Course Description

Applied economics in chemical engineering design and operations; measures of profitability; capital and operating cost estimates; introduction to design and design strategies.

Instructors

• Prof. Chad Curtis (ccurtis7@uw.edu)
  • Office hours: By appointment (BNS 263)

Teaching Assistants

• AA: Griffin Ruehl (gruehl@uw.edu)
  • Office hours: M 3:00-4:00 (BNS 352)
• AB: Jack Rumptz (jrumptz@uw.edu)
  • Office hours: W 10:30-11:30 (Blue room 2nd floor BNS)

Teaching Logistics

• Lectures: M/W/F 12:30-1:20 (MOR 230)

Test italics

• Quiz Sections:
  • AA: T 11:30-12:20 (LOW 216)
  • AB: T 12:30-1:20 (MOR 225)

Course Objectives

1. Understand, interpret, synthesize, and create chemical processes.
2. Interpret design diagrams, including block flow diagrams, process flow diagrams, and piping and instrumentation diagrams.
3. Determine operating conditions of different equipment and their impact on the economics of the design.
4. Evaluate economic impact of new (or existing) chemical process taking into account both capital and operating costs.
5. Perform simulations of chemical processes using AspenPlus to design and optimize process conditions.
6. Understand ethical and legal issues at stake in the design process.
7. Understand safety issues inherent in plant design and how to account for them during the design process.

Conduct

The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable by students as they pursue their academic goals. In particular, please review the definitions of academic misconduct found here and here. In the context of ChemE 485, it is expected that all work, homework and otherwise, is the students’ own work. Students should also not use unauthorized materials during exams. Concerns about these or other behaviors prohibited by the Student Conduct Code will be referred for investigation and adjudication by the College of Engineering.

Students found to have engaged in academic misconduct may receive a zero on the assignment (or other possible outcome).

Access and Accommodations

Your experience in this class is important to both me and the teaching team. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me as early as possible so we can discuss your needs in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical, or health impacts) you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interaction process with you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with state and federal law.

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form available on this site.