Process engineering

Process technology refers to all technical processes in which a raw or starting material, a product is created by the use of chemical-physical or biological processes. The proposal is therefore between the mining of raw materials and finished products.

An example is the extraction of metals from ores or the separation of the individual components of the crude oil. The raw material of a processing process can be the product of a previous processing itself, and the product can be further processed. This network is called a production network. Also the recovery, recycling of valuable materials from waste falls within the remit of the process technology. The increasing energy production based on renewable raw materials ( bio-energy ) also requires the use of procedural methods.

Engineering science and profession

According to the definition of the Society for Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering ( GVC ), the process engineering concerned with the technical and economic implementation of all processes in which substances are changed according to the type, characteristics and composition. It is the engineering science of material transformation. In practice, the process engineer often works closely with the scientific disciplines, such as with chemists as a developer, together and puts their findings into viable technical concepts and processes. In particular, the enlargement of the production scale and the energy budget of a method are often crucial questions.

But the realization of the process system, developed and planned facility itself is called a plant, covered by the process technology. Here, the selection and design of equipment to be used for the construction, components and materials are the main task of a process engineer. Moreover in ever broader extent, measurement and control engineering of the process to be operated. This often incorporated the lessons learned from the process engineering theory and experimental work in computer-based simulations. These then serve as a starting point or even as a leadership model for process control. Due to the very interdisciplinary designed studies find graduates in professional practice a very wide range of applications. From working as a researcher in the laboratory, as developers and programmers of simulations or control systems, on the activities as calculation and project engineer, to the site manager or the operating company for production process and chemical engineers are located throughout the chemical, energy, food and pharmaceutical industries to meet as well as in the corresponding engineering companies and research institutions.

Training

Procedural programs are offered in Germany at technical universities and other universities. Here, the respective study programs between universities in detail to understand them. Depending on the tradition or the thematic orientations of the respective institution, the training can be geared more to the art or to the chemical (see chemical engineering). While at some institutions, process engineering " branches " for example, as a major field of study directly from the study of mechanical engineering, is the box at other institutions turn a stand-alone basis or bachelor 's degree program at a later focus as bioprocess engineering or the main or master's degree in chemical engineering. These exist also own procedural study or specialization subjects in separate areas of science. This is for example the agricultural technology or the technology of livestock within the agricultural science. Also specializations in the field of process engineering Energy Technology (Energy plant, renewable energy ) are currently being increasingly offered. Here often flow mechanical and electrical engineering in the tray with. Following the technical development, this sometimes leads to the establishment of new fields of study, such as environmental technology, biotechnology and food technology.

In addition, the German and English language use in terms of process and chemical engineering is different. As the process technology Process Engineering activity of an engineer is called in English though. The German definition of Process Engineering respective field of study is in English speaking countries but most of the Chemical Engineering ( as, for example, in Spanish: Ingenieria química ). In Germany, in turn, makes a clear distinction between the higher education process and chemical engineering.

The degree in process engineering courses was in the Federal Republic of Germany most of the academic degree of a graduate engineer. Within the framework of the Bologna process also were converted or introduction of successive building new academic degree Bachelor and Master degrees.

Work equipment and outline of process engineering

The process technology has evolved from its beginnings in the pipe and boiler towards an interdisciplinary science. Today, for the interpretation of processes in addition to

• The natural and material sciences for the description of the process and its material effects, even
• The economic, social, political, and law for the acceptance, the framework and the operation of the process

Needed. In addition, use is made for the implementation of the process in the plant to all other engineering sciences.

Process plants produce between a few grams to several million tons per year. It produces simple chemical substances to complex components. In order to describe the plethora of processes, they will no longer physically meaningful separable basic operations (English unit operations ) with only a physical process, such as mixing or evaporation divided. The method steps that are spatially inseparable combination of several unit operations are generally referred to as basic operations. Classes of process unit operations, for example:

• Change in the material properties: crushing, cooling, drying, ...
• Change in the composition: filtration, distillation, ...
• Change the type of fabric: oxidation, hydrogenation, polymerization, fermentation, electrolysis, ...

