南达科塔矿业理工学院

What is Chemical Engineering?

Chemical Engineering (ChE) is an optimal combination of the molecular sciences (chemistry and biology), the physical sciences (physical chemistry and physics), the analytical sciences (math and computer programming) and engineering. Chemical Engineering focuses on the description and design of processes that combine engineering principles of heat and fluid flow with chemical reactions and molecular separations to produce high-value products useful to humankind from multiple raw material sources. Chemical Engineers do this while always insuring that the processes they design, build and manage are safe, environmentally responsible and economical.

Examples of such processes include:

• Alternative and renewable energy
• Artificial organs and biomedicine
• Bioenergy production
• Biological fermentation
• Biopharmaceuticals
• Ceramic manufacturing
• Energetic materials production
• Food processing
• Microprocessor manufacturing
• Mineral and ore refining
• Oil and natural gas refining
• Paper manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical design and mfg.
• Polymer production
• Polymer composites production
• Nanomaterials manufacturing

Designing and modeling such processes requires a strong fundamental understanding of the chemical and biological phenomena at work. ChE students develop a wide range of problem solving skills grounded in mathematics and computer analysis techniques. ChE graduates are recruited for their technical engineering knowledge as well as their problem solving, systems analysis, leadership skills, and communication skills.

What will I learn as a ChE student?

ChE students take multiple courses in chemistry and biology to develop a fundamental understanding of the molecular sciences. The program includes physics, math, and computer courses to provide the analytical tools required for modeling and to design processes. Finally the core Chemical Engineering curriculum includes engineering courses in thermodynamics, heat and mass transport, fluid dynamics, chemical reaction kinetics and reactor design, molecular separations and unit operations, and process design and control. Elective courses are also available to provide specialization in emphasis such as advanced materials (e.g. composites, nanomaterials and polymers), bioprocessing/biochemical engineering, energy technology, environmental engineering, and petroleum engineering.