TranslateChemical Engineering
Turning raw materials into useful products through reactions, heat, and mass transfer.
Lessons
All lessonsThe Art of Particle Separation: Sedimentation
Explore how gravity and density differences allow engineers to separate solids from liquids in industrial processes.
Understanding Fluid Flow and Pressure
Master the basics of how liquids move through pipes and systems.
The Fundamentals of Distillation
Learn how engineers use boiling points to separate mixtures.
Introduction to Mass Balances
Use basic accounting to track chemical inputs and outputs.
The Power of Crystallization
Discover how engineering creates pure solid crystals from liquids.
Challenges
Diffusion-Limited Phase Separation Optimization
Design and execute an experiment to measure the mass transfer kinetics of a ternary liquid-liquid extraction system using immiscible household liquids. You must calculate the partition coefficient and determine the influence of interfacial surface tension modifiers on the rate of phase separation. Your final report should model the system's approach to equilibrium using a modified Fickian diffusion equation.
Continuous-Flow Microfluidic Extraction Optimization
Design and construct a multi-stage microfluidic extraction manifold that achieves a >90% partition coefficient for a surrogate solute between immiscible aqueous and organic phases. You must demonstrate steady-state performance while characterizing the mass transfer resistance across the liquid-liquid interface under varying laminar flow velocities. Please provide a rigorous analysis of your residence time distribution (RTD) and its impact on your overall extraction efficiency.
