Study Guide

Objective

After completion of this course the student understands the concepts of phase equilibrium, reaction equilibrium and reaction kinetics and is able to solve relevant problems in his own professional field, to apply this understanding as a necessary basis in later studies and to utilize it in future professional tasks. One of the major goals is to learn to understand liquid vapour phase diagrams and how to influence the yield and rate of chemical reactions.

Content

1. Phase equilibrium and phase diagrams:
- Real gases, equations of state, partial pressure
- Ideal solution, ideally dilute solution (Henry’s law)
- Liquid vapour equilibria
2. Vapors and moisture
3. Adsorption equilibrium
4. The meaning of reaction thermodynamics and reaction kinetics; the role of reaction rate and mass transfer rate
5. The changes in internal energy, enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energy in a reaction
6. The influence of temperature on the enthalpy and spontaneity of reactions
7. The yield and conversion of chemical reactions; how to influence them
8. Assessing reaction equilibria on activity, concentration and partial pressure scales; the determination of the thermodynamic equilibrium constant
9. Reaction kinetics: Determination of rate laws, reaction mechanisms, activation energy

Prerequisites

Engineering Chemistry
Fundamentals of Mathematics and Natural Sciences 3

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student is able to define and describe the concepts and phenomena included in the course in a qualitative way and to compute straightforward problems mainly based on inserting a correct quantity into a correct formula.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student is able to define or describe the concepts and phenomena in his or her own words; he or she also knows how to explain the origin and meaning of related equations and to critically evaluate different solutions

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student is able to characterize and model phenomena on the basis of reasonable assumptions as well as to analyze, evaluate and modify solutions and the model when needed.