Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Vasan Venugopalan, Department Chair
6000 Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Bldg. (ISEB)
949-824-6412
http://www.eng.uci.edu/dept/cbe
The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering offers the B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and the M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
Chemical Engineering uses knowledge of chemistry, mathematics, physics, biology, and humanities to solve societal problems in areas such as energy, health, the environment, food, clothing, materials, and sustainability and serves a variety of processing industries whose vast array of products include chemicals, petroleum products, plastics, pharmaceuticals, foods, textiles, fuels, consumer products, and electronic and cryogenic materials. Chemical Engineering also advances societal goals by developing environmentally conscious and sustainable technologies to meet global challenges.
The undergraduate curriculum in Chemical Engineering builds on basic courses in chemical engineering, other branches of engineering, and electives which provide a strong background in humanities and human behavior. Elective programs developed by the student with a faculty advisor may include such areas as applied chemistry, biomolecular engineering, chemical reaction engineering, chemical processing, environmental engineering, materials science, process control systems engineering, and biomedical engineering.
Faculty
Affiliate Faculty
Courses
CBE 1. Introduction to Chemical Engineering. 1 Unit.
Helps new students successfully transition to UCI, build a sense of community in the department, develop networking and professional skills, and introduce a variety of industries who employ chemical engineers through a series of guest lectures.
Grading Option: Pass/no pass only.
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 40A. Chemical Processes and Material Balances. 4 Units.
Introduction to chemical engineering and the industries where chemical engineers play vital roles. Problem-solving skills and techniques. Quantitative calculations and applications using mass and energy balances. Stoichiometric equations, multiple bypasses, and others in process industries.
Prerequisite: MATH 2B and PHYS 7C and (CHEM 1B or CHEM H2B)
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Environmental Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 40B. Process Thermodynamics. 3 Units.
Principles of thermodynamics: definitions, basic concepts, and laws; property relationships; construction of thermodynamic charts and tables; energy balances; phase and chemical equilibria; combined mass and energy balances.
Prerequisite: CBE 40A and (MATH 3A or ICS 6N). CBE 40A with a grade of C- or better
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 40C. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. 4 Units.
Elements of chemical engineering thermodynamics, including equilibrium and stability; equations of state; generalized correlations of properties of materials; properties of ideal and non-ideal mixtures; thermodynamics of real solutions; ideal and non-ideal phase equilibria; chemical equilibria for ideal and non-ideal solutions.
Corequisite: ENGRMAE 10
Prerequisite: MAE 10 and MATH 2D and CBE 40B. CBE 40B with a grade of C- or better
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 100. Introduction to Numerical Methods in Engineering. 3 Units.
An introduction to the fundamentals of numerical analysis and the computer algorithms in MATLAB for the solution of engineering problems, with emphasis on problems arising in chemical engineering thermodynamics, transport phenomena, and reaction engineering.
Prerequisite: CBE 40C
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 105. Engineering Physical Chemistry. 4 Units.
Provides an integrated view of both classical and molecular perspectives on thermodynamics, thermodynamic potentials, entropy, and the second law. Students learn how to use statistical mechanics to create a bridge between the quantum mechanical world and the familiar macroscopic one.
Prerequisite: CHEM 1C and CBE 40C and (PHYS 7D or PHYS 7E)
Overlaps with CHEM 132A, CHEM 132B, CHEM 132C.
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 110. Reaction Kinetics and Reactor Design. 4 Units.
Introduction to quantitative analysis of chemical reactions and chemical reactor design. Reactor operations including batch, continuous stirred tank, and tubular reactor. Homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions.
Prerequisite: CHEM 1C and MATH 3D and CBE 40B and CBE 40C and CBE 100. CBE 40B with a grade of C- or better. CBE 40C with a grade of C- or better
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Materials Science and Engineering majors have second consideration for enrollment.
CBE 120A. Momentum Transfer. 4 Units.
Fluid statics, surface tension, Newton's law of viscosity, non-Newtonian and complex flows, momentum equations, laminar and turbulent flow, velocity profiles, flow in pipes and around objects, piping systems design, pumps and mixing, and other applications to chemical and related industries.
Prerequisite: CBE 40C and MATH 3D. CBE 40C with a grade of C- or better
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 120B. Heat Transfer. 3 Units.
