Graduate Courses

Chemical Engineering

Continuum theory of momentum, energy and mass transfer. Viscous behavior of fluids. Molecular transport mechanisms. Laminar and Turbulent flow. Convective transport. Momentum, heat and mass applications of transport phenomena. Prerequisite: MATH 513 or Consent of the Instructor

Pre-Requisites: MATH513

Principles of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and process control. Fluid dynamics, including compressible and incompressible flows, boundary layers, and turbulence. Advanced topics in heat transfer, including conduction, convection, and radiation in various geometries, as well as numerical methods for solving heat transfer problems. Advanced topics in process control, including dynamic behavior of control systems, controller tuning, advanced control strategies, and optimization techniques. Design and selection of equipment including pumps, heat exchangers, furnaces, boilers are covered.

Governing equations of fluid dynamics. Introduction to CFD. Grid generation, discretization. Numerical approximations: finite differencing and finite volume techniques. CFD tools: adapted programs and commercially available general purpose packages. Applications to incompressible and compressible fluid flow. Prerequisites: CHE 501

Pre-Requisites: (CHE501 Or ME532)

Solution of steady and transient conduction and convection problems analytically and numerically. Fundamentals of convection boundary layer in laminar and turbulent flow. Free and forced convection in ducts and over surfaces. Heat transfer with phase change. Combined mechanisms of conduction and convection. Prerequisite: CHE 501 or equivalent

Pre-Requisites: CHE501 Or CHE501

Project management, safety and environmental engineering. Detail engineering management: management process, packages management, deliverables, project reviews, engineering documentation. Prevention of risks through the correct use of safety equipment and devices. Importance of an environment system for refining and petrochemical industries.

Basic postulates of classical thermodynamics. Applications to transient, open and closed systems. Properties of fluids and prediction of thermodynamic properties. Criteria of equilibrium and stability. Single phase, simple systems of mixtures. Phase and chemical equilibria. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Probability and statistics of microscopic systems. A study of microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles. Ideal and non-ideal gases, distribution function and computer simulation of fluids applied to pure components and mixtures. Solution of electrolytes and non-homogeneous systems. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Structure and properties of gas hydrates; conditions for stability; kinetic theories for hydrate nucleation and growth; modeling of multiphase phases in equilibrium with hydrates; hydrate formation risk in industrial situations; hydrate prevention and inhibition techniques.

Classical thermodynamics of phase equilibrium and stability. The phase rule. Ideal and non-ideal systems. Fugacity and activity. Phase equilibrium at moderate and high pressure. Activity coefficient models of local composition and group contribution. Equation of states and phase equilibrium. Liquid-liquid equilibrium. Vapor-liquid-liquid equilibrium. Solid-liquid equilibrium. Solid-Vapor equilibrium. Phase equilibrium by simulation. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

The Maxwell-Stefan relations, generalized Maxwell-Stefan formulation of irreversible thermodynamics, Fick?s law, estimation of diffusion coefficients, solution of multicomponent diffusion problems by the linearized rate theory and effective diffusivity methods. Diffusion as a random walk; Monte Carlo simulation and molecular dynamics. Prerequisite: CHE 501

Pre-Requisites: CHE501 Or CHE501

Advanced coverage of laminar and turbulent mass transfer theory and applications for binary and multicomponent systems. The coupling between mass transfer, heat transfer, fluid flow and chemical reactions. Interphase mass transfer coefficients in different equipment. The applications for mass transport drawn from various fields shall be discussed from the viewpoint of transport equations single or coupled. Prerequisite: CHE 501

Pre-Requisites: CHE501 Or CHE501

Key concepts on biotechnology/biochemical engineering. Basics of biochemistry, microbiology, cell biology and molecular biology. Applied concept in Enzymes and its kinetics, immobilized techniques, diffusion limitations, immobilized enzyme reactors. Fundamentals of cell metabolism, Stoichiometry of growth, cell growth kinetics. design and operation of downstream processes, including cell disruption, filtration, extraction, chromatography; facility design; validation and regulatory issues.

