The course provides the basic knowledge on the main apparatuses of process industry, characterized by mass and heat transfer, normally employed either in the production processes or for the utilities. Therefore, as a specific feature, the course allows the students to gain the technological knowledge for the design of each single item and of the balance of plant in the whole complex according to the required transformation of raw materials into final products.

The students will gain the theoretical basis to design multiphase apparatuses, as a single item and in the whole plant, included mass and heat transfer balances, and efficiencies. Practical classes with exercises will allow students to gain design criteria.

The students must possess the basic information of mathematics, physics, physical thermodynamics, unit operations (momentum, mass and energy transfer), materials properties, process plants control, and environment and process risks assessment. Moreover, they have to know the characteristics and performance of pumps, compressors, and electrical motors.

The developed topics are as follows:
- distillation columns; absorption columns; cooling towers
- liquid-liquid and solid-liquid extractors
- adsorption beds; ionic exchangers
- fluidized beds;
- air conditioning and cooling systems;
- cogeneration of heat and power;
- valves

In the practical classes, the students will learn the procedures for the "process design" of items and plants shown and studied during the lectures. Students will work in form team groups assisted by the teacher.

The teacher will provide pdf copies of the slides used during the lessons, covering all the topics. During the practical classes, the teacher will provide the necessary tables and schemes useful for the calculations to design multiphase apparatuses.
Suggested books (not compulsory, only for consultancy):
D.W. Green, R.H. Perry, "Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Book", McGraw-Hill
W.L. McCabe, J.C. Smith, P. Harriott, " Unit Operation of Chemical Engineering", McGraw-Hill
O. Levenspiel, "Chemical Reaction Engineering", Wiley
A.S. Foust, L.A. Wenzel, C.W. Clump, L. Maus, L.B. Anderson, "Principles of Unit Operation," Wiley
V.G. Pangarkar "Design of multiphase Reactors", Wiley

Oral type assessment, consisting of two questions aimed at understanding the acquired knowledge of the students during the course. Type of questions: description and operating principles of multiphase apparatuses, drawings and schemes, heat and mass balances.