Institute of Technology of Cambodia

Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering

Introduction of Unit
Operation

Lecturer: Mrs. Sophoan Phal

2023-2024
 What is unit operation?

• A basic step in a process which involved physical change

or chemical transformation

• Separation process can be counted as unit operation

which include:

• Mixing process

• Heat exchange

• Reaction process
 Why it need to be studied?

• Unit operation give the idea about

science related to specific physical
operation

• It is included the different equipment-its

design, material of construction and
operation, calculation of various physical
parameters (mass flow, heat flow, mass
balance, power and force, etc)
 Where it can be used?

• Involve by calculating and designing, the application should

be in:
• Food processing industry
• Waste water treatment plant
• Pharmaceutical
• Water treatment
 Principle of unit operation in food
processing
• To evaluate food processes and to observe that if it composed
of a series of specific and basic operation

• The individual operations have common techniques and are

based on the same scientific principle.

• They can be evaluated using the same approach and describe

with the same equation
 Principle of unit operation in food
processing
• It is focus on the mechanism occurred during unit process
application. It is normally involve by:

• Transport phenomena

• Momentum transfer

• Heat transfer

• Mass transfer
 Process

• All activities or industrial operations that modify the

properties of materials in order to obtain the products to
satisfy the needs of a society.

• The modifications of natural raw materials are directed to

obtain the products with greater acceptances in the market, or
with better possibilities of storage and transportation.
 Food process engineering

• It definite as the part of

human activity in which the
knowledge of physical,
natural and economic science
is applied to agricultural
products as related to their
composition, energetic
content or physical state.
 Food process engineering

• The objective of food processing is to study the principles

and the law of physics, chemical where the different of
biochemical process and equipment stages by which stages
are carried out industrially.

• The study should be focus on the transformation processes of

agricultural raw materials into final product
Food process engineering

Capability of innovating and

designing the techniques and
equipment to be used in the
industry, were the basic principle
of processing engineer
Transformation and commercialization of
Agricultural product
• Agricultural product should be easy to handle and to place in
the market
• Postharvest product cannot be commercialized as they are,
but must be undergo certain transformation
• Packaging should be used for directly products selling in the
market
• According to short shelf life, the transportation of agriculture
product should be considered
• Treatment and preservation should be developed for better
used
Transformation and commercialization of
Agricultural product
 Flow chart and description of some food
processes
• Food process are usually schematized by means of flow
charts
• So many types of flow charts were used, the most common
use “blocks” or “rectangular”
• Each stage of the process is represented by a block or
rectangular connected by arrow to indicate the way in which
the materials flow
• The stage represented is written within the rectangular
 Schema of olive oil extraction
Olives

Washing

Oil from press Pressing Bagasse

Centrifugation Drying

Virgin oil Exhausted bagasse Extraction

Bagasse oil
 Steady state and unsteady state

• Steady state: when all physical variables remain constant and

invariable along time, at any point in the system, however they can
be different from one point to another point.

• Unsteady state: When variables of the operation vary across the

system at a given time and the variables corresponding to the point
of each system vary with time.
Steady state and unsteady state
Discontinuous, semi-continuous and
continuous

Out

In
In
 Discontinuous, semi-continuous and
continuous
• Discontinuous operation was also called “batch” or “intermittent”
are carried out in step:
• Loading of equipment with raw materials
• Preparation of condition of transformation
• Required transformation
• Unloading products
• Cleaning equipment

• It was taken place under unsteady state

 Discontinuous, semi-continuous and
continuous
• Semi-continuous operation maybe occur by loading some
materials in the equipment that will remain there for a given time
in the discontinuous way

• It is necessary sometime to unload those materials for better

process

• Ex. Oil extraction by solvent, flour is loaded and the solvent is fed
in a continuous way, after some time, the flour runs out of oil and
must be replace
 Discontinuous, semi-continuous and
continuous
• Continuous process take place under steady state

