Education for Chemical Engineers最新文献

The grading of assessments that consists of large calculations represents an odious task for educators, as they must verify the correct procedures and algorithms were used as well as ensure that the calculations have been done correctly. For engineering capstone design project assessments, these calculations represent spreadsheets, coding and ancillary calculations that can run to over a hundred pages. There is no meaningful way an educator can properly assess such material in the timeframe given for grading. As such, quantitative tools are needed that enable educators to rapidly evaluate calculation-based assessments. Forensic auditing tools were used here to evaluate calculation-based assessments associated with chemical engineering capstone design projects. These tools analyse how data within sets are presented, the structure of spreadsheets and tables, as well as statistical principles around numbers and their distribution within large data sets. This enables the rapid identification of features within students’ assessments that warrant further investigation to establish if the data has been manipulated or calculation errors exist. The analysis demonstrated that chemical engineering students’ reports can be analysed by forensic auditing tools. Furthermore, these tools identified student errors and misconduct, based on abnormal results highlighted by the analysis, which were not discovered during the standard grading procedure. Applying forensic auditing tools enable a rapid approach to verify engineering students reports submitted for grading. This approach will reduce the time burden on educators, enabling them to focus on ensuring the correct design equations and procedures have been applied.

In times of educational disruption, significant advances in adopting digitalization strategies have been accelerated. In this transformation climate, engineers should be adequately educated to face the challenges and acquire the new skills imposed by Industry 4.0. Among these, one of the most highly requested tools is Python. To tackle these aspects, this work establishes a pedagogical framework to teach Python to chemical engineers. This is achieved through a hands-on series of Python courses (sPyCE), covering topics as chemical reaction engineering and machine learning. Part of the series has been embedded in the curriculum of a Bachelor’s-level course at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Overall, students found the course to be useful; using Python, they solved systems of differential equations, mass and energy balances, set stoichiometric tables, regressions, simulations and more. Motivated by the large applicability and relevance of the covered topics, sPyCE is made publicly available on GitHub.

To improve the achievement and motivation of the students of the subject Mechanical Design of Equipment in the Chemical Engineering Degree, a teaching innovation project is carried out based on gamification and immediate feedback, specifically through the use of the Wooclap software. After the project design and implementation, it was evaluated using two main instruments: the institutional questionnaires of the own university and a specific questionnaire designed by the teaching team. The results suggested that the use of Wooclap in the classroom had a positive impact on students, allowing, on the one hand, to increase students’ motivation and, on the other hand, to improve their academic achievement. Likewise, the constructive comments from the students promoted the teaching team the opportunity to develop and deepen future changes and updates.

The active learning integrative approach of simulation-based exercises along with the core course would help undergraduate students with more engaged learning. The present study describes the simulation approach using an open-source process simulator with the help of three simulation-based exercises. The first one exemplifies the importance of the selection of an appropriate fluid package. The second exercise presented in the study shows the effect of using optimized and default values of binary interaction parameters on VLE prediction of alcohol-ester systems. The small interactive simulation-based problems with expected outcomes were presented in the third exercise which makes the learning more engaging and interesting. The current study highlights an integrative approach to inculcating critical thinking and self-learning abilities using small simulation-based exercises while learning chemical engineering thermodynamics. Finally, a survey with closed- and open-ended questions was used to gather the opinions of students on the presented exercises. A short communication is needed that sheds light on the integrative approach of learning process simulation complementing the thermodynamic theory learning.

The level of safety and efficiency of technological processes operation largely depends on the qualifications of operating personnel. In continuous processes of such industries as chemical, mining, processing, energy, etc., it is common practice to use computer simulators to master the skills of making the right decisions in emergency conditions or ability to choose an efficient mode of operation. With the aim of controlling the safety level of work, it is required to have an opportunity to evaluate the efficiency of methods and learning outcomes. There is no single approach to learning outcomes using simulator trainings at energy-providing enterprises with continuous and technological processes. The main task of such enterprises is to train students with a set of knowledge and skills that will ensure the required level of safety and operational efficiency. This research proposes the technique for training, which includes the sequence of theoretical and practical exercises, metrics for automatic recording of students’ actions and criteria for assessing training efficiency. The authors have tested the proposed sequence of theoretical and practical exercises on the simulator on groups of engineering students. The results of the students’ execution of practical tasks on the simulator have been recorded using the proposed metrics. Based on the results the authors have proposed the criteria to assess students’ understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. The learning outcomes according to the technique and the proposed criteria have been verified with the help of blind test and the implementation of the final practical task on the simulator. The technique has been tested on different groups of students and it is obvious that due to the proposed metrics instructors are able to track the progress of learning. The research results can be applied at plants with continuous technological processes or in higher educational institutions. This practice-based approach to training can help to build the required set of knowledge and skills, which, in turn, will enhance the level of safety and operational efficiency. The engineering universities and enterprises of industry are currently implementing the proposed technique and computer simulator and it enables receiving feedback and updating of the technique for training operational personnel.

