Undergraduate Courses 2016-17

From chemistry to engineering, molecules to useful products. Physical, chemical and biochemical transformation of materials. Survey of industries related to modern chemical and biomolecular engineering. Basic principles of materials and energy balance. Strategy of molecular synthesis, process selection and design, economic and environmental considerations. Examples taken from a diverse range of products spanning realms of food, consumer products, energy, environment, and medicine. Case studies and team projects on process and product design. For engineering students only.

Students not studying in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department may enroll in this course subject to the course instructors approval. This course is designed to provide academic advising to students, to enhance their understanding of the industries relevant to chemical engineers, and to improve their communication skills. Students are required to attend discussion sessions with advisors and selected seminars. Graded P or F.

The scope of this course is to introduce different categories of materials and to elucidate their applications. We will start from the basic concepts of matter to the basic structures at molecular scale, and then to the science and engineering of materials. The focus of the course is the structure/property relationship. The principles for designing and developing useful materials for special applications will be discussed.

This course gives an introductory overview of biotechnology from both technical and business perspectives. It surveys the current landscape of medical biotechnology, discusses the significant milestones in this field, describes underlying scientific concepts, and emphasizes the impact of innovations on human health and economy. Case studies are used to illustrate the opportunities and limitations in current and future biotechnology development. In addition, experts from industry and academia are invited to give guest lectures on course-related topics.

Fundamentals of environmental impact assessment will be discussed. Life cycle analysis of carbon and energy will be introduced using case studies. Principles of environmental engineering for control of air, water, solid and noise pollution will be discussed, including global pollution, pollution prevention and minimization. Cost of available technologies will be analyzed.

This experiential learning course consists of lectures, experiments and design project. Lectures introduce food chemistry, nutrition, processing, additives, safety, regulations, genetically modified foods and healthy foods etc. Experiments and design project encourage students to learn by doing, helping them obtain hands-on experiences and develop problem solving skills.

A practical training course in an industrial simulated environment. For students of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department only. Graded P or F.

A practical training course in an industrial simulated environment. For CEEV students under the three-year degree only. Graded P or F.

Students not studying in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department may enroll in this course subject to the course instructors approval. Physical, chemical and biochemical transformation of materials. Strategy of molecule synthesis, reaction-path synthesis, process synthesis, rate and equilibrium, process route selection, batch versus continuous, from chemistry to engineering.

Processes and process variables, engineering data. The conservation principle. Material and energy balances on non-reactive and reactive process units and systems, recycle and purge. Unsteady state processes. Cost estimation and profitability analysis. Project evaluation. Cost optimization.

First law of thermodynamics for closed and open systems, enthalpy and the energy equation. PVT data and thermodynamic properties, methods for their estimation, phase equilibria. Second and third laws of thermodynamics, entropy and the Carnot engine. Power cycles, refrigeration and liquefaction. Process examples.

Applications of fluid mechanics in chemical engineering. Fluid properties; energy equations and applications in process systems; flow in pipes and channels, around submerged objects. Laminar and turbulent flow, flow measurements.

Conceptual design of chemical processes. Flowsheet synthesis, selection and analysis. Short-cut methods, steady-state simulation, computer-aided design tools. Heat-exchanger networks, energy integration. Batch and continuous process design. Case studies and non-traditional applications.

Phase equilibria. Ideal and nonideal mixtures. Thermodynamic properties and VLE from equations of state. Liquid-liquid and liquid-solid systems. Stage process, short-cut and rigorous calculations in absorption, distillation or extraction. Continuous contacting processes. Separation sequences. Simulation and design.

Steady-state conductive, forced and free convective, radiative heat transfer in simple and complex process environments. Analysis and design of heat exchangers, fouling. Basic mass transfer concepts. Continuous contacting process and traditional design methodologies. Numerical solutions and simulations of unconventional examples.

Stoichiometry and reaction equilibria. Homogeneous reactions kinetics. Mole balances: batch, continuous-stirred tank and plug flow reactors. Collection and analysis of rate data. Catalytic reaction kinetics and isothermal catalytic reactor design. Diffusion effects.

Measurements and instrumentation. Data analysis, error analysis. Safety and risk assessment including PID analysis. Designing, assembling, testing and dissembling selected experimental rigs. Hazard and operability studies. A wide range of process experimentation. Written and oral presentations. Teamwork Training. Language Center Interaction for Report Writing. Library Workshop and Library Exercise.

This course is natural continuation of CENG 3910, but students will specialize further in the field of Chemical Engineering. The course will give the students opportunities to conduct Q&A Safety Reviews and make a major presentation.

Introduction of molecular biotechnology from an engineering perspective. Laboratory experiments including bacterial culturing, DNA extraction, purification, transformation, cloning, gel electrophoresis and Polymerase Chain Reaction will be conducted. Cutting edge engineering-based applications such as chip-PCR, DNA microarray, bioreactor, and manufacturing and characterization of pharmaceuticals will be introduced.

This course is a natural continuation of CENG 3910, but students will specialize in laboratory experiments in the field of Environmental Engineering. The course will give the students opportunities to conduct Q&A Safety Reviews and make a major presentation.

Selected topics of current interest.