These basic operations are strung together and result in the overall process. Such a designed process is predictable and feasible, but not energy - and space- optimized. The cost pressure in the industry and better simulation and analysis capabilities, and the better physical understanding mean that today more and more basic operations are combined in one process step. However, it is useful for the understanding of the overall context, a look at the process in separate physical basic steps.

The process technology is therefore still divided along the physical processes of the basic operations in:

• Mechanical process engineering,
• Chemical engineering,
• Thermal process engineering and
• Other methods which are usually slammed as a physical method of chemical process engineering.

Then there is the not manageable number of complex, non- separable methods such as:

• Biological process engineering,
• Interfacial Engineering and
• Membrane separation technology.

Likewise, the required auxiliary, implementation and special disciplines, such as:

• Measurement and control technology,
• Plant and
• Nuclear engineering.

Another, older structure is based on the substance groups: food process engineering, plastics engineering, etc.

In pharmacy, the process engineering as pharmaceutical technology; referred to in the pharmacy as a recipe (old: Arzneiformenlehre ). Industrially it is called a treatment technique or as a pharmaceutical technology.

Demarcation from other sciences

Basically, each process development, in which a stream is affected, including process engineering. It is therefore a mostly unstated part of any science. The process technology emphasizes the process itself and tries to optimize with the given boundary conditions. In other disciplines is usually assumed that a given process, because the focus is on other aspects.

The process engineering deals with the same subject matter as the other natural sciences and used their tools. In contrast to other natural sciences, process engineering does not attempt to disclose a new context, but to make a detected connection technically usable. Arising in the design of new processes questions usually lead to a close cooperation with other natural sciences.

Process engineers use the tools of engineering. You define the space and the conditions under which runs a process. For the actual machine, the machine builder or civil engineer is responsible.

The chemical engineering is a discipline of engineering, which puts an emphasis on the chemistry. The environmental focuses, however, on legal, toxicological, and logistical aspects of the supply and disposal.

Subdisciplines

Mechanical Process Engineering

The mechanical process technology sees itself as a user of mechanics and fluid mechanics. It therefore deals with material conversion processes that are based on mechanical action. The four main process groups are crushing and agglomeration as well as mixing and separating (filters, screens ).

Historically, her roots lie in pipeline construction and in the solid process engineering. Therefore, storage, conveying and dosing of solids, solids and liquid assets shall be allocated (supported by pumps, for example ) in mechanical process engineering Traditionally most.

Thermal Process Engineering

The thermal process technology understood as applied thermodynamics. The most important process is therefore the distillation and writable by the same methods processes rectification, extraction and absorption.

Since it is a widely used tool when advocated by the thermal process engineering thermodynamics, are in addition to the determination of thermodynamic data, all usually not counted in their adult processes to the thermal process engineering. In individual cases the historical development site decides.

Chemical Engineering

The Chemical Process Engineering ( Chemical Reaction Engineering ) deals with fabric changes due to chemical reactions and forms the strongest link in the process engineering to chemistry. In particular, the transition from laboratory scale chemistry is studied for an industrial scale. This includes for example the establishment of pilot plants and the study of kinetics. The chemical engineer thus makes our vital work in the implementation of laboratory results in the production process.

Electrochemical process engineering

The Electrochemical process engineering is concerned with the technical applications of electrochemical phenomena (eg, synthesis of chemicals, electro-refining of metals, batteries and fuel cells, sensors, surface modification by electrodeposition and etching, separations, and corrosion).

