Before the idea of unit operations existed, engineers had to learn how to make every single product from scratch. You had to be an "expert in sugar" or an "expert in paper."
| Feature | Unit | Unit Process | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Nature | Physical change | Chemical or biological change | | Molecular Identity | Preserved | Altered | | Example | Distillation, Filtration, Pumping | Oxidation, Fermentation, Cracking | | Governing Laws | Fluid mechanics, Thermodynamics | Kinetics, Catalysis, Stoichiometry | what is unit operation
In a typical factory, unit operations prepare the materials for a chemical reaction or purify them after the reaction has occurred. Common Types of Unit Operations Before the idea of unit operations existed, engineers