Chemical Engineering Vocabulary

noun the unwanted flow of water in the opposite direction, typically caused by a reversal in pressure

• The plumber installed a backflow prevention device to prevent contamination of the water supply.
• Make sure to check for any backflow in the pipes before turning on the water.
• I had to deal with some serious backflow issues in the bathroom yesterday.
• The sudden influx of negative comments caused a backflow of emotions within her.

noun a sudden burst of air or wind

verb to dismiss or ignore someone or something

• It is unprofessional to blow off a meeting without giving prior notice.
• I can't believe you're going to blow off the party tonight!
• Don't blow off your responsibilities, man.
• Her harsh words felt like a blow off to his ego.

noun a secondary or incidental product or result

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• The company was able to create a new revenue stream by selling the by product of their main manufacturing process.
• We can make some extra cash by selling the by product of our project.
• Let's flip that by product and make some quick money.
• Sometimes our mistakes can be seen as a by product of taking risks.

verb to treat or combine with chlorine, typically in order to purify or disinfect

• The water treatment plant uses chlorine to chlorinate the drinking water supply.
• Make sure to chlorinate the pool before the party this weekend.
• I'm going to chlorinate the heck out of that algae in my fish tank.
• She tends to chlorinate any negativity in her life with a positive attitude.

noun a structure or apparatus in which heat may be generated, as for heating houses or producing steam

• The furnace in the factory is used to melt metal for casting.
• It's freezing outside, let's crank up the furnace to warm up the house.
• I'm sweating like a pig in front of this dang furnace.
• Her anger burned like a furnace, scorching everyone in its path.

verb to burn something completely; reduce to ashes

• The waste management facility is equipped with a high-temperature incinerator to safely incinerate all types of medical waste.
• I accidentally left the paper in the fireplace and it got incinerated.
• Let's just incinerate all the evidence before anyone finds out.
• Her harsh words seemed to incinerate any hope I had left.

noun a system of pipes used for conveying fluids

adjective related to pipes or piping

• The engineer inspected the piping system for any leaks or damages.
• I heard a strange noise coming from the piping under the sink.
• I'm going to grab a wrench and fix the piping myself.
• Her voice was so loud, it cut through the room like piping through a construction site.

noun a device used to induce and control a nuclear reaction

• The nuclear reactor was shut down for maintenance.
• They had to fix the reactor before it caused any problems.
• The reactor was acting up so they had to call in the experts.
• His mind was like a reactor, constantly processing new information.

noun a place where crude oil or other substances are refined or purified

• The refinery is responsible for processing crude oil into various petroleum products.
• I heard the refinery is shutting down for maintenance next week.
• The refinery is where they turn black goo into gas magic.
• She considered the refinery of her thoughts before speaking.

noun a substance that slows down or prevents a particular process or reaction

adjective having the quality of slowing down or preventing a particular process or reaction

• The fire retardant material helped slow down the spread of the flames.
• Make sure to use the fire retardant spray before starting the bonfire.
• I heard this new fabric is super retardant against stains.
• His calm demeanor acted as a retardant against the chaos around him.

noun NGL is an abbreviation for 'Not Gonna Lie', used informally to preface a statement that may be surprising or blunt.

• NGL, the company's financial report is quite concerning.
• NGL, I'm not sure if I can make it to the party tonight.
• NGL, that movie was lit!
• NGL, the weight of his words hit me like a ton of bricks.

noun a system that absorbs or takes in something, such as heat or a substance

• The absorption system is a type of refrigeration system that uses a heat source to drive the cooling process.
• I heard that the absorption system in our office building is really energy efficient.
• The absorption system in my car is top-notch - it keeps the interior cool even on the hottest days.
• Her mind worked like an absorption system, constantly taking in information and processing it efficiently.

noun a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance, or quality, such as 'accumulation' and 'energy'

• The accumulation of energy in the battery is crucial for the proper functioning of the device.
• Make sure you don't drain the battery completely to avoid slow accumulation of energy.
• I need to charge my phone to get that sweet accumulation of energy.
• The team's hard work and dedication resulted in an accumulation of energy that propelled them to victory.

noun a substance produced by the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria, commonly used in the production of vinegar

• Acetic ferment is a type of bacteria that converts alcohol into acetic acid.
• I heard that acetic ferment is used to make vinegar.
• Yo, did you know that acetic ferment is like the magic ingredient in making sour stuff?
• Just like acetic ferment transforms alcohol into vinegar, sometimes challenges can transform us into stronger individuals.

verb to treat with or convert into acetone

• In the laboratory, scientists acetonize the samples before conducting the experiment.
• Make sure to acetonize the surface before painting to ensure better adhesion.
• I acetonized my nails before applying the polish for a longer-lasting manicure.
• She acetonized her thoughts before making a decision to clear her mind.

adjective describing something that contains both air and water

• The aerohydrous system in the aircraft helps regulate the humidity levels during flights.
• I heard they installed an aerohydrous system in the new plane for better comfort.
• The aerohydrous setup in the plane is pretty cool, keeps the air nice and fresh.
• Her mind was like an aerohydrous machine, constantly adjusting to different environments.