• In this operation, the loading, transformation and unloading

stages are performed simultaneously

• Equipment cleaning is carried out every given time,

depending on the nature of the process and the materials used

• To carried out the cleaning, the process must be stopped

 Advantages of continuous process

• Loading and unloading stage are

eliminated

• Automation and reduce the

number of staff

• More homogeneous product

• Better use of thermal energy

 Disadvantages of process continuous

• Raw materials should have a uniform composition to avoid

fluctuations in the operation

• Usually expensive to start the operation, so avoid to stops

• Fluctuating demand for products requires a considerable

availability of raw material and products in stock

• Due to automation, equipment is more expensive and

delicate
 Elaboration of soluble coffee
Roasted coffee

Grinding

Soluble coffee
Hot water Extraction Solid waste

Coffee exhaust Water Drying

(diluted solution)
Coffee extract
Evaporation Water vapor (concentrated
solution)
 Production of fruit concentrated juices
Fruit

Pulp Crushing Clarification

Pressing Evaporation Water

Juice 12 °Brix
Juice 70 °Brix
Water and
Pre-concentration
aromas Cooling
Juice 15 °Brix
Storage
Enzymatic treatment
 Classification of Unit Operation

• Physics: grinding, sieving, mixing, fluidization,

sedimentation, flotation, filtration, rectification, absorption,
extraction, adsorption, heat exchange, evaporation, drying

• Chemical: refining, chemical peels

• Biochemical: fermentation, sterilization, pasteurization,

enzymatic peeling
 Classification of Unit Operation

• Transfer of movement: mixture ...

• Heat transfer: heat treatment, heat exchange ...

• Mass transfer: distillation, absorption, extraction,

adsorption ...

• Heat and mass transfer: drying, humidification ....

• Complementary unit operation: grinding, sieving ...

 Mathematical configuration of the
problem

Material balance

Material enter the Material exist Material accumulate

= +
system the system in the system

Example of material balance

F1

F1 = F2 + dV/dt
F2
 System Unit

Physical Value per Number of

= ×
magnitude unit unit

• Magnitude

Magnitude

Fundamental (length, Derivative (energy,

time, mass and force) pressure, power….)
 System unit

System unit Fundamental unit

Absolute unit Time, length and mass

Technical unit Time, length and force

Engineer unit Time, length, mass and force

 System unit

• Absolute unit system

• CGS: Centimetre, Gram and Second

• MKS: Meter, Kilogram and Second

• FPS: Foot, Pound and Second

• Force is considered as a derived unit

• Centigrade (°C) is used as a temperature unit for CGS and

MKS, and Fahrenheit for FPS
 System unit
• Absolute units system
Magnitude System
c.g.s (CGS) Giorgi (MKS) English (FPS)
Length (L) 1 centimeter (cm) 1 meter (m) 1 foot (ft)
Time (T) 1 second (s) 1 second (s) 1 second (s)
Mass (M) 1 gram (g) 1 kilogram (kg) 1 pound (lb)

• Units derived from absolute system

Magnitude System
c.g.s (CGS) Giorgi (MKS) English (FPS)

Force 1 dyne 1 Newton (N) 1 Poundal

Energy 1 erg 1 joule (J) 1 (Pound). (foot)
 Technical unit system

• Fundamental unit: Times, Length, Mass and Force

Magnitude Système
Metrique Anglais
Longeur (L) 1 mètre (m) 1 foot (ft)
Force (F) 1 kilogramme force 1 pound-force (lbf)
(kgf or kp)
Temps (T) 1 seconde (s) 1 second (s)
Température (θ) 1 centigrade (°C) 1 Fahrenheit (°F)
 Engineering unit system

• Fundamental units: length, Mass, Force and Times

Magnitude System
Metric English
Longeur (L) 1 mètre (m) 1 foot (ft)
Masse (M) 1 kilogramme (kg) 1 pound-mass (lb)
Force (T) 1 kilogramme force 1 pound-force (lbf)
(kgf or kp)
Temps (T) 1 seconde (s) 1 second (s)
Temperature (θ) 1 centigrade (°C) 1 Fahrenheit (°F)
 International unit system