Students not studying in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department may enroll in this course subject to the course instructors approval. This course is designed to provide academic advising to students, to enhance their understanding of the industries relevant to chemical engineers, and to improve their communication skills. Students are required to attend discussion sessions with advisors and selected seminars. Graded P or F.

Basic concepts, mathematical model, transfer function. Dynamics of first - and higher-order systems. Feedback control, controller tuning, frequency response methods. Cascade control, feedforward and ratio control. Introduction to computer control and multi-variable control. Control and instrumentation hardware.

Computer-aided-design and process evaluation. Risk assessment, qualitative and quantitative assessment. Hazop, Hazan, FMEA, decision tree, fault tree, reliability. Toxicity, dispersion, fire, explosion, relief. Workplace safety. Plant safety and hazard analysis. Plant equipment specification and selection. Cost estimation and profitability analysis. Project evaluation. Cost optimization. Environmental control.

The course will provide the fundamental knowledge of energy resources, their conversions and utilization technologies.Basic thermodynamics such as fuel and combustion models, measurement techniques will be taught to enable students to manage basic conversion calculations and to evaluate different energy utilization options. The course will also cover topics in green energies and fuels, providing an outlook of future energy uses.

Introductory materials for microelectronics fabrication and thin film processing. Reaction engineering analysis of processing steps in electronic materials fabrication.

Introduction to nanostructured materials and nanotechnology. Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials. Selected applications of nanostructured materials in chemical engineering.

Students not studying in the Chemical and Bioproduct Engineering Program may enroll in the course upon instructor's approval. Survey of bioproducts, cellular production hosts, production techniques (bioreactors), separation and purification processes, product formulation, product and process design.

Principles of Food Spoilage and Preservation, Thermal Processing (blanching, pasteurization, sterilization, aseptic UHT processing.), Chilling & Freezing, Dehydration, Separation and concentration, Fermentation, and concept of hurdle technology.

Students not studying in the Department of Chemical Engineering may enroll in the course upon instructor's approval. Molecular biology, protein engineering, enzyme kinetics, thermodynamics and energetics of biological systems, molecular and cellular processes, bioreaction networks and metabolic engineering.

Students not studying in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering may enroll in the course upon instructor's approval. Microfabrication technology for biomicrodevice; sensing and characterization techniques for biomicrosystem; surface chemistry and biological compatibility of engineered materials; applications of biomicrosystems (food and environment protection, clinical/medical diagnostics, tissue engineering and controlled release drug delivery).

Survey of western pharmaceuticals; pharmaceutical processing technologies including reactions and separations; enantiomers and chiral separations; polymorphs and solid state pharmaceuticals; pharmaceutical dosage forms including tablets, capsules and transdermal patches; traditional Chinese medicine processing.

The course will provide the fundamental basis of bioproducts bioengineering based on the biorefinery concept, aimed to inform the students of green chemical strategies for the processing of biomass and waste into valuable biomaterials, biochemicals and biofuels. It will be structured into four different areas: Energy from Biomass and Waste, Bioengineering of Biomaterials, Bioproducts from Biomass and waste and examples of biorefinery concepts.

Wastes from the process industries. Behavior of toxic chemicals in atmospheric, soil and aquatic environments. Adsorption/desorption, air stripping, steam stripping, supercritical extraction. Pyrolysis, biological, catalyzed and uncatalyzed reactions. Integrated environmental control. Instructor's approval is required for non-CBME students' enrollment in the course.

This course will review the methods for assessing environmental impacts. Impact and management systems will be discussed in the context of both HK and international environmental legislation, which incorporates Licensing, BATNEEC, integrated pollution control, environmental management and auditing systems based on ISO 14000. Actual case studies from the process industries will be discussed.

A one year long final year project involves the application of Chemical Engineering principles to the design, planning, experimental or analytical investigation of current engineering design and research problems. Working in small teams and individually under supervision, students are expected to demonstrate creative and critical powers through choices and decisions made in areas of uncertainty. Students should have normally completed the second year program. Credit load will be spread over the year.

A one year long final year project involves the application of Chemical and Environmental Engineering principles to the design, planning, experimental or analytical investigation of current engineering design and research problems. Working in small teams and individually under supervision, students are expected to demonstrate creative and critical powers through choices and decisions made in areas of uncertainty. Students should have normally completed the second year program. Credit load will be spread over the year.

A one year long final year project involves the application of Chemical and Bioproduct Engineering principles to the design, planning, experimental or analytical investigation of current engineering design and research problems. Working in small teams and individually under supervision, students are expected to demonstrate creative and critical powers through choices and decisions made in areas of uncertainty. Students should have normally completed the second year program. Credit load will be spread over the year.

For students interested in conducting undergraduate research in chemical and biomolecular engineering. Through workshops and meetings with faculty and other researchers, students will identify their research topic of interest, perform the necessary literature review, and prepare a research proposal and a work plan. Performance is jointly assessed by the prospective supervisor and the course instructor. Graded P or F. Enrollment is subject to instructor's approval.

Students conduct in-depth experimental or computational investigations on selected topics in one of the departmental research areas. Students work under supervision and are encouraged to use their own initiative to complete an appropriate program of work within the time allocated. Enrollment is subject to approval by department and supervisor. Graded Distinction/Pass/Fail. May be repeated for credits. May be graded PP.