Introduction to Chemical

Engineering Calculations

Md Khairul Islam (Ph.D.)

Applied Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
Rajshahi University
 Dimensions and Units
 Dimensions are our basic concepts of measurement such
as length, time, mass, temperature, and, so on.

 Units are the means of expressing the dimension such as

feet or centimeters for length and seconds or hours for
time.

 A dimension is a measure of a physical variable

(without numerical values), while a unit is a way to
assign a number or measurement to that dimension.

 For example, length is a dimension, but it is measured

in units of feet (ft) or meters (m).
 Dimensions and Units
The two most commonly used systems of units:
 SI system of units.
 AE, or American Engineering system of units
Dimensions and their respective units are classified as:

 Fundamental (or basic) dimensions /units are those that

can be measured independently and are sufficient to
describe essential physical quantities.

 Derived dimensions and units are those that can be

developed in terms of the fundamental dimensions
and units.
 Operations with Units
 Addition, Subtraction, Equality
You can add, subtract, or equate numerical quantities only
if the associated units of the quantities are the same. Thus,
the operation

 5 kilograms + 3 joules --/+ cannot be carried out

 10 pounds + 5 grams ---/+can be performed only
after the units are transformed to be the same.

 Multiplication and Division

You can multiply or divide unlike units at will such as
SO(kg)(m)/(s)
but you cannot cancel or merge units unless they are
identical.
 Dimensional Homogeneity
A basic principle states that equations must be dimensionally
consistent which means each term in an equation must have
the same net dimensions and units as every other term to
which it is added, subtracted, or equated.
 Dimensional Homogeneity
If, dimension F is used for force and E is for energy then the
energy balance equation becomes

This is dimensionally inconsistent. To achieve dimensional

consistency, it is necessary to use dimensional constant
relating to the redundant dimension-
Dimensional Homogeneity
 Dimensionless group
 A groups of symbols, may be put together, have no net units.
Such collections of variables or parameters are called
dimensionless groups.

 One example is the Reynolds number (group) arising in fluid

mechanics.
 Unit conversion
 Example: If a plane travels at twice the speed of sound
(assume that the speed of sound is 1100 ft/s), how fast is it
going in miles per hour?
2 X 1100 ft l miles 60 s 60 min
 Solution:
s 5280 ft 1 min I hr

 Example: (a) Convert 2 km to miles; (b) Convert 400 in3/day

to cm3/min.
 Solution :
 Unit conversion
Example: A semiconductor (ZnS) with a particle diameter of
1.8 nanometers. Convert this value to: (a) dm (decimeters) (b)
inches.
Solution:

Example: Water has a density of 62.4 lbm /ft 3 . How much

does 2.000 ft 3 of water weigh at sea level and 45° latitude?
 Unit conversion
Example: What is the potential energy in (ft)(lb1) of a 100
lb drum hanging 10 ft above the surface of the earth with reference to the
surface of the earth?
Solution:

Example: Experiments show that I µg mol of glucoamylase in a 4%

starch solution results in a production rate of glucose of 0.6 µg mol/(ml
)(min). Determine the production rate of glucose for this system in the
units of lb mol/(ft3)(day).

Solution:

Basis: 1 min
 Unit conversion
Example: Convert 25 liter-atm to Btu
Solution-
1000 𝑐𝑚3 1 𝑓𝑡 3 14.7 𝑙𝑏𝑓 /𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ2 12 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 2 1 𝐵𝑡𝑢
25 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 − 𝑎𝑡𝑚 × × ( ) × ×( ) ×
1 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 30.4 𝑐𝑚 1 𝑎𝑡𝑚 1 𝑓𝑡 778 𝑓𝑡−𝑙𝑏𝑓

1000 1 3 14.7 12 2 1
= 25 × ×( ) × ×( ) ×
1 30.4 1 1 778

𝑐𝑚3 𝑓𝑡 3 𝑙𝑏𝑓 /𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ2 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 2 𝐵𝑡𝑢

𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 − 𝑎𝑡𝑚 × × ( ) × ×( ) ×
𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑚 𝑎𝑡𝑚 𝑓𝑡 𝑓𝑡−𝑙𝑏𝑓
= 2.52 𝐵𝑡𝑢

1 𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 14.7 𝑙𝑏𝑓 /𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ2 1 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 1000𝑐𝑚3

1 𝑓𝑡 = 12 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ = 30.4 𝑐𝑚 1 𝐵𝑡𝑢 = 778𝑓𝑡 − 𝑙𝑏𝑓
Validation of Problem Solutions
 Repeat the calculations, possibly in a different order.
 Start with the answer and perform the calculations in
reverse order.
 Review your assumptions and procedures. Make sure two
errors do not cancel each other.
 Compare numerical values with experimental data or data
in a database (handbooks, the Internet, textbooks).
 Examine the behavior of the calculation procedure. For
example, use another starting value and check that the
result changed appropriately.
 Assess whether the answer is reasonable given what you
know about the problem and its background.
 Significant Figures
The significant figures of a given number are those significant or important
digits, which convey the meaning according to its accuracy. For example,
6.658 has four significant digits.These substantial figures provide precision
to the numbers.
 Significant Figures
 All non-zero digits are significant. 198745 contains six significant digits.
 All zeros that occur between any two non zero digits are significant. For
example, 108.0097 contains seven significant digits.
 All zeros that are on the right of a decimal point and also to the left of a
non-zero digit is never significant. For example, 0.00798 contained three
significant digits.
 All zeros that are on the right of a decimal point are significant, only if, a
non-zero digit does not follow them. For example, 20.00 contains four
significant digits.
 All the zeros that are on the right of the last non-zero digit, after the
decimal point, are significant. For example, 0.0079800 contains five
significant digits.
 All the zeros that are on the right of the last non-zero digit are significant
if they come from a measurement. For example, 1090 m contains four
significant digits
 Significant Figures
Not significant: Not significant: Significant:
zero for "cosmetic" zeros used only to all zeros between
purpose locate the decimal point nonzero numbers

0 . 0 0 4 0 0 4 5 0 0

Significant:
Significant: zeros at the end of a
all nonzero integers number to the right of
decimal point
 Significant Figures
 When you add or subtract numbers, keep the same number
of decimal places as the factor with the least amount.
Example : 1.234 + 5.67 =6.90 Not 6.904

 When you multiply or divide numbers, keep the same number

of significant figures as the factor with the least number of
significant figures.
Example : 1.2 x 4.56 = 5.5 Not 5.472