• MKS is suitable SI

Magnitude Unit Abbreviation Dimension

Length Meter m L
Mass Kilogram kg M
Time Second s T
Force Newton N MLT2
Energy Joule J ML2T-2
Power Walt W ML2T-3
Pressure Pascal Pa ML-1T-2
Frequency Hertz Hz T-1
 Prefix used before unit

Prefix Multiplication Factor IS Symbol

Tera 1012 T
Giga 109 G
Mega 106 M
Kilo 103 k
Hecto 102 h
Deca 101 da
Deci 10-1 d
Centi 10-2 c
Mili 10-3 m
Micro 10-6 μ
Nano 10-9 n
Pico 10-12 p
Femto 10-15 f
atto 10-18 a
 Unit conversion

• Masse • Volume and capacity

1 lb 0.4536 kg 1 cubic foot 0.02832 m3
1/32.2 kg 1 gallon (imperial) 4.546 l
• Length 1 gallon (USA) 3.786 l
1 inch 0.0254 m 1 barrel 159.241 l
1 foot 0.3048 m • Times
1 mile 1609 m 1 min 60 s
• Surface 1h 3600 s
1 square inch 645.2 mm2 1 journée 86,400 s
1 square foot 0.09290 m2 • Temperature different
1ºC = 1 K 1.8 ºF
 Unit conversion
• Energie, chaleur et puissance
• Force
1 poundal0.138 N 1 kilocalorie (kcal) 4185 J
1 lb 4.44 N 426.7 kgfm
4.44 × 105 dina 1 erg 10-7 J
32.2 pdl 1 Btu 1055 J
10-5 N 1 Chu 0.454 kcal
• Pression 1.8 Btu
1 technical atmosphere 1 kgf/cm2 1 horse vapor 0.736 kW
14.22 psi 75 kgm/s
1 bar 100 kPa
1 horse power 0.746 kW
1 mm Hg (tor) 133 Pa
33000 ft.lb/min
1 psi (lb/in2) 703 kgf/m2
76.04 kgm/s
1 kilowatt hour (kW.h) 1000 J/s
860 kcal
1 atm.litre 0.0242 kcal
10.333 kg.m/s
 Unit conversion

• Viscosity • Thermal magnitude

1 poise (P) 0.1 Pa.s
1 Btu/(h. ft2) 3.155 W/m2
1 pound/(ft.h) 0.414 mPa.s
1 stock (St) 10-4 m2/s 1 Btu/(h.ft2ºF) 5.678 W/(m2.K)
• Mass debit 1 Btu/(lb) 2.326kJ/kg
1 lb/h 0.126 g/s
1 ton/h 0.282 kg/s 1 Btu/(lb.ºF) 4.187 kJ/(kg.K)
1 lb/(ft.h) 1.356 g/s. m2 1 Btu/(h. ft2ºF) 1.731 W/(m.K)
 Exercise

1. Convert 10 g into pounds.

2. The viscosity of water at 60 ºF is given as 7.8 × 10-4 lb.ft-1. s-1 .

Calculate this viscosity in N.s.m-2

3. The thermal conductivity of aluminums is given as 120 Btu.ft-1

.h-1 . ºF-1 . Calculate this thermal conductivity in J.m-1 .s-1 .ºC-1

4. 4. A fluid food has a viscosity of 6 poises. Obtain the value for

viscosity in the international system and in the absolute English
system.
 Exercise

5. The specific heat of apples is given as 0.86 Btu lb-1 °F-1.

Calculate this in J kg-1 °C-1.

6. If the viscosity of olive oil is given as 5.6 x 10-2 Ib ft-1 sec-1,

calculate the viscosity in SI units.

7. The gas equation is PV = nRT. If P the pressure is 2.0 atm, V the

volume of the gas is 6 m3, R the gas constant is 0.08206 m3 atm
mole-1 K-1 and T is 300 degrees Kelvin, what are the units of n and
what is its numerical value?