1. A multi-layered view of chemical engineering
Rafiqul Gani*
CAPEC KT Consortium
Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
*College of Control Science & Engineering
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou , China

2. What is chemical engineering?
Chemical engineering is the application of science, mathematics and economics to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more sustainable forms. The terms economics & sustainability are very important here.
Sustainability
Energy
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

3. What chemical engineers do? Highlights
Work with unit operations for purposes of chemical synthesis and/or separation (chemical reaction, mass-, heat- and momentum- transfer operations)
Apply physical laws of conservation of mass, energy and momentum
Apply principles of thermodynamics, reaction kinetics and transport phenomena
Solve problems – design & operate processes
More than just process engineering – applies chemical knowledge to create better materials and products that are useful to our modern society
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

4. A multi-layered view of ChE: Core layer
Core of chemical & biochemical engineering deals with conversion of raw materials to useful products; finding the optimal synthesis routes and operating the processes for their designed applications, and through the use of science, mathematics, economics, ….
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

5. Where did this get us?
We are the master of the planet earth
Nutrition
Fertilizers
Electronics
Communications,
Entertainment
Vitamins
Fuel
Mobility
Pharmaceuticals
Plastics
Colorants and
coatings
Healthcare
Detergents
Clothing
Housing
Positive contribution to the development of our society
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

6. Classification of the key products in ChE
Commodities
Molecules
Microstructures
Key
Cost-Manufacturing
Speed-Selection
Function-Need
Basis
Unit Ops
Chemistry
Microstructure
Risk
Feedstock
Discovery
Science
Traditional ChE: Convert resources to commodities?
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

7. The future is unclear! Risky feedstock
Resources
Resources
ChE
Fight for survival!
Adopted from Cussler (2011)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

8. Classification of the key products in ChE
Commodities
Single Species
Multi Species
Key
Cost-Manufacturing
Speed-Selection
Function-Need
Basis
Unit Ops
Chemistry
Microstructure
Risk
Feedstock
Discovery
Science
ChE is extending to design of single species products
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

9. For single species products, “selection” is key
46 Kilos = $800 M
How much reactor design will be involved?
Adopted from Cussler (2011)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

10. Classification of the key products in ChE
Commodities
Single Species
Multi Species
Key
Cost-Manufacturing
Speed-Selection
Function-Need
Basis
Unit Ops
Chemistry
Microstructure
Risk
Feedstock
Discovery
Science
ChE is also extending to design of multi species products
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

11. For multi species products, ”need” is the key
Jet-fuel blend
Gasoline blend
3M distinguishes between two areas: configured products and structured products. One area is clouded by consumer reactions, but the other is scientifically specified.
Liquid formulations & emulsions
Scientifically specified
Consumer reactions
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

12. Value preservation vs. Value creation
Role & scope of ChE
What is the role of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering in
“commodity” industry vs. “new emerging” technologies?
Value preservation vs. Value creation
What is the future scope for fundamental contributions
in Chemical & Bio-Chemical Engineering ?
Engineering vs. Science
3. What are the major real world challenges
Globalization-Environment (energy, water, health, food)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

13. A multi-layered view of ChE: Interface layer
The core, however, needs to be supplemented by appropriate levels of science and engineering to find sustainable and innovative solutions. Sustainable and innovative solutions can be found through an appropriate mix of science-engineering
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

14. Current & future challenges
Sustainability Issues: Current and future survival
World population is expected to reach 11 billions by 2050
6-7 x
5-6 x
3.5 x
7 x
Increase
Global GDP growth over next ~50 years (in constant dollars)
Production capacity for most commodities (steel, chemicals, lumber, etc.)
Energy demand
Water demand
Electricity demand
GHG emissions
Increase in water, energy & commodities demand
Adopted from Siirola, PSE-2012
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

15. Is our future sustainable? The challenge facing us
Convert resources to products
Use energy, water, ….
Environmental Impacts (GWP, OD, HTTP, …)
Produce waste
Only 25% converted; must be > 40% (Driolli 2007)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

16. Our position as the master of planet earth?
Not threatened but our survival maybe is threatened unless we do something!
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

17. A multi-layered view of ChE: Connecting layer
The overall objectives are to serve the society through educating the necessary engineers who can apply their education-training for industrial development taking advantage of the opportunities available and addressing the challenges being faced
Grand challenges-opportunities
Sustainable solutions (water, energy, resources)
Operation/Design
(production)
Raw Materials
(resources)
Products
(needs)
Education
Science
Engineering
Society
Processing Routes
(reaction; separation; mixing; heating-cooling; etc.)
Innovative solutions (process, product)
Application (industrial development)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