Study of traditional as well as contemporary rate controlled separation processes such as crystallization, chromatography, sorption, membranes, etc. Rate based models for distillation. Selective coupled rate processes will be discussed. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Introduction to the refinery and petrochemicals complex, Separation processes in a refinery and petrochemicals industry. Hydrotreating, naphtha reforming, coking and thermal processes, thermal and catalytic cracking, hydrocracking, alkylation, isomerization, crude oil to chemicals, polymerization, and product blending processes. Effluents treatment and abatement strategies, competing technologies along with their economics.

Factors that make petrochemicals the fastest-growing source of global crude oil demand, various types of crude oils and their compositions and the advantages of converting crude oil to chemicals (COTC), types of refining and petrochemicals technologies used to convert crude oil to selected petrochemicals. Integrated COTC configurations in order to maximize various petrochemical products, effect of various process variables on overall COTC complex economics.

A study of the effect of temperature on conversion, stability, and product distribution in complex homogeneous reactions. Analysis of flow and mixing patterns and residence time distributions in chemical reactors. kinetics of catalytic gas solid reactions, mass and heat transport effects in catalysis. Design of catalytic fixed bed reactors. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Molecular theories of adsorption and catalysis. Solid-state and surface chemistry of catalysts. Diffusion and reaction in porous catalysts. Design, preparation and characterization of catalysts. Catalyst deactivation and regeneration. Catalytic process engineering: examples and case studies.

Analysis of Bioreaction rates. Bioreactor design. Immobilization and immobilized bioreactors. Fermentation. Optimization and online control of bioreactors. Fedbatch, continuous, immobilized-cell and other advanced bioreactors; bioreactor monitoring and control; Applications of bioreactors. Prerequisite: CHE 524

Pre-Requisites: CHE524

Solids device fabrication, process modeling, cleanliness of the process environment, designing the architectured of crystal fabrication including oxidation, doping by diffusion, chemical vapor deposition etc. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

The practical aspects of operations of nuclear power plants. Light-water reactors and their modes of operation, operator training. Principles of Radiological Protection, Detectors, Stochastic and Deterministic Effects of Radiation, Radiation Carcinogenesis and Practical Means of Radiation Protection.

Fundamental of Rheology. Concept of Viscosity and Viscoelasticity. Constitutive Equations. Experimental Methods in Rheology. Rheology of Polymers. Rheology of Suspension and Emulsions. Foam Rheology Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Principles of materials processing with focus on polymers. Technology, theory and analysis of the major unit processing operations for polymers and composite materials such as extrusion, injection molding and blow molding. Analysis of polymer flow in different dies that are used in polymer processing operations. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Introduction to nanoscience and nanotechnology; synthesis of zero, one and two dimensional nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowire and nanofilm; characterizations of nanomaterials, applications of nanomaterials in different fields such as nanocomposite, environmental nanotechnology and electronic devices Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

The structure, morphology, and properties of polymers. Polymerization reactions, molecular weight and polymer rheology. Rubber elasticity and mechanical properties. Thermodynamics of polymer solutions. Structure-property relationships. Polymer additives. Introduction to extrusion. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Basics of Rubber Science and Technology. Structure Characterization and Molecular Basis of Rubber-Like Elasticity. Rubber types, Selection and Physical Properties. Natural Rubber, Synthetic Rubbers & Latex Technology, Rubber Compounding and Vulcanization of Rubber. Rubber Blends and Composites. Processing Aids. Fillers: Carbon Black and Nonblack. Rubber Processing. Characterization of Vulcanizates. Rheological Behavior and Processing of Unvulcanized Rubber. Product & Mold Design. Tire Technology. Recycling and re-use of waste rubber. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Fundamentals of electrochemical thermodynamics and kinetics pertinent to corrosion processes. Corrosion inhibition, passivity, anodic and cathodic protection, pitting, stress corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Principles of electron and mass spectroscopy. Major elemental and/or structural surface analysis techniques, such as Electron Spectroscopy for Surface Analysis, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy, Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy. Recent advances in surface analysis techniques. Practical applications using Research Institute equipment.

Natural gas production, natural gas processing and gas transportation. Upstream and gas refining processes with key equipment design. Natural gas properties, dehydration, conditioning. Hydrate formation and removal.

Introduction to industrial fluidized bed reactors. Liquid-Solid and Gas-Liquid-Solid Fluidized Bed Reactors, Bubble Column and Three-Phase Slurry Bubble Column Reactors, Turbulent Fluidized Bed Reactors, Circulating Fluidized Bed Reactors (CFB) and Heat Transfer in Fluidized Beds. Two-Phase Theory - Fluidized Bed Expansion, Gas Distributors, and Entrainment of Solids from Fluidized Beds.

