This pages identifies some films involving chemical engineering, particularly ones which might be used as part of the educational process.

All  have been viewed by me, Martin Pitt.

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Acceptable Risks  (Cinema 1986, Video 1993)
Odyssey Video 88 minutes
Starring Brian Dennehy as the Manager of Oakridge Chemicals, under pressure from his bosses to maintain production and cut costs.  Eventually there is a disastrous chemical release.  It is a commercial film, not an educational one - a drama with plot and characterization, and thus entertaining.
I have used this effectively as a laboratory practical, asking students to write a report in 3 parts.  (1)  A report as if for "The Chemical Engineer" identifying what happened.  (2)  A discussion of who was to blame.  (3) The student's comments on what they learned about chemical process plant and its operation.
Students comment that it is very informative about work on a chemical plant and gives a very favourable view of efforts made to operate safely.  Items such as labelling of vessels, permits to work etc can be discussed.  When you ask them who was to blame, this can lead to very positive discussion of how accidents occur.
Links about this film:
allmovie
Internet Movie Database
 
 

The China Syndrome (1979)
Columbia 123 minutes
Starring Jack Lemmon as a nuclear engineer who discovers fraud and worse in the construction of a nuclear power plant, and Jane Fonda as an investigative reporter.  This  film gained significance because of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Reactor incident which occurred a few weeks after its release.  A famous film!
A particular point which is worth discussing with students is the human side of safety.  For example in the first scram the control room staff take action believing a faulty level indicator and do not think to look at its duplicate.
Links about this film:
technical notes
allmovie
Internet Movie Database
history.acusd.edu
film.u-net
dvdtimes
and here is a relevant lecture on Nuclear Fission Energy
 

Thirst (1998)
TV movie 120 minutes
The hero is Adam Arkin, probably a civil  engineer, but the story is about bugs in the water supply getting through the water filters.  There are technical issues and the solution is a chemical engineering one.  Probably most relevant to environmental issues.
Links about this film
allmovie
Internet Movie Database

Erin Brockovich  2000
Universal Studios 127 minutes
Mildly famous film Starring Julia Roberts as as feisty (but in my view annoying) employee of a legal firm who fights her own scientific ignorance and corporate cover-up of an environmental disaster to get the largest ever legal settlement in Californian history.
Supposedly based upon a true story about people being poisoned by contamination of drinking water supplies by chromium (in its 6 valent state).  This had come from a local power company.  No real process information, but you could ask students to research Cr (VI) and water supplies.  Possibly useful for discussion of ethical issues.
Links about this film
Universal Studios official film site
Movie revisits town's nightmare with a picture of the actual Erin Brockovich
All-Reviews.com
Internet Movie Database
 
 

 

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