Biochemical Engineering

The Biotechnology ( Bioprocess and Bioengineering or ) is the area of ​​biotechnology, which deals with the procedural implementation, or the part of process engineering, which deals with biotechnological processes. Biotechnology makes transformations by biological processes in technical applications available. These processes by enzymes contained in the cells ( most bacteria, yeasts, fungi ) (formerly enzyme ) can be isolated or carried out by enzymes. In both cases, one speaks of biocatalysis, biosynthesis and fermentation. By cultivating one speaks against it only when cells are used which proliferate during the process or operate metabolism. Portions of biotechnology, for example, microbiology, chemistry, and biochemistry. Genetic methods can be used, but are not necessarily in all biotechnological applications. An important area of biotechnology is the process technology that converts processes in research or production scale. This includes the overall planning and implementation of a method, the development of process control and treatment methods for the products, the control of production processes and ongoing optimization.

Pros and Cons

Biotechnological processes can have different advantages and disadvantages compared to the chemical method:

• In chemical processes, in some cases extreme conditions (eg high pressures and / or temperatures ) and toxic chemicals are necessary. Biological processes take place under less extreme conditions and can replace because of economic and ecological benefits of various chemical processes.
• Some compounds are not synthesized by chemical methods, however, can be produced biotechnologically.
• Especially for pharmaceutical applications, it may be necessary to use only one variant of chiral compounds. In biotechnological production only one variant is present in chemical production, however, usually both.
• Since biological processes can not take place at any high temperatures, so the reaction rate is also limited. Reactors therefore need here often larger volumes than non - biological processes.

Areas of application

Biotechnological applications vary greatly and are therefore divided into different areas. In addition to the bioprocess for the production of certain compounds of these individual areas may also include other fields:

• White biotechnology (industrial biotechnology) can chemical processes in which non-enzyme catalysts are used to replace and complement. Are generated, for example, fine and bulk chemicals, enzymes, and more.
• Red biotechnology ( biotechnology for health ) has different roles, including the bioprocess production of drugs, diagnostics and vaccines.
• The Green biotechnology is mainly concerned with the optimization of crops. Bioprocess engineering plays a minor role
• The gray biotechnology ( Environmental Biotechnology ) uses enzymes and microorganisms for the treatment of drinking water, waste water, waste air, waste, pollution and others.
• The blue biotechnology (marine biotechnology) uses marine microorganisms.
• The Yellow Biotechnology ( usually defined as food biotechnology) is used in the food industry, eg for the production of beer from yeasts, yogurt and sauerkraut by lactic acid bacteria, etc..

While the terms White, Red and Green Biotechnology are established, the other color assignments are far less common.

Types of processes

The numerous possible applications have spawned various methods that can differ greatly. Frequently come bioreactors ( fermenters) are used. Most contain the digester agitators for homogenization, devices for temperature setting and other techniques for monitoring and control of key parameters.

• Especially in the white and red biotechnology are sterilizable fermenter used, in which the parameters (temperature, oxygen content, pH, etc.) are precisely controlled.
• In the Grey biotechnology various bioreactors are used, such as digesters at wastewater treatment plants, digester for biogas production and biofilters for waste air cleaning.
• In the food industry ( yellow biotechnology) fermentation tanks are used for example in the production of beer as bioreactors.
• More bioreactors are eg algae reactors, photobioreactors, hydrogen bioreactors etc..

The products are produced according to different principles:

• Enzymes may provide for the implementation of a substance.
• Microorganisms are often cultivated, their metabolic products represent the product ( eg ethanol, butanol, citrate).
• Memory substances in cultured type, such as the microbial carbohydrate storage polyhydroxybutyric the product can be.
• Through genetic modification overexpression can be induced or a new pathway to be transferred in the manner so that the desired product is produced with a high yield in the to be cultivated kind.

Following the production (fermentation) a preparation (Downstream Processing) is usually necessary. This can, depending on the procedure, be very costly and steps such as cell disruption, filtration, chromatography, and include another. This area of biological process assigned.

Nanotechnology

The nanotechnology or nanotechnology is still a young field, which combines very interdisciplinary areas of physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. It is concerned with materials and systems that exist in their size may of only a few molecules. For the process engineering the nanoparticles technology is of particular importance. Due to the small geometrical extent of nanoparticles possess special optical and electronic properties which make special measurement method required, but can also lead to new applications.