Separations

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Syllabi, schedules, course notes

• MIT Open Courseware Separations processes syllabus, schedule, exams, assignments, and course materials
• MIT Open Courseware Bioseparation processes, syllabus, schedule, exams, assignments, and course materials
• University of Maryland Baltimore County Separations processes syllabus, schedule, course notes, links

Textbooks

• Separation process engineering, 5th ed. by Phillip C. Wankat
• Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles, 5th edition by Christie John Geankoplis, Allen Hersel. and Daniel H. Lepek
• Separation Process Essentials, 1st ed. by Alan M. Lane 
• Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, 7th ed. by Warren McCabe, Julian Smith, and Peter Harriott 

Free online handbook

• Chemical Engineering Separations: A Handbook for Students by Monica Lamm and Laura Jarboe

Screencasts

• LearnChemE (University of Colorado Boulder): More than 125 short screencast videos for separations including example problems, introduction to topics, and explanations of how to use diagrams.
• Separation Process Essentials (University of Alabama): Approximately 20 sceencast videos under Tutorials.
• Commons Separation Processes (ChemEngGuy): 14 hours of screencast videos
• 

  Interactive Simulations

• Liquid-Liquid Ternary Separations (University of Sheffield, University of Manchester): An interactive system to learn how to use ternary phase diagrams and design liquid-liquid extraction systems
• Virtual Laboratory/Digital Experiments (University of Colorado Boulder); Vapor-liquid equilibrium, Reverse osmosis, Liquid-liquid extraction, Single-effect evaporator, Stripping column, Absorption column)
• LearnChemE (University of Colorado Boulder): 75 interactive simulations, most of which play directly in browsers.

    

Interactive self-study modules

• Self-study modules (University of Colorado Boulder): 18 modules that include introductory screencasts (with questions), ConcepTests, interactive simulations, quiz simulations, list of equations and important points, example problem screencasts, and a summary.

ConcepTests

Multiple-choice conceptual questions for use in class with student response systems (clickers)

• LearnChemE (University of Colorado Boulder): More than 200 separations ConcepTests. Contact LearnChemE@gmail.com to obtain access.
• AIChE Concept Warehouse (Tufts University)
  

Software

• VLE Calc: Interactive modules that generate phase diagrams for 1, 2, or 3 components.
• Excel Template for Ternary Phase Diagram
• Nonlinear Model Library: Process models in MATLAB or APMonitor
• Distillation column model
• Chemical Engineering AppSuite HD: Useful data and equations and unit converters

Process simulators

• Aspen Plus and HYSYS/UniSim: "Using Process Simulators in Chemical Engineering" multimedia guides (University of Pennsylvania)
• Aspen Plus Learn Aspen Plus in 24 Hours (Dr. Thomas A. Adams II, University of Science and Technology) – book and simulation file
• Open-source simulators
       DWSIM: free, open-source steady-state and dynamic simulator
       IDAES:  U.S. DOE Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems; Python/Pyomo-based, strong for equation-oriented optimization

Useful Links

• Distillation: An introduction.
• APV Handbook on distillation: Industrial perspective on distillation.
• Wikipedia Separation Processes (with links to the individual process types)
• Visual Encyclopedia of Chemical Engineering (University of Michigan): Chemical Separations / Mechanical Separations
• National Academies Report on Separation Needs for the 21st Century
• AIChE Separations Division
• NIST Webbook:
  
  • Thermophysical Properties of Fluid Systems: Resource for calculating P-V-T behavior and physical properties of common inorganic and organic compounds
  • Chemistry Webbook: Properties of 10,000's of compounds.
• ScienceDirect links:
  • Distillation
  • Membrane Contactors
  • The Encyclopedia of Separation Science
  • Extraction processes 
  • Chemical adsorption
  • Adsorption
  • Flash process
  • Multi-stage flash

Updated and verified August 7, 2026