About Book

Chemical engineering emerged upon the development make unit operations considered essential to the discipline. It is the branch of engineering that deals with chemical production and the manufacture of products through chemical processes, together with applied mathematics and economics to produce, transform, transport, and properly use chemicals, materials and energy. This includes designing equipment, systems and processes for refining raw materials and for mixing, compounding and processing chemicals to make valuable products. Chemical engineering is an intricate subject which includes other fields like applied mathematics, life sciences, microbiology, economics and biochemistry in order to transport, produce, transform chemicals, energy and material applications related to this field. This book outlines the processes and applications of chemical engineering in detail. It gives deep insights into the different concepts and methods used in this field. It deals with mathematical modelling, artificial photosynthesis, solvent extraction, engineering applications, separation operations and electrochemical engineering. The various sub-fields of project management along with technological progress that have future implications are glanced at in this book. It is a complete source of knowledge on the present status of this field. Different approaches, evaluations and methodologies have been included in it. This book, with its detailed analyses and data, will prove immensely beneficial to students involved in chemical engineering at various levels.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries: Electrochemical Engineering......1

Abstract...................................................................................................1

1. Introduction............................................................................................2

2. Electrochemical reactions and kinetics.............................................3

3. Electrode.................................................................................................9

4. Electrolyte flow....................................................................................13

5. Cost analysis........................................................................................19

6. Conclusions..........................................................................................20

Acknowledgements.............................................................................20

Chapter 2 Azeotropy: A Limiting Factor in Separation Operations in Chemical Engineering - Analysis, Experimental Techniques, Modeling and Simulation on Binary Solutions of Ester-Alkane.............................24

Abstract.................................................................................................24

1. Introduction..........................................................................................25

2. Azeotropy: description of the phenomenon and thermodynamic

representation.......................................................................................27

3. Characterization of azeotropes. Results for ester + alkane

solutions................................................................................................32

4. Modeling of azeotropic systems. Correlation and prediction....46

5. The use of advanced separation techniques in ester + alkane

solutions................................................................................................51

6. Conclusions..........................................................................................56

Acknowledgements.............................................................................56

Chapter 3 Chemical and Physical Properties of Polyimides: Biomedical and

Engineering Applications........................................................................65

1. Introduction..........................................................................................65

2. Chemical properties of polymides .................................................67

3. Physical properties of polyimides ..................................................76

4. Biomedical and engineering application .......................................80

5. Conclusions .........................................................................................83

Acknowledgement .............................................................................84

Chapter 4 Phase Diagrams in Chemical Engineering: Application to

Distillation and Solvent Extraction .....................................................89

1. Introduction..........................................................................................89

2. Definition of phases, phase transitions, and equilibrium .........90

3. Description of phase diagrams .......................................................92

4. Application to distillation ..............................................................105

5. Application to liquid-liquid extraction ........................................109

6. Conclusion .........................................................................................112

Chapter 5 E-Learning Usage During Chemical Engineering Courses..........114

1. Introduction........................................................................................114

2. Incorporation of e-learning at FCCE, University of Maribor .118

3. Efficient tools for e-learning ..........................................................120

4. Conclusion .........................................................................................131

Chapter 6 Artificial Photosynthesis from a Chemical Engineering

Perspective................................................................................................135

1. Introduction........................................................................................135

2. Photosynthesis ..................................................................................136

3. Artificial photosynthesis .................................................................146

4. Similarities and differences between photosynthesis and artificial

photosynthesis ..................................................................................154

5. Conclusions .......................................................................................158

6. Acknowledgements .........................................................................159

Chapter 7 Mathematical Modeling in Chemical Engineering: A Tool to

Analyse Complex Systems....................................................................165

1. Introduction........................................................................................165

2. How to build a mathematical model ..........................................167

3. Development of a mathematical model to analyze the behavior

of a prototype electrochemical reactor ........................................170

4. Development of a mathematical model to analyze the

electro-generation of hydrogen peroxide using an

oxygen-reducing gas-diffusion electrode ...................................180

5. Conclusion .......................................................................................193

Citation......................................................................................................197

Index...........................................................................................................199

About Author

Cord Roth obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Technical University, Diliman. He is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Science, Tainan. His areas of research interest are momentum transfer, crystallization and chemical reactors. He has attended numerous scientific conferences and symposiums; and has presented 5 papers on chemical engineering. Roth has been an eminent speaker in seminars across Europe, America and Asia. He has numerous papers, articles and book chapters to his credit.