Reddit mentions: The best plant design books

Right, so it comes down to doing the calculations and figuring out what's going to be most beneficial overall.

I was thinking some more about topsoil...plants get the carbon from air, but bacteria, fungi, and nematodes eat the plant matter, and are eaten in turn by insects and worms. Worms aerate the soil and produce great fertilizer. All these critters get broken down into humus, which are big complicated molecules mostly made of carbon. They make nutrients easily accessible to plants, and help the soil retain water.

All that benefit goes away if you take away the carbon and make CO2 out of it. Now you're stuck applying plant nutrients in massive amounts directly. All those microorganisms are driven away and the soil gradually depletes. Chemical fertilizers actually break apart humus molecules. You've got runoff into oceans, you're using more water for irrigation, and you're losing carbon from soil instead of sequestering it.

The most optimistic estimates I've seen say that in theory we could get CO2 back to pre-industrial levels in a decade if we took full advantage of topsoil formation. (But then we're done...there's a limit to how much topsoil can be made, so we still need to get to net-zero emissions.) In the real world I think that's pretty unrealistic, but it's clear that topsoil could be a major component of a real global-warming solution.

A really good book on this soil stuff is The Biochar Solution. (It's not the one with the super-optimistic view.)

I don't think any single solution is really the silver bullet, assuming we don't get a nice surprise like cheap fusion. But if we restored our topsoil, used wind, solar, and tidal power as much as we could, rolled out Gen 3 and 4 nuclear, applied a price on carbon, and used other methods of sequestering carbon like the "artificial trees" that have been in the news, I think we might have a shot. I think we're in deep enough trouble that we really need all of these.

Ahhhhh, it all makes sense now, thanks for finally dropping a clue about your credentials. Sorry if I was brusque; I'll clue you into something. Years ago I was also an engineering grad student (also for free) and foolishly thought all that groovy stuff I was learning actually meant something. It does, don't get me wrong, but not in the way I thought it did. Professional engineering is not science; we make assumptions, we take short cuts, we use handbooks and correlations. We have to be able to call upon that school knowledge to help guide us in making decisions but the work we do is something entirely different. Diffusivities (be they related to neutrons, heat transfer, momentum transfer, or mass transfer) are known well enough over the appropriate regions for most engineering calculation. You may claim that this is false, or far from the truth, but I don't have the time to go over 3 semesters of nuclear power plant design theory. What I will do, though, since you are in engineer school as we type, is point you to the library: this one and that one are good starting places. A tip: if you mention Lamarsh in a question about nuclear engineering, every nuclear engineer in sight will automatically treat you with respect and answer your question or point you to someone who can.




I know I'm not going to change your mind about this so I'll stop trying; you do seem very passionate about it and I respect that. However, I do resent you implication that I'm only doing this for money(ha!), prestige (double-ha!), or curiosity (well, I am curious, but not really my purpose for working in this industry).




I also just noticed that you edited your original reply while I've been typing. I'm sorry if I've upset you, but you do have a rather abrasive way of conversing in these threads and before I realized where you were coming from I wasn't sure how to approach it. For the record I do not work at a plant but at a vendor (we design and analyze nuclear safety systems) and I hold both a B.S. and M.S. in nuclear engineering, concentrated in thermal-hydraulics design and analysis (although apparently this doesn't make me a real engineer in you definition). I guess the really infuriating thing about your threads is that you're painting an entire sector of the engineering community with the same brush, but no bother I guess. I'd like to reply to each of the searing accusations you put forth in your edited reply, but I fear they would fall on deaf ears. If you'd like to actually ask me a real engineering question and get a real answer, feel free to PM me, these threads just aren't suited to that type of exchange.




Best of luck on your finals and, I assume, your Quals (if you haven't already taken them).

I don't know of any that compare, but, the Napoleon's Buttons is SUPPOSED to be good.

http://www.amazon.com/Napoleons-Buttons-Molecules-Changed-History/dp/1585423319/

Other books, engineering related, that I liked are:

Norm Lieberman's Process Troubleshooting books, the guy cracks me up!

Working Guide to Process Equipment (3rd edition probably cheaper): http://www.amazon.com/Working-Guide-Process-Equipment-Fourth/dp/0071828060/

Process Equipment Malfunctions (not as good as the other one, some overlap, but still worthwhile, and covers more breadth for individual issues): http://www.amazon.com/Process-Equipment-Malfunctions-Techniques-Identify/dp/0071770208/

The Prize (mentioned above): http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1439110123/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/188-3799228-4803548

The Quest (Follow on to The Prize): http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Energy-Security-Remaking-Modern/dp/0143121944/

Oil 101: http://www.amazon.com/Oil-101-Morgan-Downey/dp/0982039204/

The Mythical Man Month (Not engineering directly as it pertains to software, but, projects and project management are huge in engineering, though this book is timeless): http://www.amazon.com/Mythical-Man-Month-Software-Engineering-Anniversary/dp/0201835959/

Piping Systems Manual (You can NEVER know enough about pipe!): http://www.amazon.com/Piping-Systems-Manual-Brian-Silowash/dp/0071592768/

