Spring
2008
Instructor: Dr. Joseph Holles
Office: 202J Chemical Sciences and Engineering Bldg.
Phone: 7-1956
Email: jhholles@mtu.edu
Class Hours: MWF 11:05-11:55, Room 102,
Office Hours: MWF 3-4
Teaching Assistant: Urvashi Srivastava
Email: umsrivas@mtu.edu
Office: 202N ChemSci
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 3-4
Required Textbook: Mark E. Davis and Robert J. Davis, “Fundamentals of Chemical Reaction Engineering,” McGraw-Hill, 2003.
Reference Textbooks:
An Introduction to Chemical Engineering Kinetics and Reactor Design, Charles Hill (Wiley); on reserve at the library.
Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, H. Scott Fogler (Prentice Hall); on reserve at the library.
Web Pag: http://www.chem.mtu.edu/chem_eng/current/new_courses/CM3510/index.html
A copy of the syllabus, homework assignments, dues dates, and solutions, exam times, and other special announcements will be posted on the web site.
Course Content: Chemical reaction kinetics basics such as extent and rates of reaction, general properties of rate functions, and examples of reaction rates. Understanding of elementary reactions and temperature dependence of reactions. Batch, semibatch, stirred-flow, and plug flow reactors and how to measure reaction rates. Reaction networks, reactive intermediates, and the steady state approximation. Heterogeneous catalysis and adsorption, desorption, and surface reactions. Transport limitations on solid catalyzed reactions. Non-ideal flow and non-isothermal reactors.
Course Structure: Most class periods will be presentations of material and discussion of concepts, sample problems, and homework problems.
Grading: Exam 1 15%
Exam
2 15%
Exam
3 15%
Final
Exam 20%
Research Paper 10%
Homework 20%
Class Participation 5%
Last year, the following grading scale was used:
A ≥ 92
A/B ≥ 89
B ≥ 82
B/C ≥ 80
C ≥ 71
C/D ≥ 69
D ≥ 61
F ≤ 60
If necessary, the grading scale may be curved downward.
All homework and exam scores will be posted through WebCT
Student Responsibility: Students enrolled in this class have completed five out eight semesters of their undergraduate education. In less than two years you are likely to be employed or pursuing a graduate degree. Thus you are expected to behave professionally and to treat both the instructor and fellow students with respect. I will do my best to treat you in a similar manner.
The major responsibility that you have for learning this material is to read the book and do the homework. If you do this, it will be very difficult for you to fail this class.
Homework Policy: Please turn in your homework on the day it is due. If it is late, you will lose 30% of the points for the first day and 100% of the points for the second day. Remember, the TA can not grade and return homework in a timely manner if is not turned in on time.
Please write your homework solutions neatly and clearly on engineering problem paper. Place your box number on the top of the page. Please write out the problem statement for each problem. Note all of your assumptions and any references you might use. Place your answer in a rectangular box (again, if the TA can’t find the answer, how can you get the points). The TA has all authority over homework grading. Please contact the grader if you have questions.
Feel free to work in small groups (no more than four) of other students on homework assignments. However, you must turn in the homework in your own writing and list the names of your collaborators. Homework solutions and test papers from previous years are not acceptable resources.
Research Paper: A short written paper (<10 pages, double spaced) is required for this course. Papers will be assessed by the content of quantitative kinetic information as opposed to qualitative mechanistic description. A critical approach to quantitative kinetics and reactor design will be considered as a good measure of course knowledge. An acceptable paper must contain at least three references from peer reviewed journals. The library does not maintain a vast collection of applicable journals so you may want to start early. I will present a list of possible topics later in the term. All papers will be submitted through www.turnitin.com.