18. What to make and how to make?
Questions:
what, why & when?
Zhang, Babi & Gani, Annual Rev of Chem & Biomedical Eng, 2016
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

19. Need for integrated multidisciplinary approach
REALITY
System under study
Optimized design?
Solution approaches
Experiments
̶ Integrated modeling, experiments and synthesis
̶ Ability to find predictive- innovative and more sustainable solutions
Verify theoretical solutions
Provide realistic model parameters
Guidance and insights for experiments
VIRTUAL
Model system
Optimized design?
REALITY
Simulations
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

20. Can the current methods, tools technologies deliver?
Well-known PSE tools: ASPEN, gPROMS, HYSIS, PROII, ChemCad, ….(design, optimization, control, plan-schedule operations, …)
Can our current methods and tools solve the problems of our interest? Or, do we need a new class of software tools that promote innovation?
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

21. Need for innovation in process-product design
How to find new and significantly better unit operations?
Methanol + Acetic Acid = Methyl Acetate + Water
Eastman Chemicals
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

22. Development of ChE – new directions
Unique opportunities and formidable challenges
Probe the frontiers of technological innovations to bring
New categories of abundant resources
Substitute and/or improve resources that become scarce
Deliver sustainable solutions (energy, water, food …)
Contribute to staving off disasters (global climate change, a viral pandemic, oil spills, …)
3rd Paradigm (Integration of process-product-phenomena)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

23. Necessary shift in education - 1
Need to keep core Chemical Engineering Knowledge; Need to emphasize fundamentals: basis is life-long learning
2. Need to modernize curriculum and add flexibility
Increase exposure at molecular level
Increase exposure to energy (alternative/renewable) and sustainability issues
Expose students to new process technology
Introduce product design as complement of process design
Emphasize process operations, enterprise planning
Increase link to other industrial sectors (pharma, electronics)
Adopted from Grossmann 2014
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

24. Necessary shift in education - 2
3. Need to recognize that “bio-area” & “nano-area” will be important but not dominant force in Chemical Engineering
4. Environmental Engineering increasingly important and requires chemical engineering (water use efficiency, pollution control, chemical substitution, …) : Civil Eng. ownership?
5. Need closer interaction with industry; otherwise risk being irrelevant
6. Need to provide excitement to recruit the very best young people to join Chemical Engineering
Adopted from Grossmann 2014
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

25. Are we now entering a golden age for ChE?
Adopted from Phil Westmoreland’s* 5 reasons
Manufacturing’s shift to emphasize processes and properties (smart manufacturing)
New abundance of hydrocarbon resources in USA, China & other locations (a game changer)
Biology’s turning into a molecular science (multi-disciplinary)
Computing, evolved into a cyberinfrastructure (knowledge and data management – big data)
ChEs’ breadth and problem-solving approaches (contribute to the society)
* President of the AIChE, 2013
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

26. Conclusions & future directions
ChE’s positive contribution to the modern society through P3I
Need to adapt to the needs of the modern society (questions of energy, water, environment, sustainability, responsibility, ... should be incorporated in the study)
Courses need to adopt (introduction of new ideas, new methods, new tools, ....)
Balance between engineering-science; commodity-value added; core-new need to be found (different solutions are possible)
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

27. Conclusions & future directions
Barcelona Declaration, 2017
An increasing world population, in a world of finite natural resources, requires ever more innovative engineering to solve problems and produce new and better products with a negligible environmental footprint. Chemical engineering and related sciences and technologies must play a key role in meeting future societal needs.
We, as chemical and biochemical engineers, need to renew our commitment to use our skills to improve the quality of life, foster employment, advance economic and social development and protect the planet through sustainable development.
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

28. Conclusions & future directions
Barcelona Declaration, 2017
We should agree to:
Promote research and development as a fundamental pillar and encourage technology development to achieve a planet able to sustain a growing population, while improving quality of life.
Facilitate global dissemination of chemical and biochemical engineering technical knowledge and industrial best practices, striving to bring together academia and industry worldwide.
Promote conservation and care of global resources, health, safety, and the environment.
Promote the highest standards of professional ethics and conduct for chemical engineers worldwide, to safeguard the public.
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017

29. ChE is a problem solver not a problem creator!
Chemical engineer
If I change one molecule of this useless & polluting product, we can make an excellent hair-spray!
Rafiqul Gani, ICFMCE 2017, Dubai, November 2017