CHEMICAL ENGINEER
One could assume from the name “Chemical Engineer”, the job of
a chemical engineer is to manufacture chemicals. However, that assumption
is not correct. A chemical engineer turns raw materials into valuable
products. Chemical engineering science utilizes mass, momentum, and
energy transfer along with thermodynamics and chemical kinetics to analyze
and improve unit operations, such as distillation, mixing, & biological
processes. The necessary skills touch upon all aspects of design,
testing, scale-up, operation, control, and optimization. Chemical
engineers have been nicknamed “universal engineers” because they must be
versatile (able to handle a wide range of technical problems).
Education is very important in the career of a chemical engineer.
They must have a background in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and
the art of engineering. Expertise in these different skills help
chemical engineers overcome technical problems in a safe and economical
fashion. On the website I researched (http://home.ptd.net/~swenger/),
there were several links offering education and career opportunities from
schools such as The University of Kansas, Boise State University, and Virginia
Tech.
The job title of chemical engineer is an elite one. Out
of the four engineering fields (civil engineering, electrical engineering,
chemical engineering, and mechanical engineering), chemical engineers are
the smallest group but the highest paid. In the booklet accompanying this
article, there is a graph and table comparing the wages of chemical engineers
to other engineering fields. However, the group of chemical engineers
are so small that there are only 70,000 practicing chemical engineers,
and only 135,000 in history (including those alive today). More than half
of all chemical engineers are contributing to society right now!
Chemical engineers have held or are currently holding prominent positions
in large corporations. For example, chemical engineers have been
or currently are CEO’s at: 3M, DuPont, General Electric, Union Carbide,
Dow Chemical, Exxon, BASF, Gulf Oil, Texaco, and BF Goodrich.
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers released a list
of the 10 greatest accomplishments of chemical engineers. The list is as
follows:
1. The Splitting of the Atom and Isolating Isotopes
The splitting of the atom brought a conclusion to World War II
as the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
The atomic bomb was a result of the splitting of the atom. Doctors
use isotopes to monitor bodily functions and biologists use isotopes to
gain valuable insight into the basic mechanisms of life.
2. The Plastic Age
Chemical engineers used polymer chemistry and made mass produced
polymers a viable economic reality. This resulted in mass produced
plastic used in many everyday products ranging from medical instruments
to cooking utensils.
3. Human Reactor
Chemical engineers studied complex chemical processes by breaking
them up into “unit operations” (i.e.- heat exchangers, filters, chemical
reactors). This resulted in clinical care, diagnostic & therapeutic
devices, and artificial organs.
4. Wonder Drugs for the Masses
Chemical engineers take small amounts of antibiotics and increase
their yields several thousand times through mutation and brewing techniques.
Today’s low price, high volume drugs owe their existence to the work of
chemical engineers.
5. Synthetic Fibers
Anything from blankets to pillows to sweaters have all been made
from synthetic fibers.
6. Liquefied Air
Air cooled to -320 degrees Farenheit condenses into liquid.
Chemical engineers separate out the different components. Purified
nitrogen can be used to recover petroleum, freeze food, produce semi-conductors,
or prevent unwanted reactions. Oxygen is used to make steel, smelte
copper, weld metals together and support the lives of hospital patients.
7. Improved Food Products
Chemical fertilizers provide nutrients to crops which improve
growing and feed poor nations. Improvements have also been made in
food processing thanks to chemical engineers. This brings about better
tasting and nutritious food.
8. Environment
Chemical engineers provide economical answers to cleaning waste
and preventing tomorrow’s pollution. Catalytic converters, reformulated
gasoline, and smoke stack scrubbers are all products of chemical engineers.
9. Petrochemicals
Chemical engineers used catalytic cracking to break down organic
molecules in crude oil into: gasoline, lubricating oils, plastics, synthetic
rubber, and synthetic fibers.
10. Synthetic Rubber
Used greatly in World War II, synthetic rubber is another important
product created by chemical engineers. Tires, gaskets, hoses, and
conveyor belts are all made of synthetic rubber.
As you can see from this list, chemical engineers are responsible
for many of the important, everyday products we use. With more than
half of history’s chemical engineers working today, greater improvements
in products are still expected as each day goes by.
