CME 200 Introduction to Chemical

Engineering

Dr. Hadil Abu Khalifeh

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Definitions of Chemical Engineering
• Chemical engineering is a branch of science that applies physical sciences
(physics and chemistry) and life sciences (microbiology and biochemistry)
together with applied mathematics and economics to produce, transform,
transport, and properly use chemicals, materials and energy. Essentially,
chemical engineers design large-scale processes that convert chemicals,
raw materials, living cells, microorganisms and energy into useful forms
and products.
• Chemical engineering is a branch of engineering, which involves the design
and operation of large-scale chemical plants, petrochemical refineries, and
the like.
• Chemical engineering is concerned with processes that cause substances to
undergo required changes in their chemical or physical composition,
structure, energy content, or physical state.
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 the list of chemical engineering applications
includes:
• Traditional areas, for example, mining, pulp and paper, oil
refining, materials (rubber, plastics, etc.), and environment.
• Nontraditional areas such as microelectronics (semiconductor
manufacturing), biotechnology (pharmaceutical production
processes, genetic engineering, etc.), and nanotechnology.
• Other areas, e.g., medicine, consulting, law, and business.

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the list of chemical engineering applications
includes:
• A typical problem in the design of a new process or the modification
of an existing process is expressed as “given the amount and the
properties of the raw materials, calculate the amount of the products
and determine their properties or vice versa.”
• Chemical engineers have powerful tools at their disposal that consist
of the principles of material and energy balances (and momentum
balance, which is not covered in this text), and a broad array of
fundamental sciences.

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What does Chemical Engineer do?
Chemical Engineering
(1) Chemical Engineering involves taking natural raw materials and transforming
them into useful products:

Crude Oil
Refinery
Make things that you use everyday
Chemical processes industry Detergents

Petroleum
Pulp and paper

pharmaceuticals
Gasoline Plastics
Chemical Engineering Processes may involve
(1) Transport of materials (3) Chemically transformation of materials

(2) Physical transformation of materials

Smelting
Distillation
(4) Waste reduction, pollution reduction

Wastewater treatment

Recycling
From Research to Product

Discovery

Chemical
Engineering
Chemical Engineers are working to find alternative sources of
energy
 Professional Organizations
Professional organizations and associations provide a wide range of resources for planning
and navigating a career in chemical engineering.
• play a key role in your development
• keep you abreast of what is happening in your industry.
• provide a network of contacts that can help you find jobs.
• They can offer a variety of services including job referral services, continuing education courses,
insurance, travel benefits, periodicals, and meeting and conference opportunities.
• The following is a partial list of professional associations serving chemical engineers and employers. :
 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (www.AIChE.org)

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)