful compared to conventional lesson delivery modes, while 92% were supportive for AR lessons to be an additional resource to existing learning materials. These findings demonstrated that AR technology impacted students’ learning motivation positively across multiple constructs, namely ‘Attention’, ‘Relevance’, ‘Confidence’ and ‘Satisfaction’ and showed great potential as an innovative pedagogical advancement in chemical engineering education.     

Chemical Engineering Education in the Next Century

This paper summarizes the work of the EFCE Working Party Education (WPE) over the last decade and attempts to identify effective educational solutions to meet the challenges caused by the rapid rate of change in technology and society world‐wide. The paper uses the results of the 1994 WPE survey of curricula in European Chemical Engineering Universities to identify a first degree level core curriculum. The problem of how to adapt the discipline to meet technological and societal changes without losing its identity is addressed. Basic sciences, chemical engineering science, integrated systems design and holistic thinking are emphasized as essential elements of the discipline. The paper discusses how Safety, Health and Environment (SHE), biotechnology, computerized models, product design, sustainability and other new subjects have been incorporated into chemical engineering curricula since the original survey. A simple model of the education process is presented to indicate how students might obtain a chemical engineering understanding and mindset. The paper explains how chemical engineering evolved from its origins in the petrochemical, heavy chemical and nuclear industries, to its current wide range of applications in industries, such as fine chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, software, and cybernetics. It is suggested that the impact of changes arising from industry, new technology and society has driven the chemical engineering discipline to a point where it is now ripe for re‐invention. The effects of rapid industrial, technological and societal change on chemical engineering education are studied against the backdrop of a discipline on the threshold of a significant change. The paper concludes by identifying curriculum development, personal development and life‐long learning as three important factors for educating chemical engineers for a successful future.     

基于多层次过程强化的化学工程教学改革探讨

在国家"双一流"高校建设背景下,实施化学工程学科教学改革对于提高教学质量和学科影响力具有重要作用。以化学反应工程课程教学为例,将多层次过程分析与计算机模拟有机结合,开展项目驱动式教学,可以让学生不断提高综合分析能力,增强工程意识,做到从理论知识到实际应用的有序转变。     

Conversion and uses of liquid fuels from coal

This general paper surveys recent developments in converting coal, mainly into hydrocarbons for use in the transport and chemical industries. Primary conversions by direct, i.e. solvent extraction, and indirect methods are described, together with some of the subsequent refining procedures required to make acceptable products. Though it is unlikely that there will be an overnight world shortage of crude petroleum, political instabilities do not rule this out and ‘local’ shortages might be very acute. Most probably there will be a transitional period in which coal and oil contribute in complementary ways. As oil supplies diminish, coal will be needed increasingly for making essential transport distillates and chemical intermediates. Most conversion processes under development aim to make product oils which can be readily fitted into existing markets. However, coals differ considerably from crude oils in chemical composition and complexity. Thus, in making motor spirit, relatively few technical problems are expected, but in other areas, e.g. in diesel fuels and some ‘petrochemical’ intermediates, coal-conversion products are much less suited to current uses without further (usually expensive) processing. The relative merits of various processing methods are discussed. The paper also considers replacement sources for ‘petrochemicals’ and discusses the wider implications of making olefins. The scope for making intermediate chemicals by coal gasification and subsequent synthesis is outlined. Some areas of future difficulty including technical, economic and environmental matters, are discussed.     

环境工程专业实验教学学生自主实验创新研究

根据我国环境工程专业实验教学的现状,总结出只有建立以学生为中心的实验教学模式,才能体现出学生的主导地位。包括突显学生主体、突出学生技能培养、实验教学氛围创新等三个部分。通过阐述,希望对环境工程类相关院校的实验教学起到一定的促进作用。     

《计算机在化学化工中的应用》课程体系改革初探

紧跟学科发展步伐,改革化学化工类专业开设的《计算机在化学化工中的应用》课程体系,调整教学内容,更新教学方法,强化化学化工专业学生计算机实际应用能力的培养,满足化学化工专业的发展和社会对新一代化工人才的需求。     

Model-based systems engineering approaches to chemicals and materials manufacturing

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is part of a long-term trend toward model-centric approaches adopted by many engineering disciplines. We establish the need of an MBSE approach by reviewing the importance, complexity, and vulnerability of the U.S. chemical supply chains. We discuss the origins, work processes, modeling approaches, and supporting tools of the systems engineering discipline (SE) and discuss limitations of the Process Systems Engineering (PSE) framework. We make the case for MBSE as a more generalizable approach. We introduce systems modeling strategies for MBSE, and a novel MBSE method that supports the automation tailored and extended to support the analysis of chemical supply chains. We demonstrate a specific use case of this method by creating a systems model for the manufacturing of an active pharmaceutical ingredient, Atropine. We conclude with a prospectus on developmental opportunities for extracting greater benefit from MBSE in the design and management of chemical supply chains.     

A Hybrid Method for Stochastic Performance Modeling and Optimization of Chemical Engineering Processes

As chemical engineers seek to improve plant safety, reliability, and financial performance, a wide range of uncertaintyladen decisions need to be made. It is widely agreed that probabilistic approaches provide a rational framework to quantify such uncertainties and can result in improved decision making and performance when compared with deterministic approaches. This article proposes a novel method for design and performance analysis of chemical engineering processes under uncertainty. The framework combines process simulation tools, response surface techniques, and numerical integration schemes applied in structural reliability problems to determine the probability of a process achieving a performance function of interest. The approach can be used to model processes in the presence or absence of performance function(s), with or without parameter interactions, at both design and operational phases. With this, process behavior can be quantified in terms of stochastic performance measures such as reliability indices and the associated most probable process design/operating conditions, providing a simple way to analyze a wide range of decisions. To validate the applicability of the proposed framework, three case study systems are considered: a plug flow reactor, a heat exchanger, and finally a pump system. In each case, performance criteria based on the original physical model and the surrogate model are set up. Reliability analysis is then carried out based on these two models and the results are assessed. The results show that the proposed framework can be successfully applied in chemical engineering analysis with additional benefits over the traditional deterministic methods.     

制药工程专业实验课程的改革期望

制药工程专业是一门具有较强工程技术特点的学科,专业实验是学生实践培养的一个重要环节,考虑到社会对制药工程复合型人才的需求,及我国化学合成药和传统中药并存的国情,我们对实验项目和教学内容进行了一个规划与改革,力求符合“卓越计划”的培养目标.     

Process systems engineering approaches to speed-up the auto-titrator operations

Acid-base titration is widely used in the fields of chemical engineering, environmental engineering, agriculture, and medical science. The auto-titrator is a commercial apparatus that carries out the titration operation automatically and provides equivalence point data. For some test samples and operating conditions, titration operations require up to 5 minutes. Here, we propose a method to reduce this operation time. For this, process systems engineering approaches such as alternative dosing of titrating and sample solutions, reducing sensor time-constant with a lead-lag filter and parameter identification technique have been applied. Simulations and experimental results with test equipment for auto-titration show the performance of the proposed method.