Chemical engineering is the field responsible for turning raw materials into useable materials. Essentially, if a product is manmade, it will have been touched by a chemical engineer at some point in its lifetime. Chemical engineers hold versatile knowledge including mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. Having this broad spectrum of knowledge lets chemical engineers fine-tune production processes, which in turn allows us to reduce our carbon footprint and have a greener planet. In this day and age, chemical engineers are focused on environmental engineering, computer parts, and nanotechnology. Below, we will cover the field of chemical engineering in more detail.
What Is Chemical Engineering?
Chemical engineering is at the backbone of modern society because it is responsible for the management of turning raw materials into useable products. Chemical engineers don’t find the easiest method of production, they work tirelessly in labs to formulate the most cost-effective and green processes. Further, they are responsible for the maintenance of health and safety procedures when working with raw materials. Examples of products made from oil through chemical engineering include petrol, synthetic fibers, and polyester.
Process Engineering
Process engineering is the start of the chemical engineering career for many graduates. Process engineers are responsible for coming up with new ways methods of processing and controlling chemicals. The role requires an understanding of equipment design, which is why some mechanical engineers enter into the role. Typically, process engineers work in labs to fine-tune their ideas. However, owing to the delicate nature of chemical engineering, it’s difficult to transfer lab tests to a production scale. Therefore, they use a pilot plant to fine-tune their theories and ensure they are safe for mass production.
Biochemical Engineering
The field of biochemical engineering is a fast-developing space. Chemical engineers work with scientific breakthroughs to ensure production processes complement the environment and are cost-effective. Biochemical engineers work hard to combat the world’s challenges. For example, they develop vaccinations, work on stem cell treatments, and they attempt to find sustainable energy using biofuels derived from algae.
Nanotechnology
As the name suggests, nanotechnology refers to the management of materials on an extremely small scale. For example, a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. By using nanotechnology, chemical engineers can help revolutionize healthcare, manufacturing, and other essential fields. To do their work, chemical scientists ironically use large machines to access the micro world. One of the most advanced machines today is the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). These advanced telescopes allow chemical engineers to view the nanoworld through a 3D lens. Then, they turn atomic particles into useable materials.
Chemical engineering is crucial to the modern age. Practically all of the manmade products and materials we take for granted have been created by a chemical engineer. There are many different fields within chemical engineering, but they are essentially responsible for fine-tuning the production of raw materials in useable products. Their work implicates the world of technology, the environment, and they even use nanotechnology to enhance technical advancement. Chemical engineering is so versatile that defining it with one article is impossible. There is plenty of further reading out there for you to enjoy.
