CHEN 3370 - Phase and Reaction Equilibria
Course Syllabus

Fall 2006
Dr. Christine Curtis


This web page provides information about the instructor, content and policies for the above course. This information is periodically updated so check back frequently to assure that you have the latest information.  Updated 12/28/05


·  Catalog Description 

·  Instructor 

·  Graduate Teaching Assistant 

·  Course Objectives, Topics Covered, and Course Outcomes 

·  Textbooks 

·  Homework Schedule and Policies 

·  Examinations 

·  Performance Assessment and Grading Policy 

·  Class Schedule and Homework Page !!!

·  Computer Programs and Resource Page !!!

Catalog Description

CHEN 3370: Phase and Reaction Equilibria (3). Pr., completion of CHEN 2100, CHEN 2101, and ENGR 2010 with grades of C or better.
Molecular thermodynamics of phase and chemical reaction equilibria including non-ideal thermodynamics and multicomponent applications.


Instructor - Dr. Christine W. Curtis

  • Office: Ross 322 (Wilmore 153)
  • Office Hours:  W,  F (11:00-11:45 A.M.)  M (4:00 to 4:45 P.M). or by appointment
  • Problem Sessions:  every two to three weeks; date and time to be announced
  • Phone(office): (334) 844-5560
  • E-mail: curticw@auburn.edu
  • Make-up class time to be scheduled first day of class

Graduate Teaching Assistant 

  • GTA: 
  • Office: 
  • Office Hours: 
  • Phone(office):  

Course Objectives

This course teaches chemical engineering students applications of thermodynamics principles to gas and liquid mixtures, non-ideal solutions, phase equilibria, and chemically reacting systems. 

 


Topics Covered

1.      Volumetric properties of pure fluids (4 classes) (Chapter 3)

2.      Thermodynamics properties of fluids (4 classes) (Chapter 6)

3.      Solution thermodynamics: theory (8 classes) (Chapter 11)

4.      Solution thermodynamics: applications (8 classes) (Chapter 12)

5.      Vapor/liquid equilibria: (VLE) at low to moderate pressures (4 classes) (Chapter 10)

6.      Chemical reaction equilibria: (8 classes) (Chapter 13)

7.      Thermodynamics properties and VLE from equations of state (3 classes) (Chapter 14)

8.      Topics in phase equilibria (1 classes)

9.      Summary (1 class)

 


Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1.      Understand relationship between pressure, volume, temperature, energy, and entropy for pure substances

2.      Apply equations of state (ideal gas, virial, cubic, and generalized correlation equations) to obtain above properties

3.      Calculate non-ideal properties and phase diagrams

4.      Calculate chemical potential and fugacity of substances in pure form and in mixtures

5.      Apply fugacity concept to calculate phase equilibria

6.      Apply ideal solution and excess property concept to calculate fluid properties

7.      Use existing and develop new models for excess Gibbs energy

8.      Calculate property change upon mixing

9.      Use molecular basis to predict and correlate mixture behavior

10.  Perform dew point, bubble point, and two- phase flash calculations

11.  Apply equations of state to predict vapor-liquid equilibria

12.  Calculate liquid-liquid equilibria using activity coefficient concept  (if time permits)

13.  Calculate solid-vapor and solid-liquid equilibria using fugacity concept (if time permits)

14.  Calculate extent of equilibrium reactions for varying temperature, pressure and composition

15.  Perform yield calculations for multiple equilibrium reactions

 


Required Text

Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, seventh edition.  J.M. Smith, H.C. Van Ness, M.M. Abbott, New York: McGraw Hill, 2005. ISBN 0073104450


Homework Policies

  •  Homework is due at the beginning of the class indicated. 
  •  Late homework (without an official university/medical excuse) will not be accepted.
  •  Homework grades are weighted 105% to allow for occasional “slip ups.”
  •  You may work with classmates on homework but the work you turn in is to represent your personal effort. 
  •  The format of the homework is to be consistent with published departmental format and style sheets. Credit will be lost for sloppy or unclear  work.

The Class Schedule and Homework Page should be consulted for homework assignment due dates.

Special notes may also be posted to this area.


Important Dates: 2006 Fall Semester

 

 

August 15

 

Pre-Term Preparation

August 16

Classes begin

September 4

Labor Day

September 6

15th Class Day*

October 6

Mid Semester (37th Class Day)**

November 20-25

Thanksgiving Break

December 6

Classes End

December 7

Study/Reading Day

December 8-9,11-13

Final Exam Period

December 15

Commencement

* Last day to withdraw from a course with no grade assignment

** Last day to withdraw from a course with no grade penalty


Class Announcements

Class announcements such as assignment clarifications, etc. will be made verbally in class, or through the course web site. It is your responsibility to attend class, and check the course web material regularly. 


