CHE 431 01: Chemical Engineering Laboratory IV

By the end of this course, learners will demonstrate:

1. Personal initiative, resourcefulness, self-reliance, and responsibility
2. Knowledge of the theory learned in previous/concurrent courses in Chemical Engineering by application (experimental execution and analysis).
3. The ability to correlate and interpret data
4. The ability to execute and document the results of experiments
5. Acceptable technical communications skills in both written and oral formats
6. An awareness of safety in the workplace
7. That you can be an effective team player in business-style work groups

COURSE CONTENTS:

1. You will actively participate in the group solution of FOUR out of the following problems as a member of a three or four person group.  The topics for these problems are shown below:

• Problem  1:  Optimization of a Pultrusion Process using Statistical Experimental Design
• Problem  2:  Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium
• Problem  3:  Solid-Liquid Extraction
• Problem  4:  Virtual Bioreactor Optimization
• Problem  5:  Membrane Separation: RO
• Problem  6:  Catalytic Hydrolysis of Ethyl acetate in a plug-flow reactor
• Problem  7:  Design Parameters for Carbon Dioxide Purification
• Problem  8:   Evaluation of the Stefan-Boltzmann Law
• Problem  9:   New Experiment Design
• Problem  10: Unsteady State Heat Transfer
• Problem  11:  Fermentation
• Problem  12:  Control of a Blending Process
• Problem 13:  Biodiesel Production

2. For these problems you will:

• Work in a group to formulate your strategy on how you will provide the information required to solve the presented problem.
• Work as a group to generate the laboratory the data necessary for your solution.
• Work as a group to transform these data into results.
• Collectively prepare a consolidated group two “memo-style” and “laboratory-style” reports. Each participant will substantially contribute to the report’s contents.
• Individually prepare two “memo-style”and “laboratory-style” reports of your 2^nd assignment.

In order to succeed in this course, at a minimum, you should be able to:

• Navigate in and use basic Blackboard functions
• Download and open electronic documents
• Create, save, and upload/attach electronic documents
• Send, receive, and manage email

Access and Log in Information

This course was developed and will be facilitated utilizing Blackboard. To get started with the course, please go to: http://blackboard.UND.edu and log in with your NDUS.Identifier, Username and Password. If you do not know your NDUS Identifier or have forgotten your password, please visit Your NDUS Account page on the UIT website.

Resources

Many services are available to UND students such as writing assistance from the UND Writing Center, free online tutoring from Smarthinking, and more. Visit the Student Resources page for more information. Students also have access to the UND Student Resource Site via Blackboard. It is recommended that you become familiar with the tools and tutorials within the site to better equip you in navigating the course.

Course Requirements/Expectations

1. The student will review the syllabus and course schedule posted in Blackboard.
2. The student will access and follow all course instructions found in the weekly area of the Blackboard course.
3. The student will participate in any lecture or discussion sessions on campus or online as provided and as part of this course.
4. The student will complete and submit assignments, exams, quizzes, etc. by the dated noted and in the manner described in Blackboard and on the course schedule. We will use Central Standard Time for due dates and times.
5. The student will participate fully and in a timely manner to get the benefit of learning from instructor and/or peers.

COURSE STRUCTURE

A schedule of assignments will be developed depending on enrollment in the course and provided prior to the start of the first lab assignment.  Prior to conducting any experimental work, every group must meet with the instructor for about 30 minutes and present a preliminary experimental proposal (in writing; it should be a step-by-step description of the experimental work that is to be done) and the data reduction that will be necessary.  Consequently, everyone will have to be familiar with the equipment and procedures to be used plus the associated data manipulation strategy PRIOR to performing the experiments. A schedule of meetings will be posted on the Blackboard learning environment. We will use class time (Q&A sessions) to go over general information that will help everyone improve his or her laboratory reports. You are encouraged to put the information you learn from these talks into practice and to incorporate them into your lab reports.  

For the safety of everyone in the class, you must follow the laboratory safety rules provided in the Safety Training Module while performing experimental work.  You will perform all laboratory work as a member of a team of three or four students.  All students in the team must participate in the laboratory work. Upon request, an assessment of each member’s contribution to the submitted work will be conducted for all members of the team. Assignment of experiments and organization of teams will be made by the instructor. Assigning members to teams will be conducted in a randomized manner. Requests to change teams can be submitted to the instructor by the 1^st week of class with an acceptable justification. Although requests to change teams are allowed, the instructor reserves the right to accept or reject the request and modify any teams at his discretion. 

Each team must provide one laboratory book in which to record experimental data. All written reports must be received by the due dates, no later than 4:00 P.M.  Reports should be turned in to the instructor or to the secretary in the department main office. An additional electronic copy must be submitted via Blackboard.  Late reports will be penalized as follows:

20% if received by 4:00 p.m. one weekday late

50% if received by 4:00 p.m. two weekdays late

100% if later

Exceptions must be approved by the instructor PRIOR to the due date.  Extensions will be granted for any reasonable request (e.g. interview trip, illness, equipment malfunction), provided that the request is made PRIOR to the due date. After the fact, exceptions will only be granted for medical emergencies for which adequate documentation is submitted.

Students are NOT to share graded reports with other students during the course of the semester and shall NOT share any information related to the problems being solved with students who are not in the same laboratory team. You are expected to review literature related to the laboratory subject matter and to cite/reference pertinent information in your work. 

