Chemical engineering uses separation processes such as distillation, evaporation, and crystallization to extract components with higher purity. Engineers design new processes for each project, such as boiling fermented fruit mixture for alcohol distillation or using evaporation to separate solids from fluids. Crystallization is used in the pharmaceutical industry, while waste removal uses flotation and liquid-liquid separation processes. Chemical engineering determines how to remove contaminants and create clean separation between water and waste.
A separation process is any process that can take a combination or mixture of several components and extract at least one component with a higher purity than the original mixture. Distillation, evaporation and crystallization are common separation processes in chemical engineering. Experts use chemical engineering to design a new separation process for each project they propose.
There are many ways to design a separation process. The distillation of the alcohol for the production of the liqueur is done by boiling the original fermented fruit mixture. Once the vapors begin to rise, engineers begin cooling and condensing those vapors that have higher purity than alcohol. This distillation process is performed under precise conditions because other contaminants are also separated during the distillation process.
Evaporation is used as a separation process usually when a solid product is covered by a fluid, such as water. Clouds are created by evaporation when hot, dry air picks up water as it passes over bodies of water. This same process is used and creatively designed to act as a separation process. Chemical engineers calculate which hot gases will collect the cooler fluids to invent a new evaporative separation process. Often vacuums and pumps are used to control the flow of gases.
Crystallization is used in the pharmaceutical industry. In chemical engineering, the separation of the active ingredient from the other components in a batch requires the addition of hydrochloric acid for a limited time. The medicine is absorbed into the acid and, drying it under the right conditions, causes crystallization. This forms small crystals with the active ingredient as a powdered medicine, which is then pressed into a pill shape for use.
Other common types of separation processes can be seen in waste removal. Most are used in waste water systems, such as flotation. Chemical engineering is used to determine what just floats to the top and how to remove it, like garbage in a river.
A liquid-liquid separation process has a purpose in wastewater systems similar to oil floating on water. If the liquids don’t mix well they will form bubbles and layers. This can be increased for easy extraction with the use of selective heating. Heat a wastewater pool to boil all organic components at the surface. Chemical engineering uses heat and additives to create a clean separation between water and waste.
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