Outline

Overview

In this unit of study, students learn to select and design reactors for a broad range of chemical transformations. The course employs an integrated approach to learning combining the basic principles of material and energy balance, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and fluid mechanics with those of chemical reaction kinetics to allow for the design of chemical reactors. Reactor design concepts are introduced through topics, such as ideal batch reactors, combinations of reactors, multiple reaction systems, and catalytic reactions. Principles of chemical reactions, including reaction mechanisms, temperature and concentration dependence of chemical kinetics, and catalytic effects are covered in relation to reactor design. Students practice and deepen their understanding of the course content in a laboratory practical in which they use experimental data from chemical reactors to estimate rate laws.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	CHNG2801 and (CHNG2802 or AMME2960 OR BMET2960) and CHNG2803
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Enrolment in this unit of study assumes that all core 2000 level chemical engineering units have been successfully completed
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Yuan Chen, yuan.chen@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Weibin Liang, weibin.liang@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Yuan Chen, yuan.chen@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Calculative exercises and short answers questions on all course content.	60%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Lab report Written Report	6%	Multiple weeks	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Homeworks calculative exercises	25%	Multiple weeks	tutorial class and own time
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	In-class exercises test course contents taught in the previous week	9%	Weekly	about 5-10 min each
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Homeworks These assignments will consist of mostly calculative exercises. Students are encouraged to engage in collaborative learning during allocated tutorial times.

Small project: Calculative exercise on the optimization of a reaction system. Students have the option to work in pairs or individually.

In-session exam: Students will be required to complete a summative assessment of ability to identify, formulate and solve reaction engineering problems from 1st principles. The exam is on-line.

Students that fail to attend the in-session exam and are granted Special Consideration will be required to sit a replacement exam (no marks adjustments).

Lab report. Students will work individually on a reaction engineering practical exercise. Students are required to take an on-line laboratory module and to submit a report on the experiment described.
Final exam: The final exam will test the student’s ability to solve questions of a similar nature to the projects, and to apply the techniques learnt in this course to new problems. The test will be conducted on-line during exam time.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

When allowed, late submissions attract 5% late penalty/day. Submissions over 10 days late get 0.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to Chemical Reaction Engineering	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 02	Reaction Equilibrium and Kinetics	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 03	Single Ideal Reactors	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 04	Size comparison/combination of ideal reactors	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 05	Non-isothermal reactions	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Introduction to lab module Non-isothermal reactors	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 07	Recap and exam practice	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 08	Mid session exam (lecture time)	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 09	Multiple Reaction Systems	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 09	Practical: Estimate rate laws by using experimental reaction data	Practical (1 hr)
Week 10	Multiple reactions systems	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 10	Practical: Estimate rate laws by using experimental reaction data	Practical (1 hr)
Week 11	Solid catalysed reactions-Packed bed reactors	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 12	Process intensification	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)
Week 13	Recap Practice exam	Lecture and tutorial (5 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at and participation in lectures and tutorials is strongly encouraged.

In person participation in practicals is required. Attendance requirements are waived for students impacted by travel restrictions.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Readings for this unit can be accessed in electronic format through the university Library and the eReserve available on Canvas.

Texbook:

Octave Levenspiel, Chemical reaction engineering. Wiley, 9781601199218.

Recomended reference:

Fogler, H. Scott, Elements of chemical reaction engineering. Boston, Prentice Hall, 9780133887822.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Apply key concepts and principles of reaction engineering to evaluate reactor designs and operating conditions for given reaction systems
LO2. Determine equilibrium conditions in reactive systems from thermodynamic criteria
LO3. Model reaction engineering systems
LO4. Carry out size comparisons of ideal reactors
LO5. Optimize operating conditions for ideal reactors
LO6. Estimate rate laws by using experimental reaction data
LO7. Communicate effectively in writing

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 5.3. Skills in the selection and characterisation of engineering systems, devices, components and materials. 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 5.3. Skills in the selection and characterisation of engineering systems, devices, components and materials.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.6. Skills in the design and conduct of experiments and measurements. 5.8. Skills in recognising unsuccessful outcomes, sources of error, diagnosis, fault-finding and re-engineering. 5.9. Skills in documenting results, analysing credibility of outcomes, critical reflection, developing robust conclusions, reporting outcomes.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation. 5.9. Skills in documenting results, analysing credibility of outcomes, critical reflection, developing robust conclusions, reporting outcomes.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The assessment scheme has been simplified, the topics selection updated and the schedule modified to allow additional revision and practice time.

Additional information

More information related to this unit will be provided in class and on the Canvas site

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this unit

Site visit guidelines

There are no site visit guidelines for this unit

Work, health and safety

There are no specific work health and safety requirements for this unit

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

CHNG3803: Reaction Engineering

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

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