CHEATING, PLAGIARISM, COLLUSION, and other forms of scholastic dishonesty are prohibited subject to the above guidelines and are grounds for failure in the course!  For more information on plagiarism and cheating see the UND Code of Student Life and the Department of Chemical Engineering Honor Code. If you are unsure whether a certain activity is allowed, please talk to the instructor.

ESSENTIAL STUDIES

Learning Goals

Oral Communication: This course addresses the Essential Studies learning goal of Oral Communication. This means it is about presenting information (formally or informally) in various settings and to various audience sizes to achieve some purpose, such as to increase the listeners’ knowledge, to foster their understanding of a topic, or to promote a change in their attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors. You can expect to work on these skills in this course.

Written Communication: This course addresses the Essential Studies learning goal of Written Communication. This means it is about developing and expressing ideas in writing or with a mix of words, data, and images. You can expect to work in different genres and styles of writing as you develop your written communication skills in this course.

Critical Inquiry & Analysis: This course addresses the Essential Studies learning goal of Critical Inquiry & Analysis. This means it will focus on collecting and analyzing information to reach conclusions based on evidence. More specifically, inquiry should be thought of as a systematic process of exploring issues, objects, or works through the collection and analysis of evidence that results in informed conclusions or judgments. Analysis is the process of breaking complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding. You should expect to focus on these intellectual skills as part of this course.

Information Literacy: This course addresses the Essential Studies learning goal of Information Literacy. This means it is about being able to find necessary information, understanding where that information comes from, and evaluating and using that information appropriately. More specifically, information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning. You should expect to focus on these intellectual skills as part of this course.

Intercultural Knowledge & Skills: This course addresses the Essential Studies learning goal of Intercultural Knowledge and Skills. This means it is about acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to interact successfully with others from different backgrounds and being able to apply that understanding to contemporary issues. More specifically, intercultural knowledge and skills foster the capacity to meaningfully engage with the perspectives of people whose cultures and identities are different from your own. To meaningfully engage with others' perspectives, you must be aware of how those perspectives are shaped by larger social structures, by issues of contemporary importance, and by issues that arise in global society. You should expect to focus on these intellectual skills as part of this course.

Quantitative Reasoning: This course addresses the Essential Studies learning goal of Quantitative Reasoning. This means it will focus on how you can become competent and comfortable when working with numbers and graphic displays of information based on numbers. More specifically, quantitative reasoning is competency and comfort in working with numerical data, using it to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations, and to create and clearly communicate sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence, such as by using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate. You should expect to focus on these intellectual skills as part of this course.

Breadth of Knowledge

Math, Science, and Technology: This is an Essential Studies Math, Science, & Technology course. Engineering and technology are concerned with the construction or production of tangible items. They often involve application of mathematics or science to produce useful products, and they make use of mathematics and the natural sciences to design, create and alter the human environment and our interactions with that environment.

Special Emphasis

Quantitative Reasoning: This course is an Essential Studies Special Emphasis course in Quantitative Reasoning, which means it must emphasize improving your confidence with mathematics, your ability to interpret data, your ability to make decisions using data, your ability to use mathematics in academic and practical contexts, and your number sense.

Assignments in this course should help you become comfortable with quantitative ideas and at ease in applying quantitative methods. They should help you reason with numbers, data, and graphs, including being able to make inferences based on this type of information. This includes being able to use these quantitative skills to make decisions and solve problems in everyday life, thereby making mathematics and mathematical proficiency a powerful tool for living, as engrained in your intellectual toolkit as reading and speaking.

ES Quantitative Reasoning courses should also help you by requiring you to use mathematical and quantitative tools in context – and not just as part of abstract problem solving. This may include civic, professional, or personal situations that you may be likely to encounter. Assignments should help you build accurate intuition about the meaning of numbers, confidence in estimation, and common sense about employing numbers to measure things.

Assignment                                               % of Grade

1. Safety Quiz (1) 30 points                                           5%
2. Pre-experiment Proposals (4) 60 points                   10%
3. Reports (4) 400 points                                              60%
4. Presentation/Participation (1) 60 points                   10%
5. Final Exam (1) 100 points                                         15%

           Total: (650 points) 100%

Final Grade Scale

90% - 100% A

80% - 89% B

70% - 79% C

60% - 69% D

0% - 59% F

All fractional grades will be rounded off to the closest integer.

Class Participation

Students are required to login regularly to the online class site. Students are also required to participate in all class activities such as discussion board, blogs, and wikis Students are expected to attend on campus or synchronous classes, etc.

Incompletes

It is expected that students will complete all requirements for a course during the time frame of the course. For reasons beyond a student’s control, and upon request by the student or on behalf of the student, an incomplete grade may be assigned by the instructor when there is reasonable certainty the student will successfully complete the course without retaking it. The mark “I,” Incomplete, will be assigned only to the student who has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work up to a time within four weeks of the close of the semester, including the examination period, and whose work is incomplete for reasons satisfactory to his or her instructor. More information regarding UND’s Incomplete policy can be found on The Grading System webpage.

Resolution of Problems

Should a problem occur, you should speak to your instructor first. If the problem continues to be unresolved, go to the department chair, and next to the college dean. Should the problem persist, you have the right to go to the provost next, and then to the president.