The department’s well-equipped Unit Operations Laboratory includes modules of major process units to support undergraduate instruction in the core areas of thermodynamics, fluids, separation, heat and mass transport, reaction engineering, and process control.
Pilot-Scale Process Equipment
Double-Effect Evaporator
Two evaporators are connected in series for efficient heat recovery.
Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger with Process Control
Students perform total reflux distillation of a binary liquid mixture. Data acquisition and process control is conducted via LabVIEW.
Eight-Tray Distillation Column with Control
Two evaporators are connected in series for efficient heat recovery.
Dual Packed Columns for Stripping Absorption
These two columns are connected in series to facilitate sequential stripping and absorption of mixtures.
Rotary Vacuum Filtration
50-gallon reservoir holds slurry, and solids are separated from liquid with rotating filter drum.
Tray Drying
Students observe the drying behavior of batch samples. The flowrate and temperature of the inlet air stream can be varied.
Packed Column for Sour-Gas Absorption with Control
Students perform gas absorption experiments. Components of a binary gas mixture are separated with a chemical enhanced absorption. Data acquisition and process control is via LabVIEW.
Packed Column for Liquid Extraction
The two-meter vertical packed column can be run in counter-current, semi-batch mode with liquid volumes of about 50 liters.
Bench-Scale Process Equipment
Vapor/Compression Cycle Refrigeration
Students perform experiments to learn how thermodynamic cycles and phase diagrams are utilized in refrigeration and air-conditioning processes.
Pressure Losses in a Flow System
Students measure pressure drops across pipes of various lengths and diameters, and pipe fittings. Flow measurement devices are utilized. Friction coefficients are determined.
Fluidized Bed
Fluidization phenomenon of alumina and silica particles by air can be studied. This involves both fluid mechanics and heat transfer. Correlations are invoked for the data analysis.
Cooling Tower
This experiment exposes students to combined heat and mass transfer. As the incoming air is cooled, heat is transferred from the warm water to the air, and some amount of liquid water is evaporated. Structured or random packing columns can be studied.
Pool Boiling
Students perform basic pool boiling experiments to study the effects on input heat or chamber gas pressure on the boiling characteristics.
Process Control of Liquid Flow, Level or Temperature
Various control strategies can be employed. Students use PID or advanced control algorithms to control liquid flow or reservoir temperature. Data acquisition and process control is conducted via LabVIEW.
Tank Efflux
Students perform gas absorption experiments. Components of a binary gas mixture are separated with a chemical enhanced absorption. Data acquisition and process control is conducted via LabVIEW.
Convective Heat Transfer
Students analyze the factors governing heat transfer from various geometries. Air is flowed across heated surfaces: simple flat surface, fins, and an array of columns. Convective heat transfer coefficients are determined.
Analytical Instruments
Haake Rotational Rheometer
Students perform viscosity measurements of liquids with various types of rheological behavior.
Brookfield Rotational Viscometer
Students perform viscosity measurements of liquids with various types of rheological behavior.
Colorimeter
This instrument has an external probe to measure color changes of a liquid solution. Data acquisition can be conducted using LabVIEW.
Burrell Extrusion Rheometer
Students perform viscosity measurements of viscous liquids that can be extruded.
Refractometer
Index of refraction can be measured. Used in distillation experiments.
pH meter
Acidity can be measured. Data acquisition can be conducted using LabVIEW.