Pumps and Pumping Operations (OMG it is $4, hardcover, go buy now! This book is great... did you know OSU didn't teach their Chem E's about pumps? I was flabbergasted, gave this to our intern and he became not a scrub by learning about pumps!): http://www.amazon.com/Pumping-Operations-Prentice-Pollution-Equipment/dp/0137393199/

Any good engineer needs to understand MONEY too:

The Ascent of Money: http://www.amazon.com/Ascent-Money-Financial-History-World/dp/0143116177/

It's Nial Fergesuon, who has had his own series of dramas and dumb stuff. The Ascent of Money has a SLIGHT libertarian tinge... but it wasn't bad enough that I didn't enjoy it. I consider it a history book, and he attempts to write it like one.

Have fun!

That job sounds about right for an analytical chemist tbh. You asked for Books and I will give you books.

The all-around grand champion book for chemical engineers to have is Perry’s handbook.

In chemistry you did remedial thermodynamics in comparison to what chemical engineers are given, so I suggest this book as a primer in chemical thermodynamics. It covers phase equilibria, basic thermodynamics, and non-ideal behavior at a depth not seen in chemistry programs.

For heat and mass transfer I used this book in my undergrad. This is something that was almost certainly left untouched in your chemistry program.

For reaction engineering, I used [Folger’s book] (https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Chemical-Reaction-Engineering-4th/dp/0130473944/). You might recognize some of the constituent pieces, but this will bring it all together to solve for definite times and conversions.

More applicable to your direct job is process control. [Bequette's book] (https://www.amazon.com/Process-Control-Modeling-Design-Simulation/dp/0133536408/) will probably be one of the most directly important books on this list for you as far as process monitoring goes. And [this book] (https://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Synthesis-Processes-International-Engineering/dp/0132618125/) will give your insight into why processes are made the way they are.

The most important book in the list is [Process Safety] (https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Process-Safety-Fundamentals-International/dp/0131382268/). It is important that you understand what is and is not dangerous, along with what it and is not safe. You can skip the blast calcs, but do look at the TLV data, because that will come up for emissions.

This list is overbuilt and if you only have time for 3 pick the last 3 I listed and pick up a cheap Perry’s handbook for reference.

Though most of my career has been as a process plant designer and troubleshooter, I spent seven years trying to teach a more professional understanding of chem eng in higher education, the last four as an Associate Professor at Nottingham University. I know from my own experience that this stuff can be taught by someone who understands it, whilst still teaching the fundamentals. I wrote a book on it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Applied-Guide-Process-Plant-Design/dp/0128002425

There is indeed process specific knowledge, but the fundamental basis of chem eng is that there is a large body of non-process specific knowledge.

I had first and second year students designing water treatment plants, pharma plants, and nuclear processing plants. I used real plants from my own experience and that of visiting professional engineers. The visitors didnt just turn up for an hour-long anecdotal lecture. Students got a two-day intensive crash course in sufficient sector specific know-how to allow them to make use of their generic skills.

Internships are great, but in the UK we are presently training twice as many chem eng grads are there are jobs for them. Academia would like industry to do all of the heavy lifting, but I think it is fair for industry to ask for basic competence out of grads. Medical schools would never get away with turning out grads with no practical knowledge

Just get the book man... thats all u need honestly. I took the book and a few other support books (but this is honestly the only one i used) and i passed the first time.

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Engineering-Reference-Manual-7th/dp/1591264103/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1521490020&sr=8-3&keywords=chemical+engineering+PE

Also get the practice question book - very useful

https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Problems-Chemical-Engineering-Exam/dp/1591264111/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521490020&sr=8-2&keywords=chemical+engineering+PE

I really enjoyed High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals by Kuffel. Took a graduate level HV lab at University and used this book to supplement my lecture notes. Very cool book for a very cool topic.

ah cool thx for the list. ill start from that order when i have time and can get ahold of those books.

to make sure,

A working guide to process equipment =

Lieberman Distillation operation ???

kister Distillation design =

kister Distillation troubleshooting =

kister Distillation design and control using aspen =

luyben = ????

, it seems kister distillation design is pretty easy to get a hold of. would it also be fine to start from there?

also, back in uni, the book i used to distillation column (which was in separations course) was mccabe. what do you think about mccabe for distillation? I never learned anything from it regarding distillation section, but if others think its good, ill have another go at it.

For pleasure:

• The Disappearing Spoon
  
• Periodic Tales
  
• Stuff Matters
  
• Molecules of Murder
  
• The Elements of Murder
  
• The Elements
  
• Molecules
  
• Molecules that Changed the World
  
• The Chemistry Book
  
  Undergraduate
  
  
• Organic:
  Organic Chemistry as a Second Language, The art of writing reasonable organic reaction mechanisms
  
  
• Inorganic: Inorganic Chemistry, Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory
  
  
• Analytical: Principles of Instrumental Anlsysis, Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
  
  Graduate
  
  
• Organic: Advanced Practical Organic Chemistry, March's Advanced Organic Chemistry, Greene's Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, Purification of Laboratory Chemicals, Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis
  
• Inorganic: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

I proffer the speculation that the aggressive flight profile (this payload was just a couple hundred Kg short of Echostar 23, one that required an expendable flight) meant more heating on the outer skin with the result that the engine-soot stuck better.

