Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Chapter 1. Scope and Language of Thermodynamics

Chemical processes involve streams undergoing various transformations. One example is shown in Figure 1-1: raw materials are fed into a heated reactor, where they react to form products. The effluent stream, in this case a liquid, contains the products of the reaction, any unreacted raw materials, and possibly other by-products. This stream is pumped out of the reactor into a heat exchanger, where it partially boils. The vapor/liquid mixture is fed into a tank, which collects the vapor at the top, and liquid at the bottom. The streams that exit this tank are finally cooled down and sent to the next stage of the process. Actual processes are generally more complex and may involve many streams and ...