Fluid Machinery & Utilities
- Introduction to Unit Operations
- Introduction to Utilities
- Bernoulli Equation
- Types of Pumps
- Compression and Expansion Systems
Core chemical engineering · Years 2–3
Unit Operations for chemical engineers
A comprehensive unit operations course spanning mass transfer fundamentals, drying and crystallisation, packed tower and distillation design, extraction and particle size analysis.
- 51
- 69
- 36
- 9
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No card needed. Every lesson is open on every plan.
The subject
What Unit Operations covers
This course covers a comprehensive range of unit operations in chemical engineering, beginning with a deep exploration of mass transfer through mechanisms ranging from stagnant layer diffusion to the two-bulb and Stefan methods. A complete analysis of common unit operations spans single to multi-stage systems, with an early focus on drying and crystallisation. Packed tower design is a key focal point, with extensive methods for designing, optimising and modelling the operation across both dilute and concentrated systems. Ideal and non-ideal VLE systems for distillation column design are covered using the McCabe-Thiele and Modi & Westerberg methods, and several extraction systems are explored including liquid-liquid extraction, three liquid systems, and single and multi-stage extraction across flow regimes. Detailed particle size analysis reinforces the working principles and blends with separation processes. Learners come away able to apply mass transfer fundamentals, model common unit operations, analyse settling and separation, design packed towers and distillation columns, and handle extraction and particle size analysis.
What you’ll be able to do
- Define a unit operation as a single process function within a plant
- Apply a steady state solute balance to a single effect evaporator
- Explain how voltage change is used to detect particle volume
- Define the conditions under which settling becomes hindered
- Distinguish a crystalliser from an evaporator
- Perform mass balances on a dryer using a dry basis for all flows
The lessons
Every lesson, theme by theme
51 lessons in 9 themes, pitched at Years 2–3. Your year decides what comes first, never what you can open.
Evaporation
- Single Effect Evaporator Dynamic Balances
- Introduction to Boiling Point Rise
- Multi-Effect Evaporators
Particle Characterisation & Size
- Particle Size Distribution
- Determining the Average Particle Size
- Screen Analysis - Material Balance
Filtration & Flow Through Beds
- Hindered Settling
- Introduction to Centifuges
- The D'Arcy equation
- The Carman Kozeny Equation
- Fluidisation Dynamic Balances
Crystallisation
- Introduction to Crystalisers
- Dynamic Balance Around Crystaliser
- Types of Crystalisers
Drying
- Dryer Dynmaic Balances
- Rate of Drying Derivation
Liquid-Liquid Extraction
- Theoretical No. of Trays Analytical Solution
- Design of Packed Tower Using Mass-Transfer Coefficients
- Design Procedure for Packed Tower
- Design of Packed Towers using Transfer Units - Dilute
- Introduction to Liquid-Liquid Extraction
- Introduction to Liquid-Liquid Extraction Equipment
- Equilibrium Data on Rectangular Coordiantes
- Single Stage Equilibrium Extraction Lever Arm Rule
- Multistage Counter-Current Extraction
- Design of Extraction Tower
Size Reduction
- Mechanism of Crushers
- Emperical Relationships Size Reduction
- Gyratory Crushers
- Ball Mills
More in Unit Operations
- Equimolar Counter Diffusion - Ficks Law
- Pumps - Energy In Motion Equation
- Introduction to Evaporators
- Boiling Point Rise Energy Balance
- Fluid Particle Separation
- Separation of Liquids
- Introduction to Fluidisation
- Crystalisation from Solution
- Introduction to Dryers
- Design of Packed Absorption Column
- Simplified Method for Packed Towers - Dilute Systems
- Design of Packed Towers using Transfer Units - Concentrate
- Three Liquid systems
- Single Stage Liquid-Liquid Extraction
- Introduction to Partical Size & Size Analysis
- Introduction to Particle Size Reduction Equipment
How you’ll learn it
Unit Operations, at your pace
Video lessons
51 lessons and 69 videos, each with what you’ll be able to do by the end.
Practice, marked as you go
36 practice questions, marked the moment you answer, with hints when you’re stuck. Step-by-step worked solutions come with Core.
CERA, when it doesn’t click
Ask CERA to explain any idea in Unit Operations another way, or to test you on it. Every day, on every plan.
Keep exploring
See every subjectDistillation
A course on the design, troubleshooting and optimisation of distillation columns, covering ideal and non-ideal VLE and the McCabe-Thiele, Modi & Westerberg and Ponchon-Savarit methods.
Separation Processes
A comprehensive study of separation processes covering adsorption and absorption, physical and chemisorption mechanisms, isotherm models, BET surface analysis and distillation.
Reactor Design
A course on reactor design, covering rate of reaction, ideal reactor modelling, non-isothermal systems, fixed bed reactors and non-ideal flow.
Mass Transfer
A course on mass transfer, covering diffusion mechanisms, humidity, diffusivity prediction, convective transfer and cooling tower design.
Ready when you are
Build a plan around exactly where you’re stuck
Tell us where you are and get a pathway with your first lesson, your first practice set and a weekly study target. You won’t need an account until you want to keep it.