Principles of conduction, radiation, and convection of heat; phenomenological rate laws, differential and macroscopic energy balances; heat transfer rates, steady state and unsteady state conduction, convection; applications to chemical and related industries.
Prerequisite: CBE 120A. CBE 120A with a grade of C- or better
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Materials Science and Engineering majors have second consideration for enrollment.
CBE 120C. Mass Transfer. 3 Units.
Molecular and continuum approaches to diffusion and convection in multi-component mixtures; steady state, quasi-steady state and transient mass transfer; effect of reactions on mass transfer; convective mass transfer; simultaneous mass, heat and momentum transfer; applications to chemical and related industries.
Prerequisite: CBE 120B and CBE 100
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Materials Science and Engineering majors have second consideration for enrollment.
CBE 130. Separation Processes. 4 Units.
Application of equilibria and mass and energy balances for design of separation processes. Use of equilibrium laws for design of distillation, absorption, stripping, and extraction equipment. Design of multicomponent separators.
Prerequisite: CBE 40B and CBE 40C. CBE 40B with a grade of C- or better. CBE 40C with a grade of C- or better
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Materials Science and Engineering majors have second consideration for enrollment.
CBE 140A. Chemical Engineering Laboratory I. 4 Units.
CBE 140B. Chemical Engineering Laboratory II. 4 Units.
Continuation of the CBE 140A covering mass transfer operations such as distillation, absorption, extraction, etc. Rate and equilibria studies in simple chemical systems with and without reaction. Study of chemical process. Materials fee.
Prerequisite: CBE 130 and CBE 145 and CBE 140A
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 145. Chemical Process Control. 4 Units.
Dynamic responses and control of chemical process equipment, dynamic modeling of chemical processes, linear system analysis, analyses and design of feedback loops and advanced control systems.
Prerequisite: CBE 110 and CBE 120B and CBE 120C
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 150A. Chemical Engineering Design I. 3 Units.
Introduction to process design; flow sheets for chemical processes; synthesis of multicomponent separation sequences and reaction paths; synthesis of heat exchange networks; computer-aided design and simulation of processes and components pacts.
Prerequisite: CBE 110 and CBE 120C and CBE 130
Restriction: Seniors only. Chemical Engineering Majors only.
CBE 150B. Chemical Engineering Design II. 3 Units.
Application of chemical engineering basics to practical design problems; process economics; process safety; environmental impacts; a major team design project with progress reports, oral presentation, and technical report with engineering drawings and economics.
Prerequisite: CBE 150A
Restriction: Seniors only. Chemical Engineering Majors only.
CBE 160. Engineering Biology. 3 Units.
First-principle introduction to the modern biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology with an engineering language. The goal is to demonstrate that the vastly diverse biological phenomena can be explained by a set of fundamental principles in chemistry, thermodynamics, and kinetics.
CBE 161. Introduction to Biochemical Engineering. 3 Units.
Application of engineering principles to biochemical processes. Topics include microbial pathways, energetics and control systems, enzyme and microbial kinetics, and the design and analysis of biological reactors.
Prerequisite: CBE 110 and CBE 160 and (CHEM 1C or CHEM H2C) and MATH 3D
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 163. Kinetics of Biochemical Networks. 4 Units.
Principles from statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics applied to biochemical systems, from fundamental processes such as receptor-ligand binding and enzyme catalysis, to complex cellular functions including signal transduction and gene regulation.
Prerequisite: CBE 120A and CBE 160
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 172. Applied Spectroscopy. 4 Units.
Designed to teach fundamental principles of spectroscopy and their application to photon and electron spectroscopies of the gas and condensed phases. Covers theoretical principles of rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectroscopies. Specific topics include infrared and Raman spectroscopies, Auger, X-ray, etc.
Prerequisite: CBE 40C and CBE 105 and MATH 3D
Concurrent with CBE 272.
CBE 175. Electrochemical Engineering. 4 Units.
Introduction to fundamentals of electrochemical engineering and its application to variety of energy conversion- and storage-technologies. Planned topics include: electric double layers, reaction kinetics, transport, batteries, fuel-cells.
CBE 176. Nuclear and Radiochemistry. 4 Units.
