I/EC New Books

Process Engineering Calculations

MACK TYNER, Ronald Press Co., New York, Ν. Υ. 1960. $8.50. Re­viewed by L. G. MASSEY, Universal Oil Products Co., Des Plaines, Ill.

I HE BOOK, "Process Engineering Calculations," was written for stu­dents enrolled in a first course in chemical engineering. It is or­ganized into four parts, each sub­divided into several chapters. In­clusion of basic technology in the fields of rocket and nuclear fuels pro­vides added value to its use in chemi­cal engineering curricula. The book leaves something to be desired in the area of clear explanatory ma­terial. However, much of this is compensated for by the extensive presentation of illustrative problems and a plentiful supply of practice problems.

Part I (introduction and three chapters) deals with universal prin­ciples and unit conversions, ideal gas law and gas reactions, and behavior of real substances. Treatment of these subjects includes simple dia­grammatic descriptions of instru­ments used for commercial measure­ment of fluid densities and rates. Little space is devoted to the behavior of real gases, and it is unfortunate that equations of state are not discussed. Van der Waals ' equa­tion, for example, might have been used effectively to support the theo­rem of corresponding states and the applicability of the generalized gas compressibility factor.

Part II is devoted to chemical process material balances (three chapters), and deals with flow dia­grams, unit chemical processes, and separation processes. Chapter 4 presents five kinds of flow diagram— information, material, energy, signal, economics—and includes good proc­ess descriptions of the manufacture of carbon disulfide and sulfur. O p ­timal processing is referred to by using a simple example, without discussion of linear programming and operations research. Three pages are devoted to chemical prod­

uct classification, specifications, data sources, chemical industry fire and health hazards, and the various professional and trade associations linked with the chemical industries.

Chapter 5 introduces incomplete chemical reactions and the conse­quent use of recycle streams. Hy­drogénation, hydrolysis, halogena-tion, and combustion are selected as exemplary unit processes for detailed discussion and illustration of the applicable process calculations. Some criticism of example process calculations in all chapters is di­rected at the extensive use of con­densed dimensional and numerical fractions for illustration, to the exclusion of step-by-step illustration of the problem-solving logic that was used.

Chapter 6 (separation processes) deals briefly with froth flotation and electrical separation of solids, then proceeds to a major discussion of phase separations with extensive use of phase diagrams. Pure sub­stance, binary and ternary equilib­rium phase diagrams are treated, with many examples showing their interpretation and application to process calculations. In the opinion of this reviewer, interpretation of phase diagrams could have been strengthened with more emphasis upon the nature of the eutectic reaction and the appearance of a completely solidified system of non-eutectic composition when examined microscopically.

Part I I I (four chapters) is devoted to energy changes in physical and chemical processes, and fossil and nuclear fuel technologies. The prin­ciple of the general energy balance and its application to batch and flow-type processes is introduced in chap­ter 7, followed by the common thermodynamic properties without reference to the defining differential equations of thermodynamics. Us­ing many examples, these properties are repeatedly demonstrated in ap­plications to pure substances. En­thalpies of binary systems are il­lustrated liberally with examples and enthalpy-concentration diagrams. The author has done well in present­

ing this material without invoking the mysteries of thermodynamics.

Chapter 8 deals with thermo­chemistry, reactor operation under isothermal, adiabatic, and other con­ditions, and electrochemical proc­esses. Chapter 9 (fossil fuels) treats successively the gaseous, liquid, and solid fuel technologies, combus­tion process calculations, and fuel utilization in boilers and various prime movers. A short section is devoted to the combustion of fuels in rocket motors, including the cal­culation of specific impulse for a given fuel and oxidizer.

The elements of nuclear fuel technology are presented in chapter 10, with a brief treatment of such topics as energy units, the nature of atomic particles, nuclear struc­ture, nuclear disintegration, and nuclear reactions. Fission of U235

and the processing of uranium con­stitute the remaining topics.

The final chapter is entitled "Mathematics Applied to Processes." I t is directed at the formulation of problems in terms of differential equations and, for simple equations, presents the solutions obtained. By means of three illustrative problems from dissimilar fields (each leads to a simple linear differential equation), the author demonstrates the princi­ple of mathematical analogy.

"Process Engineering Calcula­tions" is not intended as an advanced treatment of the subject. Within this scope, the purpose of the book achieved: " to help the student develop facility in applying the laws of the conservation of matter and of energy to the solution of industrial chemical process problems."

This reviewer believes that there should have been some discussion of the concept of equilibrium. The author has confined himself to a single-sentence definition in a foot­note on page 55. Much could have been contributed to student under­standing by the inclusion of one or two paragraphs in the early chapters describing the dynamic nature of a system at equilibrium, so important for a clear understanding of nearly any physical or chemical process.

VOL. 52, NO. 11 · NOVEMBER 1960 8 5 A