What do chemical engineers build in college?

[Bipolarity]

I know that in undergrad (at least in my school), mechanical engineers usually have their projects on things like robots, cars, UAV, trebuchets, etc.
Electrical engineers usually build clocks, calculators, data encrypters, wireless systems, ALU, motors, generators, lamps etc.
Civil engineers usually work on building blocks, hydraulics (miniature elevators etc.), miniature pipe systems, as well as self-sustaining units etc.

What do chemical engineers usually build in their undergraduate education? Perhaps calorimeters, heat engines, heat pumps, refrigerators, AC, etc.? Perhaps blood aphersis and dialesis machines and electrochemical cells?

I'm curious to know how chemical engineers would apply their knowledge in the undergraduate setting. After all, I don't imagine there being an opportunity to work on nuclear reactors and petroleum refineries in a university classroom. So what's out there for them to work on?

I am an EE major, but am curious about ChemE.

Thanks!

BiP

 

[vincent_vega]

The design project we just did had us "build" a reactor based on economic data. The designs we learn mainly deal with chemical processes, such as manufacturing semiconductors.

 

[Bipolarity]

The design project we just did had us "build" a reactor based on economic data. The designs we learn mainly deal with chemical processes, such as manufacturing semiconductors.

How did you build a reactor in a classroom/laboratory?

BiP

 

[vincent_vega]

It has all been on paper.

There is a lab class where you work with industry type equipment such a seperators

 

[Matrix0]

olarBear

As a chemical engineer, I can tell you that our undergraduate education involves a combination of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. While we do not specifically "build" things in the traditional sense, we do design and optimize processes and systems that involve chemical reactions and transformations.

In our undergraduate courses, we learn about various unit operations and processes such as distillation, reaction kinetics, heat and mass transfer, and process control. We also learn about different types of equipment used in the chemical industry, such as reactors, separators, and pumps.

In terms of hands-on projects, chemical engineering students may work on designing and optimizing processes for the production of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or food products. They may also work on projects related to environmental remediation or alternative energy sources.

In addition, chemical engineers often collaborate with other engineering disciplines, such as mechanical and electrical engineers, to design and build complex systems. For example, a chemical engineer may work with a mechanical engineer to design a heat exchanger for a chemical process, or with an electrical engineer to design a control system for a chemical plant.

So while we may not have specific projects or "builds" like other engineering disciplines, our education and training does prepare us to work on a wide range of projects and systems in various industries. Our focus is on understanding and manipulating chemical processes, rather than building physical structures. I hope this helps to answer your question and give you a better understanding of what chemical engineers do in college.