Guide in PDF format

Basic Experimentation in Chemical Engineering

Code: 106054
Credits: 6

2026/2027

Degree programme	Type	Course
Chemical Engineering	OB	1

Contact lecturer

Name :: Xavier Font Segura
Email :: xavier.font@uab.cat

Teaching staff

: Adriana Artola Casacuberta
: Arnau Gasset Franch
: Teresa Gea Leiva
: Izan Jamal Aviño
: Francisco Valero Barranco

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Having studied the subject of Chemical Engineering Fundamentals. Understanding Catalan, since the lab-guides are written in Catalan.

Objectives

The objectives of the course are:

Apply basic computing tools in the context of engineering, including the preparation of technical reports, conducting literature searches, and the functional use of office software (MS Word and Excel).
Prepare structured technical reports in the field of engineering, integrating experimental or calculated results, data analysis, and discussion of results, with appropriate use of scientific language and relevant editing tools.
Experimentally analyze fundamental aspects of chemical engineering, including the formulation and interpretation of mass and heat energy balances, as well as the determination of transport properties such as diffusivity and viscosity.

Learning outcomes

Develop critical thinking and reasoning
Apply matter and energy balances to continuous and discontinuous systems.
Perform a critical analysis of experimental results and of the overall work done.
Apply scientific method to perform macroscopic balances of matter, energy and momentum.
Design experiments.
Use spreadsheets and numerical programming environments to solve chemical engineering problems.
Work autonomously.
Manage available time and resources. Work in an organised manner.
Work cooperatively.
Communicate efficiently, orally and in writing, knowledge, results and skills, both professionally and to non-expert audiences.
Respect diversity in ideas, people and situations.
Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.

The course content is divided into two distinct parts, each corresponding to 3 ECTS credits: Fundamentals of Computing Lab and Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering Lab.

Fundamentals of Computing Lab

Microsoft Excel: Application to Engineering Problems
Working environment. Basic operations and formulas
Predefined functions in Excel
Graphical representation and regression analysis
Solver: data fitting and system solving
Logical programming functions
Numerical integration and differentiation
Conditional formatting
Technical/Scientific Document Formatting – MS Word
Information Retrieval and Bibliographic References

Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering Lab

These sessions are conducted during the last 7 weeks of the second semester. The laboratory work includes:

Basic chemical laboratory techniques
Thermal energy balance
Single-component mass balance
Determination of diffusivity of a component
Determination of viscosity

Learning activities and methodology

Title	Hours	ECTS
Elaboración de informes y resolución de problemas	69	2.76
Use of software tools	8	0.32
Realización de las pràcticas	69	2.76

The methodology of the subject is based on carrying out the aforementioned practicals in the computer room or laboratory. The basic computer science practices will be preceded by a brief theoretical session, and new content will also be provided through the Virtual Campus. To carry out the laboratory practices, students will have a script for each practice, which must be read and prepared before the start of each session.

Depending on the number of students, the academic calendar, the capacity of the computer room, and the number of experimental installations, students will be divided into different shifts and groups of 2 students (if possible). For the computer science practicals, these will be conducted in the morning, while for the laboratory practicals, there will be both morning and afternoon shifts. The student groups do not have to be the same for the computer science practicals and the laboratory practicals.

A preliminary presentation session will be held at the start of the laboratory practicals.

Laboratory Practicals in Chemical Engineering

As this is a primarily hands-on learning experience, attendance at the laboratory sessions is mandatory. Attendance at the introductory session of the Laboratory Practices in Chemical Engineering is also compulsory.

It is important to have the practicals prepared before entering the laboratory. Students will know in advance which practical they need to do on each occasion, and they will have the necessary information on the Virtual Campus, allowing them to come prepared. Each student must have a laboratory notebook of at least A5 size, in which they will prepare the practical before entering the laboratory on the day of each practical. If not, they will have to leave the laboratory to read and prepare the practical.

Prior to the start of the practicals, in a mandatory session for all students enrolled in the course, the operation of the laboratory, the practical schedule, and the use of the notebook will be explained.

General Safety Rules in the Laboratory

On the first day of practical work in the laboratory, not the course presentation day, students must submit to the professors the signed document generated upon passing the \"Laboratory Safety\" test. The test is available on the Virtual Campus. It is mandatory to wear a lab coat, have note-taking material, and have previously studied the guide of the practical to be performed, in addition to following the safety rules mentioned on the Virtual Campus.