This critique discusses the Excel spreadsheet developed by Gómez-Siurana and Font-Escamilla for the application of relaxation methods to solve a simple multicomponent distillation column.

Gamification is considered as an approach to motivate and engage students in their learning process. An empirical study is carried out here on the use of gamification techniques in two engineering courses, in the field of Thermal Engineering, taught in two Spanish universities during several academic years. Both courses have similar syllabuses, and require the understanding and application of relatively complex concepts, related to Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer. The aim of this work was to increase students´ motivation and to help them in the process of assimilating and establishing key concepts related to these courses. Students´ satisfaction with the activity was assessed by means of surveys designed and proposed according to the Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) model, using a statistical package. The students were quite satisfied with the participation in the activity, the teamwork, the organization, and the grades. However, they considered that the learning of concepts was stronger in traditional classes. No significant differences were found between degrees or group size. Incorporating gamification techniques has proved to have a motivating effect on students, getting them involved in learning and in the development of the course.

Alongside innovation in teaching practice, student assessment in chemical engineering has seen significant changes in the recent past. This article undertakes a systematic review of the recent advances that have been reported in assessment practice in chemical engineering education. The main trends that emerge are: a shift towards authentic assessment methods, an increase in emphasis on peer-assessment and other approaches for group-based assignments, and a greater use of digital tools for the delivery of authentic assessments and improvement of marking and feedback practice. The analysis also examines the diversity of assessment methods used across the different chemical engineering subjects and how these map against assessment frameworks reported in the wider pedagogical literature. The emerging strand of research on synoptic and interdisciplinary assessment is used to develop an assessment framework for producing chemical engineering graduates who are also socially responsible and competent global citizens.

Rigorous calculation methods to simulate multicomponent distillation processes involve large number of variables and equations that are difficult to solve by hand and require the use of specific software. With this purpose, commercial process simulators have been included for years as learning tools in the syllabus of Chemical Engineering degrees. Nevertheless, there is thus a possibility of using these packages as a black box and strategies to mitigate that risk have been developed, as the use of spreadsheets where students can follow and check the calculation algorithms and the details of such calculations. One alternative to solve multicomponent distillation problems is the use of relaxation methods, that find the steady-state solution of a continuous distillation column by solving unsteady-state equations from a specified initial condition, thus providing an analogy with the column startup. In this work, a novel spreadsheet to apply a relaxation method is proposed. Calculation begins with the simulation of a distillation column at total reflux, which is a common way to start up these processes. In order to facilitate the development of unsteady-state equations and operation, a batch distillation column is also simulated. Finally, the evolution of a continuous distillation column from a specified starting condition to steady-state is simulated.

The business sustainability of technological companies such as those operating in the extractive sector requires multi-faceted talented individuals able to invent and deploy cutting-edge technologies, minimize environmental footprint, secure financial stability, achieve and maintain the social license to operate, among other challenges. These requirements echo those needed for addressing grand challenges such as the Sustainable Development Goals presented by the United Nations. However, traditional educational programmes are structured within the silos of well-defined academic disciplines. This lag between industrial need of individuals proficient in a variety of disciplines, and the professional figures prepared by most academic establishments could be due to a combination of several factors, including (a) the difficulty of offering programmes that require expertise from across several academic departments, and in some cases universities; (b) the perceived lack of interest among students for learning about interdisciplinary challenges; and (c) the possibility that graduates from interdisciplinary programs might not be easily hired by corporations operating in related disciplines. Reflecting on the efforts required to establish the postgraduate masters’ program in ‘Global Management of Natural Resources’ (GMNR), we suggest a possible pathway to overcome the first of these hurdles. After five years of offering the GMNR program, we assess the latter two perceived hurdles using the responses to a questionnaire distributed among the graduates. In particular, we quantify whether the graduates have experienced benefits or hurdles in their professional careers directly related to their graduation from an interdisciplinary program. The results could help the community develop and when necessary improve interdisciplinary programs, which could allow industries to overcome their future challenges, and perhaps contribute to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.