Separation Processes

Code:

L.BIO037

Acronym:

PSEP

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biological Engineering

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Bioengineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L.BIO	39	Syllabus	3	-	6	52	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The aim of this course unit is to illustrate the importance of separation and purification processes in the technical and economical feasibility of chemical, food, biological, and similar industrial processes, giving the students the necessary background for the selection, analysis and design of some of the most common separation processes that can be found in these industries.

Learning outcomes and competences

The students are expected to attain the following skills:

- Identification of the basic principles governing the different classes of separation processes;

- Selection of the process(es) more adequate to accomplish a desired separation/purification;

- Simplified design of the separation equipment studied, and understanding of the influence of the different operating conditions in the separation.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Knowledge of solution thermodynamics and mass end energy balances.

Program

INTRODUCTION: Characterization and classification of the separation processes. Notion of separating agent, recovery and purity. General criteria for the selection of separation processes.

SOLVENT EXTRACTION: The importance of solvent extraction. Liquid-Liquid and solid-liquid extraction processes. Description of the liquid-liquid and solid-liquid equilibrium. Extraction in a single equilibrium stage and in units with several equilibrium stages operating in cross and counter-current flow. Analysis of the influence of the different operating variables on the separation, using algebraic and graphic methods. Brief introduction to supercritical extraction, extraction in two aqueous phase systems, and the use of ionic liquids as solvents.

DISTILLATION: The importance of distillation in the chemical, biological and food industry. Design of flash units. Description of the vapour-liquid equilibrium. Binary distillation: application of the McCabe-Thiele method to conventional distillation columns and to columns with multiple feed streams and side products. Multicomponent distillation: the approximate method of Gilliland - Fenske – Underwood. Overall efficiency. Design of tray and pack columns.

GAS ABSORPTION: Solubility of gases in liquids. Design of absorption columns for dilute solutions: Kremser equation. Design of pack columns: definition of height and number of transfer units.

EVAPORATION: Types of industrial evaporators and their applications. Economy and capacity of a system of evaporators. Calculation of the temperature of liquid solutions. Notion of boiling point rise (BPR). Analysis of a single effect evaporator. Design of multiple-effect evaporators operating in counter and co-current.

DRYING AND HUMIDIFICATION: Types of industrial dryers and their applications. Definition of absolute humidity, relative humidity, adiabatic saturation temperature, and wet bulb temperature. Use of the psychometric diagram. Drying velocity laws. Design of dryers. Brief introduction to the liofilization process.

CRYSTALLIZATION: Introduction, advantages and disadvantages of crystallization, examples of industrial application and main types of crystallizers. Material balance to a crystallizer and solubility calculations. Stages of the crystallization process and determination of crystal size distribution (CSD). Analysis and design of the perfectly stirred crystallizer (MSMPR). Conditions under which crystallization should be considered to perform a specific separation/purification.

Mandatory literature

Domingos Barbosa; "Apontamentos de Processos de Separação"
Edmundo Gomes de Azevedo e Ana Maria Alves; Engenharia de processos de separação. ISBN: 978-972-8469-80-1

Complementary Bibliography

Geankoplis, Christie J.; Transport processes and unit operations. ISBN: 0-13-045253-X
Warren L. McCabe, Julian C. Smith, Peter Harriott; Unit operations of Chemical Engineering. ISBN: 0-07-112738-0
J.D. Seader, Ernest J. Henley; Separation process principles. ISBN: 0-471-58626-9

Teaching methods and learning activities

Oral presentation of the theoretical concepts and analysis of problems exemplifying their application.

keywords

Technological sciences > Technology > Industrial technology
Technological sciences > Engineering > Process engineering

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	33,30
Teste	66,70
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	106,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

According to FEUP's regulations.

Calculation formula of final grade

1) The student may choose between distributed evaluation or final exam.
2) If the student chooses distributed evaluation, the final grade will be the average of the classifications obtained in the 3 midterm exams.
3) If the student misses one of the midterm exams, or wants to improve the classification obtained in one of the midterm exams, he/she may, on the date of the 3rd midterm exam, choose to take the 3rd+1st or 3rd+2nd midterm exams, which will have a weight of 2/3 in the final grade.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Three mid-term exams of 90 minutes.

Internship work/project

Not applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

By final exam.

Classification improvement

By final exam.