Fundamental concepts, techniques, and applications of risk analysis and risk-informed decision making. Practical uses of probabilistic methods with exercises and case studies. Risk Assessment (RA) methods, Performance assessment, Human reliability modeling, SHARP method with quantitative models, Uncertainty analysis, Consequence analysis on projects and environment, Risk contributors, Risk values, and risk acceptance criteria, Risk Management, Risk communication with stakeholders and community and Risk Auditing. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing

Visualization of profiles, analysis of models of chemical processes, normalization of models, non-linear finite difference techniques, orthogonal collocation, non-linear algebraic equations, initial value and final value problems in chemical engineering, software packages for solving such problems.

A review of computerized material and energy balances, modeling of chemical and biochemical processes, Formulation of optimization problems, nature and organization of optimization problems in the process industry, optimization theory and techniques (basic concepts, optimization of unconstrained functions, unconstrained multivariable optimization, constrained optimization, linear programming and nonlinear programming), Real Time Optimization (RTO) Mixed Integer Optimization, Energy Integration (EI), Mass Integration (MI) and Pinch Technology.

This course examines advanced non-linear dynamics of chemical/biochemical reacting and non-reacting systems and their practical implications on different processes and their control systems design. A number of advanced control topics will be covered, e.g.: model predictive control, non-linear supervisory and expert control, MIMO control systems design, stabilization and regulation control problems and their interaction, analogue vs. digital control systems, structural design of modern computer control systems.

Introduction to data science fundamentals and appropriate algorithms use in chemical engineering. Main techniques in data mining, including regression, classification, clustering, distance/similarity measurement, K-nearest neighbors, and pattern mining approaches. Data mining systems and applications with selected topics in current research.

Components of digital control systems, stability theorem and its application to digital control systems, Digital control of simple distillation columns and CSTR's, Z-transform and the design of digital control systems, sampled-data systems, tools for discrete-time systems analysis, Typical digital control designs for chemical and biochemical separation units and reactors, Structure of digital control systems for petrochemical and petroleum refining complexes.

Crude oil characterization and PVT analysis; Asphaltene instability and hydrate formation; phase behavior of natural gas and its retrograde condensation; phase behavior of associating chemical fluids; gas solubility in polymers; hydrogen and olefin solubility in solvents during polymerization; interfacial properties of polymer chains in nanopores.

Computerized material and energy balances for actual industrial process flow diagrams. Use of spreadsheets and commercial simulators for conceptual developments of process flow sheets and process calculations with special emphasis on down stream petrochemical industries. Use of computer packages for process synthesis and optimization.

Introduction to theory and python programming of artificial intelligence (AI) based machine-learning algorithms like linear regression, artificial neural networks and expert systems, and their application to chemical engineering concepts like chemical process and reactor control, fuel design and modeling, fault detection and diagnosis, process optimization etc. Individual/team projects to solve chemical engineering.

Key concepts on sequential modular and equation oriented simulators, construction and convergence of petrochemical processes, tearing and convergence algorithms. Simulation of polymerization reactors, catalytic cracking converters, alkane-alkene splitters, BTX unit. Process economics for competitive routes. Flowsheet case studies on the production technologies of synthesis gas, olefins, aromatics and polymers.

Mathematical modeling of a chemical plant. Sparse matrices techniques. Process flowsheet decomposition and precedence order. Tearing of streams and tearing sets. Construction of a steady state simulator. In depth discussion of the available simulators including application of these simulators to local industry. Simulation of unsteady state processes.

Wastewater treatment objectives and methods. Design of facilities for physical and chemical treatment of wastewater. Ecology of biochemical reactors, kinetics of biochemical systems, modeling of ideal biochemical reactors, design of facilities for the biological treatment of wastewater.

Formation (production), emission and transfer of contaminants through the atmosphere from stationary sources. Mathematical models of air pollution. Control concepts. Theory and design of control devices. Integration of pollution control in chemical engineering processes. Current research and development in air pollution control.

