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Unit of study_

CHNG9303: Reaction Engineering

2025 unit information

This unit of study focuses on the understanding of the key concepts of reaction engineering in process design. It covers key principles of reaction kinetics, including reaction mechanisms, temperature and concentration dependence of chemical reactions, and catalysis effect in reactor design. This course employs an integrated approach in combining the basic principles of material and energy balance, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and fluid mechanics with those of chemical reaction kinetics to help students select and design the most suitable reactor for a particular reaction system. It provides an introduction to reactor design through topics, such as ideal batch reactors (constant and varying volume), stoichiometry and reaction mole balance equation, single and multiple reaction systems, catalysts and catalytic reactions, and using experimental reaction data to estimate rate laws. Students will learn how to design continuous isothermal and nonisothermal reactors, variable density reactors, multiple reactors in series and parallel, mixed flow reactors in series, recycle reactors, and carry out size comparisons of ideal reactors and optimisation of operating conditions.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Engineering

Study level Postgraduate
Academic unit Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
None
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
CHNG3803 or CHNG5803
Assumed knowledge:
? 
CHNG9201 and CHNG9202 and CHNG9204. Mass and energy balances, physical chemistry, physics

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Apply key concepts and principles of reaction engineering to evaluate reactor designs and operating conditions for given reaction systems
  • LO2. Determine equilibrium conditions in reactive systems from thermodynamic criteria
  • LO3. Model reaction engineering systems
  • LO4. Carry out size comparisons of ideal reactors
  • LO5. Optimize operating conditions for ideal reactors
  • LO6. Estimate rate laws by using experimental reaction data
  • LO7. Communicate effectively in writing

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.