Quizzes and Examinations

Quizzes:

  • Announced and unannounced short quizzes may be given periodically to reinforce important principles and to encourage preparation for class. 
  • Quizzes will not be able to be made up without an official university/medical excuse. 
  • Quizzes will generally be given at the beginning of the class hour.  If you arrive late, do not expect to receive additional time.


Exams:

  • Three examinations will be given during the semester to demonstrate the student's understanding of the material lectured on, presented in the text as reading assignments and covered in the homework.  Furthermore, the examinations will test the student's ability to utilize the material presented in the lecture and the text as well as reading and homework assignments.
  • An optional exam will be given at the end of the semester.  The lowest grade from the four exams (three regular exams and one optional exam) will be dropped.   The three highest exam grades will be counted. 
  • The exams will typically be a combination of closed- book and open-book in format; however, closed-book only format may be used.  The format will be announced in class prior to each exam.
  • In the case of an open-book exam, only the course text can be used for reference and handwritten notes as specified in the next bullet.
  • Students should prepare a single page of personal notes (handwritten, one side of an 8-1/2x11 sheet) to use summarizing important equations/concepts covered on the exam.  The main idea for the notes is to optimize available time for exams.  Rather than searching in the textbook, these notes should summarize important equations and methodologies.  You may Xerox and reduce several handwritten pages onto one sheet if you wish as long as the material being reduced is your own.  Physical property tables and graphs, etc., will be provided if necessary.
  • For the second exam, the student can bring two pages of notes, and for the third three pages of notes.  These notes may be collected at the end of each exam and, if collected, later returned to the student.  Each page must cover only material covered on each exam segment.  Students may "improve" a page of notes from a previous exam if desired.
  • The notes cannot be reproduced or contain homework solutions, class notes or old exam problems/solutions. The professor may collect the notes after the exam (to be returned with the exam).
  •  No other materials can be used during the exam (homework, class notes, old exams, etc.).
  • The exams will not be able to be made up without a valid university excuse. 
  • The exams will be recollected by the department after students have an opportunity to view and copy the exams if they wish.  Exams are maintained by the department for accreditation purposes.
  • Cell phones must be turned off and stowed during all exams and quizzes.

Final Exam:

  •  A 2-1/2 hour comprehensive final examination will be given at the official time. 
  • Students arriving after the official start time of the final examination will not be given additional time. 

 


 

Performance Assessment and Grading Policy

Grade Determination: Your final grade will be determined by proportionally weighting performance in the following areas: 

  • Homework assignments, quizzes and class participation 10%
  • Three (3) examinations 20% (each)
  • Final examination 30%


Grade breakpoints are determined according to University Bulletin criteria applied to each area.  The "traditional" factors of 90/80/70/60 are not observed.

 

Breakpoints for homework assignments are fixed:  A=90%, B=80%, C=70%,  D=60%


The following summarizes the criteria published in the University Bulletin 

  •  A: Superior 
  •  B: Good (not Superior) 
  •  C: Acceptable (not Good) 
  •  D: Passing (not Acceptable and not Failing) 
  •  F: Failing (not Passing) 

Benchmarks for Grades

A - Student clearly demonstrates an in-depth technical understanding of the concepts:  (1) Able to offer different technical viewpoints and solutions to a problem. (2)  Demonstrates the ability to apply the concepts creatively. (3) Consistently carries problems to a final and justified solution.  (4) Demonstrates technical leadership in the subject. 

B - Student demonstrates a technical understanding sufficient for solving the majority of problems. (1) Able to propose at least one technical solution or viewpoint to a problem. (2) Consistently carries problems to a satisfactory solution. (3) Can explain and justify a conclusion or approach most of the time. 

C - Student demonstrates a technical understanding sufficient for solving straightforward problems but may have trouble with more complex variations or situations. (1) Carries problems through to an adequate solution most of the time. (2) Able to explain and justify conclusions or approaches for many cases but with uncertainty. 

D - Student's ability to apply the concepts even to straight-forward problems is marginal. (1) Carries problems through to an adequate solution only sporadically. (2) Ability to explain or justify conclusions is weak and sporadic. (3) There would be a question with regard to the ability to work in the area in an industrial setting. 

F - Student's ability to apply the concepts to problems is seriously in question. (1) Ability to do industrial work in the area undemonstrated.