Advanced treatment of nuclear structure, nuclear reactions, and radioactive-decay processes. Introduction to nuclear activation analysis, isotope effects, radiation chemistry, hot-atom chemistry, nuclear age-dating methods, nuclear reactors, and nuclear power.
Prerequisite: (CHEM M3C or CHEM 1C or CHEM H2C or CHEM M2C) and MATH 2D
Same as CHEM 133.
Restriction: Chemistry Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 181. Polymer Science and Engineering. 4 Units.
An introduction to physical aspects of polymers, including configuration and conformation of polymer chains and characterization techniques; crystallinity, viscoelasticity, mechanical properties, polymer alloys, processing, and application.
Prerequisite: ENGR 54 and (CBE 110 or MSE 165)
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 183. Surface and Adhesion Science. 4 Units.
Structure, thermodynamics of, kinetics, and reactions on surfaces. Surface electronic and mechanical properties and characterization of all classes of materials including metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, and soft materials. Adhesion between different materials is also addressed.
Prerequisite: (CBE 110 or MSE 165C) and (MSE 141 or MSE 69)
Same as MSE 176.
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Materials Science and Engr Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 187. Semiconductor Device Packaging. 3 Units.
Introduction to the semiconductor device packaging and assembly process. Electrical, thermal, optical, and mechanical aspects of package design and reliability. Special topics on optoelectronics packaging are covered.
Prerequisite: CBE 40B
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment. Materials Science and Engr Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 195. Special Topics in Chemical Engineering. 1-4 Units.
Studies in selected areas of Chemical Engineering. Topics addressed vary each quarter.
Prerequisite: Prerequisites vary.
Repeatability: Unlimited as topics vary.
CBE 197. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Internship. 2-12 Units.
Students majoring in CBE may receive credit for an approved internship, working at a company under the supervision of an industry mentor and a faculty advisor. Enables students to gain valuable experience in a professional setting and enhance their skills.
Grading Option: Pass/no pass only.
Repeatability: May be taken for credit 3 times.
CBE 198. Group Study. 1-4 Units.
Group study of selected topics in engineering.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.
Restriction: Upper-division students only.
CBE 199. Individual Study. 1-4 Units.
For undergraduate engineering majors in supervised but independent readings, research, or design. Students taking individual study for design credit are to submit a written paper to the instructor and to the Undergraduate Student Affairs Office in the School of Engineering.
Repeatability: May be taken for credit for 8 units.
Restriction: Chemical Engineering Majors have first consideration for enrollment.
CBE 199P. Individual Study. 1-4 Units.
For undergraduate Engineering majors in supervised but independent reading, research, or design. Students taking individual study for design credit are to submit a written paper to the instructor and to the Undergraduate Student Affairs Office in The School of Engineering.
Grading Option: Pass/no pass only.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.
CBE 200. Applied Engineering Mathematics I. 4 Units.
Analytical techniques applied to engineering problems in transport phenomena, process dynamics and control, and thermodynamics.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 210. Reaction Engineering. 4 Units.
Advanced topics in reaction engineering, reactor stability analysis, diffusional effect in heterogeneous catalysis, energy balance, optimization of reactor operation, dispersed in phase reactors.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 220A. Transport Phenomena I. 4 Units.
Continuum modeling and analysis of heat and mass transfer from an integrated viewpoint. Scaling concepts, relevance of characteristic time- and length-scales, steady- and unsteady-state processes, bounded and unbounded problems, and convective transport, with applications to chemical and biological processes.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 220B. Transport Phenomena II. 4 Units.
Introduces flow of isothermal fluids from a momentum transport viewpoint. Steady- and unsteady-state creeping and laminar flows; viscous and inviscid flows; Navier-Stokes equations; lubrication theory; boundary layer theory; with specific application to complex chemical and biological engineering processes.
Prerequisite: CBE 220A. CBE 220A with a grade of B- or better
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 240. Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics. 4 Units.
Introduction to modern thermodynamics and applications, with a focus on aspects relevant to chemical and materials engineering. Mathematical tools; equilibrium and stability; microscope rigorous equations of state; molecular-level thermodynamics of real mixtures; and phase and chemical equilibrium.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 249. Special Topics in Chemical Engineering. 1-4 Units.