The Impact of Ash Deposition On Coal Fired Plants says "adhesive strength increases with increasing substrate metal temperature".

Three theories on why the skin temperature might have been higher if the above applies to kerolox exhaust:

• Aggressive re-entry - Downside to this theory is that we've seen other 'hot' stages that haven't looked as dirty.
  
• Higher glide-ratio entry profile (which seems to be the direction they're going for Block V's new gridfins) to increase air-drag braking meant greater 'heat soak'. (My favorite of the three)
  
• Some quality to the surface paint that's an artifact of it being a flown stage, like some level of 'gloss' that might minimize future sticking soot got burned off on the first flight.

I think this book might be useful to you:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071828060/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487830606&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=a+working+guide+to+process+equipment&dpPl=1&dpID=51ZkmH8DRYL&ref=plSrch

As a process engineer here are some books i either use almost every day, or find very very useful:

Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers:

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Thumb-Chemical-Engineers-Fifth/dp/0123877857

Crane Technical Paper no. 410.

https://www.amazon.com/Fluids-Through-Valves-Fittings-TP-410/dp/B003152YTG

Chemical Engineering Reference Manual:

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Engineering-Reference-Manual-7th/dp/1591264103

GPSA Data Book (I have an electronic copy, your mileage finding a paper copy may vary):

http://www.browntechnical.org/products/gpsa-engineering-data-book-fps-english-unit.html

Perry's Handbook will tell you the detailed physics behind them.

I enjoyed http://www.amazon.com/Working-Process-Equipment-Norman-Lieberman/dp/0071496742

It's more on the practical and anecdotal side, but still has plenty of mathematics.

The 9th edition is available for preorder and will be released August 17th, 2018 according to Amazon!

Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, 9th Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071834087/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6jaZAbW79CFH7

Ethanol is a very common recrystallization solvent. This is sitting on my desk right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if half of the recrystallization procedures in it call for ethanol. More relevantly, it also is non-toxic, which is useful if you're using it to purify something that's going to be consumed.

I'd posit that you could find a better recrystallization solvent if you tried hard enough, but it probably wouldn't be much better, and it'd probably be toxic.

pdf download for that book, if anyone is interested. It comes in handy on occasion.

Looking for this full textbook PDF download https://www.amazon.com/Working-Guide-Process-Equipment-Fourth/dp/0071828060

paying $1 PP.

EDIT: open still. waiting on reply on 2nd person that pmmed me. going to 3rd after if no reply soon

EDIT2: got it. closed. thanks all

here is the reference:

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Thumb-Chemical-Engineers-Stephen/dp/0123877857/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1538514227&sr=8-2&keywords=rule+of+thumb+for+chemical+engineers

The full calculation for tubeside & shell side coefficients are in there. You can also look at other heat transfer textbooks for the equations.

I had an earlier edition of Solid-Liquid Separation that covers a lot of ground, but probably not very specific to vender equipment.

https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Essential-Oils-Technology-Applications/dp/1466590467

Its $140 but this book is what some pharma companies are basing their futures on. It has so much valuable information I don't where to start.

I've used Chemical Engineering Design by Towler & Sinnott a bunch to get basic ideas on project/plant design https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Engineering-Design-Second-Principles/dp/0080966594/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1479397144&sr=1-1&keywords=chemical+engineering+design

That's because they have 2 reference manuals that condense everything down:

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Engineering-Reference-Manual-7th/dp/1591264103/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481981946&sr=8-1&keywords=pe+chemical+engineering

https://www.amazon.com/Perrys-Chemical-Engineers-Handbook-Eighth/dp/0071422943/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481981968&sr=8-3&keywords=perry%27s

How'd she do? I'm just about to start studying, taking the ChE PE in the spring

A working guide to process equipment - Norm & Liz Lieberman

Edit: Should have finished reading before replying!

You are asking very basic questions that should be critical to your startup. Reddit is not the place for this. I recommend this book http://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Catalytic-Cracking-Handbook-Edition/dp/012386965X It is quite detailed and offers answers to most of your questions. However, a lot of a detail to actually make the zeolite that will survive an FCC is probably not available anywhere and possibly a trade secret.

You should really consider hiring an expert to answer these questions for you.

Smells like bullshit. Let me check those prices.

Acta Philosophorum The First Journal of Philosophy: $270

Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications: $283

Management Science An Anthology: $37

History of Early Film: $224

Biostatistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology: $140

Companion Encyclopedia of Psychology: $40

Feminism and Politics: $4

Concepts and Design of Chemical Reactors: $149

Advanced Semiconductor and Organic Nano-Techniques: $195

Ethics in Business and Economics: $4

Environment in the New Global Economy: $400

Solid State Chemistry and Its Applications: $40

Of course, they're still a rip off.