Students must wear their lab coats in order to participate in laboratory sessions.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title	Weight	Hours	ECTS	Learning outcomes
Actitud al laboratori	7.5%	0	0	5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12
Informatics Exams	40%	2	0.08	6, 8
Informatics Activities	5	0	0	7
Lab Exam	7.5%	2	0.08	1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 14
Attendance and submission of activities	5	0	0	8
Lab Reports	35%	0	0	1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14

Process and scheduled assessment activities

The assessment of the two parts of the course is carried out independently. To pass the course, a minimum grade of 5 must be obtained in each part.

The schedule of assessment activities for the Informatics part is communicated at the beginning of the course and published on the Virtual Campus.

The schedule for submitting reports for the laboratory part is provided before the start of the laboratory sessions.

The dates of the laboratory midterm and resit exams are established by the degree coordination.

If a student cannot attend an assessment activity that accounts for more than 20% of the final grade, or whose completion is mandatory to pass the course, the regulations of the School of Engineering must be followed.

Basic computer science practicals

Assessment is based on the following elements:

Attendance at practical sessions and submission of activities within the established deadline (10%).
Individual activities to be carried out outside class hours (10%).
Two individual tests (80%).

Basic Chemical Engineering laboratory practicals

Attendance at all laboratory sessions is a mandatory requirement to pass the course.

Assessment activities include:

Lab reports: all reports must be submitted, each report must receive a grade above 0, and a minimum average grade of 5.0 out of 10 is required to pass the laboratory block. The submission schedule is communicated before the start of the sessions. Lab reports cannot be resubmitted.
Laboratory attitude: this grade considers attendance as well as responsibility, behavior, punctuality, prior preparation, use of the lab notebook, and responses to questions posed by the teaching staff. A minimum grade of 5 is required to pass the course. Missing more than 2 lab sessions will result in a grade of 4 in this component.
Written exam: includes conceptual questions, calculations, and interpretation of results related to the practical sessions. A minimum grade of 4 is required to be averaged with the rest of the activities.
The final grade for this part is calculated as follows: 15% laboratory attitude, 15% exam, and 70% reports.

Grading

The awarding of honors (MH) corresponds to the instructors responsible for the course. According to UAB regulations, it can only be granted to students with a final grade equal to or higher than 9.0, up to a maximum of 5% of enrolled students. In this course, to qualify for honors, students must also have obtained a grade equal to or higher than 8.5 in all assessment activities and must not have required any resit exams.

If the course is not passed because one or more assessment activities do not reach the minimum required grade, the final recorded grade will be the lower of 4.5 and the weighted average. Exceptions include: a grade of “not assessed” for students who do not participate in any assessment activities, and a maximum of the lower of 3.0 and the weighted average if irregularities are committed during an assessment activity.

Resit process

The resit process is managed independently for each part of the course.

Basic computer science practicals

If the weighted grade is below 5, it can be recovered through a comprehensive exam covering all course content. The final grade will be calculated using the same criteria as in continuous assessment.

Basic Chemical Engineering laboratory practicals

Only the exam can be retaken, maintaining the minimum required grade of 4. To access the resit, a minimum grade of 5 in the reports is required. The final grade is calculated using the same criteria as in continuous assessment.

Grade review procedure

Students may request a review of activities and reports within 24 hours of grade publication by contacting the responsible instructors or following the provided instructions.

Use of artificial intelligence tools

The use of artificial intelligence tools is not allowed at any stage of the activities. Their use is considered a violation of academic integrity and may result in academic penalties.

Irregularities: cheating and plagiarism

Without prejudice to other disciplinary measures, and in accordance with current academic regulations, irregularities committed by a student that may lead to a change in grade will be graded with a zero (0). These activities will not be eligible for resit. If passing any of these activities is required to pass the course, the course will be failed outright with no opportunity for recovery within the same academic year. These irregularities include, among others:

Total or partial copying of a practical, report, or any assessment activity.
Allowing others to copy.
Submitting group work not entirely completed by group members.
Presenting materials prepared by third parties as one’s own, including translations or adaptations.
Having communication devices (such as mobile phones or smartwatches) accessible during individual exams.

Single assessment

This course does not предусматри a single assessment system.

Bibliography

Bird, R. Byron & Lightfoot Edwin N. & Stewart, Warren E. (2007). Transport phenomena. (Rev. 2nd ed) Wiley