Studies in selected areas of Chemical Engineering. Topics addressed vary each quarter.
Prerequisite: Prerequisites vary.
Repeatability: Unlimited as topics vary.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 250. Research Methods and Technical Communication. 4 Units.
Intended for Ph.D. students to develop critical research skills in creating archival papers, intellectual property and technical proposals, and in analysis of the scientific literature.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 261. Molecular Biotechnology. 4 Units.
Engineering and biological principles important in recombinant cell technology. Host/vector selection; plasmid propagation; optimization of cloned gene expression; metabolic engineering; protein secretion; experimental techniques; modeling of recombinant cell systems.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 262. Metabolic Engineering and Synthetic Biology. 4 Units.
Synthesis of chemicals from renewable carbon and energy sources using.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 264. Drug Delivery. 4 Units.
Introduction to design of drug delivery systems. Includes physicochemical and pharmacokinetic considerations in drug formulations, types of therapeutics, routes of administration, biomaterials, and novel drug delivery systems.
CBE 266. Bioseparation Processes. 4 Units.
Introduction to design of bioseparation processes. The recovery and purification of biologically produced proteins, chemicals, and particulates are important. Focuses on the use of chemical engineering skills and principles in the analysis and design of biologically-based processes.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 271. Catalysis. 4 Units.
Establish the microscopic thermodynamics of rate constants and develop quantitative rate laws to model multistep reaction kinetics typical of catalyzed reactions. Common elementary chemical transformations and characteristics of catalytic materials are discussed, citing reactions from industry and current research.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
Concurrent with CBE 171.
CBE 272. Applied Spectroscopy. 4 Units.
Designed to teach fundamental principles of spectroscopy and their application to photon and electron spectroscopies of the gas and condensed phases. Covers theoretical principles of rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectroscopies. Specific topics include infrared and Raman spectroscopies, Auger, X-ray, etc.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
Concurrent with CBE 172.
CBE 276. Nuclear and Radiochemistry. 4 Units.
Advanced treatment of nuclear structure, nuclear reactions, and radioactive-decay processes. Introduction to nuclear activation analysis, isotope effects, radiation chemistry, hot-atom chemistry, nuclear age-dating methods, nuclear reactors, and nuclear power.
Same as CHEM 233.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 277. Detection and Measurement of Radiation. 4 Units.
Basic principles of detection and measurement of ionizing radiation; both theory and practical aspects of measurement techniques for alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron radiation, properties of different detector materials, electronics and data treatments, and analysis.
Prerequisite: CHEM 233 or CBE 276. CHEM 233 with a grade of B- or better. CBE 276 with a grade of B- or better
Same as CHEM 244.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 280. Advanced Polymer Science and Engineering. 4 Units.
The synthesis, characterization, microstructure, rheology, and properties of polymer materials. Polymers in solution and in the liquid, crystalline and glassy states. Engineering and processing properties, including viscoelasticity and rheology. Forming and processing methods. Environmental issues.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 282. Colloid Science and Engineering. 4 Units.
An introduction to the basic foundations of colloid science, interfacial phenomena, suspensions and complex fluids, and engineering and assembly of colloidal materials.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 283. Surface and Adhesion Science. 4 Units.
Structure, thermodynamics of, kinetics, and reactions on surfaces. Surface electronic and mechanical properties and characterization of all classes of materials including metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, and soft materials. Adhesion between different materials is also addressed.
Same as MSE 276.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 295. Seminars in Engineering. 1-4 Units.
Seminars scheduled each year by individual faculty in major field of interest.
Grading Option: Satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.
Repeatability: Unlimited as topics vary.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 296. Master of Science Thesis Research. 1-16 Units.
Individual research or investigation conducted in preparation for the thesis required for the M.S. degree.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 297. Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Research. 1-16 Units.
Individual research or investigation conducted in preparation for the dissertation required for the Ph.D. degree.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 298. Seminars in Engineering. 2 Units.
Presentation of advanced topics and reports of current research efforts in chemical engineering.
Grading Option: Satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.
Restriction: Graduate students only.
CBE 299. Individual Research. 1-16 Units.
Individual research or investigation under the direction of an individual faculty member.
Grading Option: Satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.
Restriction: Graduate students only.