During the course of my time in the Navy and working as a high tech professional there have been many nuggets that I have had the opportunity to learn and live. I have posted some of these in the event anyone else could benefit from what I have already experienced.

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering the difference in a word ….Scale

One of the most common things people say to me when I mention I studied Chemical Engineering as an undergraduate is, ”Isn’t that the same as chemistry? "

The two disciplines are similar but they are equal. The reason I should know because during my undergraduate years I temporarily decided to transfer to Chemistry. Eventually, I decided to finish in Chemical Engineering.

The basic course work remains similar for both majors: General Chemistry, and Organic, Calculus, and Physics. The Chemical Engineering students move on to their thermodynamics, Kinetics, Fluid Mechanics, Heat and Mass transfer while the Chemistry student take courses in Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry.

Once you leave the University setting either major will prepare you well for a successful career in industry whether you decide to practice chemistry or move into management, sales or marketing.

The difference between the two comes down to scale. In chemistry the reaction volumes are small. Experiments are carried out in test tubes, glass beaker and volumetric flasks while chemical engineers work on large industrial plants in industries such as petroleum, food, and chemical plants.

The Chemical Engineer understands not only the chemical reaction important but now you must take into account but the heat and mass transfer, flow and momentum of the system.

Both disciplines use the same underlying principle. Molecules come together, react and form other molecules for the Chemist and the Chemical Engineer. It is just a matter of scale.

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Chemical Engineering, got it covered

Many years have gone by since I completed by undergraduate studies at the University of Delaware. Throughout my career I am still amazed how often my training continues to guide me even though I am not a practicing engineer.

The primary reasons I selected Chemical Engineering was I had enjoyed my chemistry classes in high school and wanted to join a profession where I might get a good job with an undergraduate degree.

In the back of my mind I knew it was a versatile degree that would allow a graduate to leverage the training provided into many industries. If, for some reason, I chose not to be a practicing Chemical Engineer then my training would prove useful in whatever I chose to do. 

It seemed like a logical choice with little to lose except more stringent demands than your usual undergraduate engineering student.

After graduation most employers will teach you what you need to learn but the foundation combined with real life experiences can provide unexpected benefits.

My job as an engineered trained sales person to provide technical insight into the technology were examined the merits of marketing and selling within the United States.

One of the growing areas for the future will be renewable energy. These include hydro-electrical, geothermal, wind, solar, and biomass. Once I researched the engineering aspects of these technologies ranging from Lithium Ion Batteries, to composite materials used in wind turbine blades I realized had plenty of technical background to make qualified recommendations.  

From my experience regardless of the technical field that needed answers thanks to my Chemical Engineering training I have the topic covered. Given the rate technology is advancing in some field’s comprehensive technical coverage may not be a bad idea.

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Chemical Engineering in a sentence 

An undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering by and large requires four or five years to complete depending on course load.

The curriculum includes basic physics, calculus, and chemistry. Afterwards in the program student take courses in Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Kinetics.

Additionally, there are pair of full semester labs in which student conduct experiments to reinforce the materials that have learned in the classroom and elective courses in area of their choice.

After 130+ credits and countless hours completing homework sets looking back the entire program of study can be boiled down to one sentence. Chemical Engineering in a sentence can be stated as follows: “A balance of mass, energy, and momentum”.

How can this be? As far the conservation laws say mass (MassOut =Mass In + Mass Created) and energy (E out = E in + Energy lost or created) is not created or destroyed. It simply changes form. Understanding the chemical reactions involved tell us how the structure of the mass and energy are changing.

The temperature, heat, energy generated by and chemical reaction is crucial to safe operation. Once this mass and had due to its movement through pipes. The forces associated with the movement of the mass must be understood as well.

Momentum is an important concept when materials are moving through piping in the large scale plant designed and operated by Chemical Engineers

These are the basis courses which the entire set of courses is established. My first semester Chemical Engineering class Introduction to Chemical Engineering which focused in a large degree to mass Balances in the flow reactor with reactions. Later courses energy balances were studied in detail in my thermodynamics and heat and mass transfer classes while momentum was introduced in my fluid mechanics classes. The latter classes are specialized extensions of the basic topics.

Knowing the three conservation laws does not qualify a person to practice chemical engineering (only years of experience and passing the P.E. exam are the best way to accomplish this) but you have to start somewhere. 

Below is a very interesting video that gives a good overview of Chemical Engineering.