UC Davis Pre-College Program: Chemical Engineering with Coffee Recently Updated

This hands-on program is intended to serve as an introduction to how chemical engineers approach and solve problems, as elucidated by the process of roasting and brewing coffee. The instructors will provide qualitative overviews of the basic principles of engineering analysis and design, and then guide you in corresponding laboratory experiments testing the effect of design choices on the sensory qualities of coffee.

Lab activities include:

Reverse engineer a drip coffee brewerDevelop process flow diagrams and mass balances for coffeeTest pH of coffee and analyze chemical reactionsMeasure energy used to make coffeeQuantify mass transfer and flux during brewingExamine pressure driven flow and the effect of filtrationLearn process design, scale-up and optimization

Students will learn how to clearly communicate and interpret technical data by completing lab reports after each lab session. Fundamental aspects of chemical engineering, including thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, chemical kinetics, engineering design and optimization will be explored through hands-on experiments.