Academic Honesty

In order to articulate fully its commitment to academic honesty and to protect members of its community from the results of dishonest conduct Auburn University has adopted policies to deal with cases of academic dishonesty. These policies are intended not only to emphasize the imperative of integrity, but also to protect the rights of all members of the university community. The complete academic regulations concerning cheating are located in the Tiger Cub Student Handbook, Code of Laws, Title XII, Student Academic Honesty Code, Chapters 1200-1203.

Departmental Honesty Statement: By affixing my signature below, I acknowledge I am aware of the Auburn University policy concerning academic honesty, plagiarism, and cheating. This policy is defined in the current Tiger Cub Student Handbook, Code of Laws, Title XII, Student Academic Honesty Code, Chapters 1200-1203. I further attest that the work I am submitting with this exam is solely my own and was developed during the exam. I have used no notes, materials, or other aids except those permitted by the instructor.

The following information is the implementation and delineation of those policies by the above faculty member.

When a student is suspected of violating academic honesty standards, the faculty member will, as soon as reasonably possible, notify the student of the suspected infraction, seek the student's explanation, undertake any further investigation the faculty member considers appropriate, and initially determine whether a violation of the academic honesty policy has likely occurred.

If an act of academic dishonesty is determined to have likely occurred, the matter will be turned over to the Auburn University Academic Honesty Committee

Forms of Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism is the inclusion of someone else's words, ideas, or data as one's own work. When a student submits work for credit that includes the words, ideas, or data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific references, and, if verbatim statements are included, through quotation marks as well. By placing his/her name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgments. Plagiarism covers unpublished as well as published sources.

Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to: 1. Quoting another person's actual words, complete sentences or paragraphs, or an entire piece of written work without acknowledgment of the source; 2. Using another person's ideas, opinions, or theory, even if it is completely paraphrased in one's own words without acknowledgment of the source; 3. Borrowing facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials that are not clearly common knowledge without acknowledgment of the source; 4. Copying another student's essay test answers; 5. Copying, or allowing another student to copy, a computer file that contains another student's assignment, and submitting it, in part or in its entirety, as one's own; or 6. Working together on an assignment, sharing the computer files and programs involved, and then submitting individual copies of the assignment as one's own individual work. Students are urged to consult with individual faculty members, academic departments, or recognized handbooks in their field if in doubt regarding issues of plagiarism.

Fabrication is the use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings.

Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. Citation of information not taken from the source indicated. This may include the incorrect documentation of secondary source materials; 2. Listing sources in a bibliography not used in the academic exercise; 3. Submission in a paper, thesis, lab report, or other academic exercise of falsified, invented, or fictitious data or evidence, or deliberate and knowing concealment or distortion of the true nature, origin, or function of such data or evidence; or 4. Submitting as your own any academic exercises (e.g., written work, printing, sculpture, etc.) prepared totally or in part by another.

Cheating is an act or an attempted act of deception by which a student seeks to misrepresent that he or she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he or she has not mastered. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. Copying from another student's test paper; 2. Allowing another student to copy from a test paper; 3. Unauthorized use of course textbook or other materials such as a notebook to complete a test or other assignment from the faculty member; 4. Collaborating on a test, quiz, or other project with any other person(s) without authorization. 5. Using or processing specifically prepared materials during a test (e.g., notes, formula lists, notes written on the students clothing, etc.) that are not authorized; or 6. Taking a test for someone else or permitting someone else to take a test for you.

Academic Misconduct includes other academically dishonest acts such as tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of an administered or unadministered test. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. Stealing, buying, or otherwise obtaining all or part of an administered or unadministered test; 2. Selling or giving away all or part of an administered or unadministered test including questions and/or answers; 3. Bribing any other person to obtain an administered or unadministered test or any information about the test; 4. Entering a building or office for the purpose of changing a grade in a grade book, on a test, or on other work for which a grade is given; 5. Changing, altering, or being an accessory to the changing and/or altering of a grade in a grade book, on a test, a "change of grade" form, or other official academic records of the University that relate to grades; 6. Entering a building or office for the purpose of obtaining an administered or unadministered test; 7. Continuing to work on an examination or project after the specified allotted time has elapsed; 8. Any buying or otherwise acquiring any theme report, term paper, essay, computer software, other written work, and handing it in as your own to fulfill academic requirement; or 9. Any selling, giving, or otherwise supplying to another student for use in fulfilling academic requirements any theme, report, term paper, essay, computer software, other written work.


Special Accommodations

Students needing special accommodations (for school events, personal circumstances, disabilities, etc.) should bring that need to my attention as soon as possible, along with the appropriate written verification.


Electronic Devices

Electronic devices such as cell phones, pagers, and alarms must be turned off or set to silent mode throughout class.  Disruptions of the class during examinations will result in loss of 10% of the exam credit.