Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering

The goal of this textbook is to provide first-year engineering students with a firm grounding in the fundamentals of chemical and bioprocess engineering. However, instead of being a general overview of the two topics, Fundamentals of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering will identify and focus on specific areas in which attaining a solid competency is desired. This strategy is the direct result of studies showing that broad-based courses at the freshman level often leave students grappling with a lot of material, which results in a low rate of retention. Specifically, strong emphasis will be placed on the topic of material balances, with the intent that students exiting a course based upon this textbook will be significantly higher on Bloom’s Taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis and synthesis, evaluation, creation) relating to material balances. 

In addition, this book also provides students with a highly developed ability toanalyze problems from the material balances perspective, which leaves them with important skills for the future. The textbook consists of numerous exercises and their solutions. Problems are classified by their level of difficulty. Each chapter has references and selected web pages to vividly illustrate each example. In addition, to engage students and increase their comprehension and rate of retention, many examples involve real-world situations.  

• bioprocess engineering
• chemical engineering
• food engineering
• biochemical engineering

Without any strategy at all I was trying to solve very simple material balance problems, and was constantly failing. After reading and conscientiously following the procedures proposed by Drs. Simpson and Sastry, the material balance exercises were never again a problem. I am very thankful for this book. —Paulina Galaz, Bachelor of Biochemistry, Universidad Católica de Chile.

Material balance problems can easily get complicated if you do not follow proper procedure. The method proposed in this book allowed me to correctly define the necessary steps and then solve complex problems, which could not have been solved without the application of such procedures. —Clio Peirano, Chemical Engineering, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María.

During my first year of Chemical Engineering, material balance problems were a nightmare. Fortunately, I read and carefully study the proposed methods by Drs. Simpson and Sastry. Now I can proudly say that material balance is my strength. —Natalia Valencia, Chemical Engineering, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María.

• Chemical and Environmental Engineering D, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile

  Ricardo Simpson

• The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA

  Sudhir K. Sastry

Ricardo Simpson, Professor, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Valparaíso, Chile.

Sudhir Sastry, Professor, The Ohio State University, Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

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