Degree Requirements

• CHBE 453   Electrochemical Engineering   credit: 2 or 3 Hours.
  Fundamentals of analysis, design, and optimization of electrochemical systems. 2 or 3 undergraduate hours. 2 or 3 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Senior standing in physical science or engineering.

• CHBE 516   Reactor Process Engineering   credit: 4 Hours.
  Through a series of lectures centered around the study of chemical reactions, we will explore how thermodynamics, fluids mechanics, and kinetic principles impact the energy and mass balance of specific processes. Theoretical derivation describing chemical processes will be completed with simulation-based processes using commercial packages. Ultimately the students will learn to converge all the core scientific principles that are characteristic of the chemical engineering curriculum (Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Fluid Mechanics). 4 graduate hours. 4 professional hours. Prerequisite: Courses in mathematics application in engineering, thermodynamics, reactor engineering, heat transfer and process control, such as CHBE 424, CHBE 321, CHBE 421, CHBE 440, MATH 284 or MATH 285 or MATH 286, or comparable level courses in other disciplines. Consent of instructor required.

• CHBE 522   Fluid Dynamics   credit: 4 Hours.
  Basic concepts in fluid dynamics with special emphasis on topics of interest to chemical and biomolecular engineers. Derivation of the Navier-Stokes equations; solutions for creeping flow, perfect fluids, and boundary layers; non-Newtonian fluids; turbulence. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
• CHBE 525   Statistical Thermodynamics for Chemical Engineers   credit: 4 Hours.
  Fundamentals and applications of both macroscopic thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The formalism of statistical mechanics is introduced, in particular the development and calculation of partition functions, as well as its connections to thermodynamic equations of state and material properties. These concepts will be applied to problems relevant to chemical engineering, such as solution theory, electrolytes, adsorption, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, chemical reactions, molecular simulation, and dispersive interactions. 3 graduate hours. No professional credit. Prerequisite: CHBE 321. Graduate standing required.

• CHBE 551   Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis   credit: 4 Hours.
  Rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions, treatment of data, steady state and unsteady behavior predictions of mechanisms, prediction of rate constants and activation barriers. Introduction to catalysis. Catalysis by solvents, metals, organometallics, acids, enzymes, semiconductors. Same as CHEM 582. Prerequisite: An undergraduate course in chemical kinetics.

• CHBE 594   Special Topics   credit: 1 to 4 Hours.
  Various advanced topics; generally taken during the second year of graduate study. Typical topics include turbulence, hydrodynamic instability, process dynamics, interfacial phenomena, reactor design, cellular bioengineering, properties of matter at high pressure, and phase transitions. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Graduate-level enriched versions of the following courses:

• CHBE 455   Polymers Synthesis and Industrial Applications   credit: 3 Hours.
  Explores the fundamentals of polymer production by providing a broad overview of several topics within the field. Students will gain an appreciation of the relationships between polymer composition, synthesis, and processing, all of which ultimately determine bulk polymer properties. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Credit is not given for both CHBE 455 and MSE 457.
• CHBE 458   Synthetic Nanomaterials   credit: 3 Hours.
  Study of the concepts related to the fundamentals and practical methods for the preparation of nanostructured materials. Classical nucleation and growth, interfacial science, crystal structures, and characterization techniques are among some of the topics covered. The emphasis will be placed on the processing controls of size, shape (dot, wire, and two-dimensional materials), facet, composition, and hierarchical structure. Students will also be exposed to related current topics, including the applications of nanoparticles in energy, sustainability, and biotechnology. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: CHEM 102 and CHEM 104 or equivalents.

• CHBE 476   Biotransport   credit: 3 Hours.
  Investigates the critical roles the transports of mass, energy and momentum play in the function of living systems at varied levels (e.g., cells , tissues, and organs) and time scales. Transport phenomena are also central to the design and operation of devices for biological research, imaging, biochemical processes, and therapeutic interventions including drug delivery, gene therapy and tissue engineering. Students will explore conservation laws of mass, energy, and momentum to mathematically describe cell and molecular biology, immunology, physiology and biomedical engineering systems. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisites: CHBE 421 and CHBE 422 or consent of instructor.

• CHBE 478   Bioenergy Technology   credit: 3 Hours.
  Introduction to emerging bioenergy technologies including: world energy consumption and greenhouse gas concerns; fundamental biochemistry of biomass conversion; structural chemistry of lignocelluloses; pretreatment of biomass; enzymatic deconstruction; bioethanol production and fermentation; metabolic engineering for improved biofuels production; feedstock development; industrial fermentation and fermentor design; economics of bioethanol; alternative biofuels, including biodiesel, syngas, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, butanol, ABE fermentation and biohydrogen; anaerobic microbiology; and the biorefinery concept. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisites: CHBE 321; MCB 450.