Catalog Description
3 Credits. Introduction of physical unit operations common in biological processes for agricultural and food processing, biotechnological processing, and biological waste management.

Required References
PA. Belter, E.L. Cussler, and W.S. Hu, 1988, Bioseparations, Wiley.

1994, Bioprocess Engineering: Systems, Equipment and Facilities, B.K. Lyndersen, N.A. D’Elia, and K.L. Nelson (eds.)Wiley.

L. Svarovsky, ed., 1990, Solid-Liquid Separation, 3rd edition, Butterworth-Heinemann.

Ojectives
Provide an introduction of unit operations common in biological processes for agricultural and food processing, biotechnological processing, and waste water treatment. This course stresses process engineering concepts as well as facility design, operation and selection.

Prerequisites:
One semester of college physics.

Schedule:
Two 50-minute class and one 50-minute lab sessions per week.

Designation:
Required course.

Topics:

1. Overview of Biosystems Unit Operations.
2. Material Handling: solid size reduction/sorting; conveyers and trucks; pumps; fans; valves; piping; fluid transport in conduits; flow measurement; mixing.
3. Solid/Liquid Separation in Bioprocesses: screening/filtration, sedimentation, and centrifugation.
4. Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Systems.
5. Gas/Liquid and Liquid/Liquid Separations: absorption/desorption/VOC removal and adsorption.
6. Other Unit Operations: refrigeration, evaporation, and drying; pasteurization.
7. Process Integration and Applications: field trips (a bakery plant and a biological waste treatment plant); case study I: bakery plant; case study II: biological waste treatment plant.
   

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