Foundations of Chemical and Biological Reaction Engineering

Chemical and biological reaction engineering lies at the heart of producing everything from clean energy and advanced materials to life-saving pharmaceuticals. Understanding how to model, analyze, and design these reaction systems is essential for modern engineers. This text-only course guides you from fundamental chemical kinetics through to the design of complex biological reactors, without requiring prior specialized engineering experience. You will transition from a basic understanding of reaction rates to confidently setting up material and energy balances for diverse reactor configurations. Through structured explanations and guided analytical exercises, you will learn how to optimize reaction pathways and predict system behavior under various operating conditions. What you'll learn: - Understand foundational chemical kinetics, reaction rates, and transport phenomena. - Design and analyze ideal reactor configurations including batch, continuous stirred-tank, and plug-flow reactors. - Apply material and energy balances to multi-phase and non-isothermal reaction systems. - Model biological reaction kinetics, including enzyme-catalyzed pathways and microbial growth dynamics. - Practice solving complex engineering problems using systematic, step-by-step mathematical formulations. The course begins with foundational definitions of reaction stoichiometry and rate laws, ensuring you build a solid theoretical base. From there, you will progress through isothermal reactor design, heat effects, catalytic systems, and modern bioreactor modeling. This course is designed for beginners in chemical engineering, bioengineering, chemistry students, or professionals looking to refresh their understanding of reaction kinetics. No advanced engineering background is required, though a basic familiarity with calculus and general chemistry will help you get the most out of the material. Start reading today to master the core principles of reaction engineering and build strong analytical problem-solving skills.