SAMICAL

Unit Process and Unit Operation

Topics Covered:
1. Unit Process
2. Unit Operation
3. Analysis of Manufacturing Processes:
 Unit Process
Definition:
Unit processes involves principal chemical conversions leading to synthesis of various useful products and provide basic
information regarding reaction temperature and pressure, extent of chemical conversions, yield of products, nature of reaction
whether it is endothermic or exothermic and type of catalyst used.
It is a process in which chemical change occurs.
Examples: oxidation, reduction, calcination, etc.
Unit Processes in Chemical Industry:
❑ Combustion ❑ Sulfonation
❑ Oxidation ❑ Hydrolysis and Hydration
❑ Neutralization ❑ Hydrogenation and Hydrogenolysis
❑ Silicate Formation ❑ Alkylation
❑ Causticization ❑ Condensation
❑ Electrodialysis ❑ Polymerization
❑ Double Decomposition ❑ Diazotization and Coupling
❑ Calcination and Dehydration ❑ Fermentation
❑ Nitration ❑ Pyrolysis and Cracking
❑ Esterification ❑ Aromatization
❑ Ammonolysis ❑ Isomerization
❑ Reduction ❑ Hydroformylation
❑ Halogenation ❑ Ion Exchange
 Unit Operation
Definition:
Unit operations involve the physical separation of products obtained during various unit processes. Here no chemical change is
there.
e.g. Screening, Distillation, Evaporation, Decantation, etc.

Types of Unit Operations in Chemical Engineering:

❖ Mass Transfer Operations:
It includes the operations in which mass is transferred by using chemical potential difference as driving force. E.g. gas absorption,
extraction etc.
❖ Fluid Flow Operations/ Momentum transfer Operations:
It includes the operations which involve fluid transportation, filtration and solid fluidization.
❖ Heat transfer Operations:
It includes the operations in which temperature difference is main driving force. E.g. Heat Exchange, Evaporation etc.
❖ Mechanical Operations:
It includes the operations in which external mechanical force is used as a driving force. E.g. Crushing, Screening etc.
❖ Thermodynamic Operations :
It includes the operations in which energy is transformed from one place to another so that we get desired output E.g.
Refrigeration, Liquefaction etc.

There are some operations in which two operations take place simultaneously. E.g. Distillation, Humidification etc.
 Analysis of Manufacturing Processes:
1. Ammonia Manufacturing using Haber’s Process:
Steps Unit Process/Unit Operation Reason

Purification of input stream
(Feed Guard Reactor)
Main Reaction
Cooling of product stream (condenser)
Separation of liquid ammonia
(Separator)
Refrigeration of remaining ammonia
(refrigerator)
Unit Process In this step, CO and CO2 are converted
into CH4 and removal of traces of H2S,
H2O,P and Arsenic is done.
Unit Process Here catalytic hydrogenation of nitrogen
takes place
Unit Operation Here, ammonia from vapor mixture is
converted into liquid ammonia i.e. only
physical state of ammonia is changed.
Unit Operation Here, liquid ammonia is separated from
vapor mixture. No chemical reaction is
there.
Unit Operation Here, remaining ammonia is get
condensed. Again, only physical state of
ammonia is changed.
2. Nitric Acid Manufacturing using Ostwald’s Process:
Steps Unit Process/Unit Operation Reason

Oxidation of Ammonia Unit Process In this step ammonia reacts with oxygen
(Platinum – Rhodium catalyst is used.) to produce nitric oxide (NO).

Cooling of mixture Unit Operation Here, The temperature of mixture is

reduced.
Absorption in water. Unit Process First of all, NO is get converted into NO2
(Excess air is added to gaseous stream due to the addition of excess air. Then NO2
before entering the absorption column) gas is absorbed into water to get Nitric
acid.
❑ Many times, Unit operation and unit processes are integrated. Gas absorption is a unit operation because ,gas is
absorbed over the liquid and does not react with it. But if absorbed gas reacts with that liquid, then we cannot say that,
it is a unit operation. In this case a unit process is done by using the technique of unit operation. In Ostwald’s process
NO2 is absorbed in the water, but it react with water to form Nitric acid. Hence we have considered that as a unit
process.

❑ Sometimes side reactions take place while performing a unit operation. Those reactions do not alter the classification of
that particular step. Because the extent of such reactions is very low. In Ostwald’s process, output mixture of catalytic
reactor is cooled using direct contact with water, during this process small amount of nitrous acid is formed which is
removed in that step only.
THANK YOU