Main characteristics of pollution problem in the process industry. End of pipe versus in-process modifications. Pollution Prevention (P2) strategy and its applications in: Chemical, Biochemical, Petrochemical and Petroleum Refining Industries. Pollution Prevention (P2) methodologies for energy generation, separation, process reactors, bioreactors, complete plants and entire industrial complexes.

Overview of research methodology: documentation; statistics, experimental design, library and database use CD-ROM and internet search, oral presentation skills with videotape review. Students will focus on a specific research topic and produce a comprehensive technical report of publishable quality for a reputable journal. Seminar presentation to all faculty and graduate students is required.

This course provides a foundational understanding of the principles and practices critical to managing risks in the chemical processing industry. Topics include toxicology, industrial hygiene, source models, origins of hazardous scenarios, hazardous material dispersion modeling, and comprehensive process hazard analysis. Additionally, it covers risk assessment methods and safety management systems essential for effective process safety management

This course addresses safety issues in industrial settings, covering health, security, environmental factors, and risk management. It includes an overview of Process Safety Management (PSM) systems, performance measurement, regulatory standards, toxic/flammable/explosive material handling, personal protective equipment, emergency response, and crisis management.

This course equips students with the skills to conduct thorough hazard analyses and investigate incidents effectively. It is divided into two parts: Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), focusing on critical evaluation and revalidation of PHAs, and Incident Investigation, emphasizing systematic management, analysis, and learning from industrial incidents to enhance safety and mitigate risks.

An advanced course that equips students with analytical skills to assess and mitigate risks associated with fire, explosion, and toxic substance releases in industrial environments. It includes Consequence Analysis, introducing key risk concepts and potential major incidents, and a Software Lab, providing hands-on experience with tools like GexCon EFFECT & RISKCURVE or DNV PHAST for practical risk assessment.

This course provides tools for risk analysis, including probability models and statistical methods to define uncertain events with significant dependencies. It emphasizes traditional and Bayesian statistics to evaluate data and develop effective risk-based strategies, such as testing or maintaining critical components and calculating model parameters for system reliability forecasts.

This course provides practical skills in designing safety systems for process facilities. It covers flare system and blowdown design using software tools like Flarenet, instrumentation and control systems, redundancy, safety standards, industrial process classification, Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA), and Safety Integrity Levels (SIL). The curriculum is grounded in industry best practices for active safeguard design systems

Advanced topics are selected from the broad area of chemical engineering. The contents of the course are given in detail one semester in advance of that in which it is to be offered. The approval of the Graduate Council will be necessary for offering this course.

Advanced topics are selected from the broad area of chemical engineering. The contents of the course are given in detail one semester in advance of that in which it is to be offered. The approval of the Graduate Council will be necessary for offering this course. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor

Graduate students working towards either M.S. degree are required to attend seminars given by faculty, visiting scholars and fellow graduate students. Additionally each student should present at least one seminar on a timely research topic. Among other things, this course is designed to give the student an overview of research in the department, and a familiarity with the research methodology, journals and professional societies in his discipline. Graded on a Pass or Fail basis.

The course is offered on a student-to-faculty basis. For a student to register in such a course with a specific faculty member, a clear Project Plan of the intended topic during the course is required to be approved by the Graduate Committee of the department and reported to the Deanship of Graduate Studies. At the end of the course, the student should submit a final report. Prerequisite: Prior arrangement with a course instructor.

Introduction to turbulence. The equations of motion. Scaling laws for mixing layers, jets and wakes. Description of turbulent shear flows. Turbulence modeling: constant eddy viscosity, mixing length, k-epsilon models. Reynolds stresses models. Application using CFD packages.

Pre-Requisites: CHE503 Or CHE503

Topics in heat transfer of interest to both students and faculty will be considered in depth. As examples, conduction, composite regions, non-linear boundary- value problem of heat conduction; convection, heat transfer in packed or fluidized beds, techniques to augment heat transfer; combined phase change problems such as, condensation, heat pipes, cooling towers and ponds; radiation, such as furnaces, radiant interchange between surfaces separated by nonabsorbing and non-emitting media.

Pre-Requisites: CHE507 Or CHE507

This course is intended to allow the student to conduct research in advanced problems in his MS research area. The faculty offering the course should submit a research plan to be approved by the graduate program committee at the academic department. The student is expected to deliver a public seminar and a report on his research outcomes at the end of the course. Graded on Pass or Fail basis. Prerequisite: prior arrangement with an instructor

Involves individual studies by students in the field of chemical engineering. The work should be original and the concept, data and the conclusions should contribute new knowledge to the field of engineering. The quality of the work should reflect the student's proficiency in research and creative thinking. Following preliminary studies and a literature survey on the thesis subject, each student will present his proposed thesis subject orally, and also submit a written proposal to the College of Graduate Studies for approval. On satisfactory completion of his thesis work, the student is required to make a formal defense of his research thesis.

Pre-Requisites: CHE599*

Co-Requisites: CHE 599

Foundations of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Postulate of local thermodynamic equilibrium. Linear phenomenological equations. Balance equations of mass, momentum, energy, and entropy. Dissipation function. Second law analysis. Exergy analysis. Heat and mass transport. Diffusion and reaction. Extended non-equilibrium thermodynamics.

Pre-Requisites: CHE501 Or CHE501

This course serves as an integral part of assessing student learning outcomes of the overall program. Students are required to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their coursework to complete an individual project. The topic should be original, initiated by the student, either independently or with guidance from their academic advisor/mentor. The scope of the project topics is broad, allowing students to explore various areas within their field of study, and should effectively demonstrate the application of knowledge in a practical context.

Adsorptive separation processes, structure and physical properties of adsorbents. Classical and statistical thermodynamic equilibrium models for pure and multicomponent sorption. Study of individual and combined kinetic resistances in sorption on single adsorbent particles. Classification of adsorption column dynamic systems. Models for isothermal, non-isothermal, single and multicomponent, linear and non-linear sorption in columns. Asymptotic behavior in columns. Discussion of adsorptive separation processes involving kinetic and equilibrium selectivity, cyclic two bed processes optimization, and continuous counter-current both moving and simulated moving bed type.

Pre-Requisites: CHE501 Or CHE501

Macro- and micro-mixing effects in homogenous reactors. Steady-state multiplicity & stability in homogeneous reactors. Transport/reaction interactions in gas-liquid, liquid-liquid reactions, and design of two-phase reactors. Theory of gas-solid fluidization and fluidized-bed reactors. Three-phase slurry and tricklebed reactors.

Pre-Requisites: CHE530 Or CHE530

None

None

Graduate students working towards PhD degree, are required to attend seminars given by faculty, visiting scholars and fellow graduate students. Additionally each student should present at least one seminar on a timely research topic. Among other things, this course is designed to give the student an overview of research in the department, and a familiarity with the research methodology, journals and professional societies in his discipline. Graded on a Pass or Fail basis.

The course indented to engage students in real research projects and to enable them to answer the field-based research questions and whose outcomes is not known in advance by the faculty or the student. These projects may be very ambitious, professional-level projects leading to the acquisition of potentially publishable data, or they may be more modest projects. The ideas of the projects may be come from the faculty member or from the students. This course is for PhD students only.

This course is built on the basis of the research expertise developed in CHE 701 and is intended to build the student research capabilities and skills to help them with their PhD research. This course is for PhD students only.

Pre-Requisites: CHE701

Involves in-depth analysis of a particular branch of chemical engineering. The quality of the work should be original, creative and should be a significant contribution in the areas of the topic selected. The work should have an original experimental component. In addition, departmental regulations and those of the College of Graduate Studies should be satisfied.

Pre-Requisites: CHE699

After successful completion of the course work and the comprehensive exam, the student will register for his Ph.D. Pre-Dissertation (CHE 711). This course will allow the student to submit his PhD dissertation proposal and defend the same in the public. If the PhD dissertation committee accept the submitted dissertation proposal report and successfully passing the dissertation proposal public defense, the student will pass the course. The course grade can be NP, NF.

Pre-Requisites: CHE699*

Co-Requisites: CHE 699

After passing the Ph.D. Pre-Dissertation (CHE 711), the student will then register for his PhD Dissertation (CHE 712). This course involves in-depth analysis of a particular branch of chemical engineering. The quality of the work should be original, creative and should be a significant contribution in the areas of the topic selected. The work should have an original experimental component. In addition, departmental regulations and those of the College of Graduate Studies should be satisfied.

Pre-Requisites: CHE711