Problem-solving and concept integration using a computational tool in first-year undergraduate chemical engineering

A computational MATLAB Tool with examples based on typical Chemical Engineering (ChE) problems has been designed. The Tool is intended to assist students with the development of problem-solving skills and to encourage cross-course learning in the first-year ChE curriculum. The Tool is module-based, with each module consisting of problems from a first-year ChE course. Each of the problems is solved with emphasis placed on the specific problem-solving methodology followed to reach the solution and includes an application of MATLAB, the programming language taught in the first-year ChE computational programming course. Extension problems for additional practice are also included. The Tool has been specifically designed for first-year students to help them develop their programming skills early in their education and to encourage connections between the first-year ChE courses. The Tool has been used by first-year ChE students and their feedback is presented. A copy of the MATLAB Tool can be obtained by contacting the corresponding author.     

Student Peer Assessment: A research study in a level III core course of the bachelor chemical engineering program

A study of anonymous student peer marking in a level III (third year) core course of the bachelor chemical engineering has shown that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the average marks awarded by student assessors who had idealized solutions of the lecturer compared with those who did not; although more students with solutions (84%) completed the peer task than those without (69%). Students in a cohort of 64 (21 females, 43 males) were randomly assigned as a student-pair and tasked to mark each other's solutions to three numeric-type problems out of a possible 50, but only one student had idealized solutions. In 49 valid responses, 27 with and 22 without solutions, the maximum mark awarded by any assessor was 49 and the maximum awarded by the tutor was 50. The overall mean grade over the three problems was 14.3 for those with solutions and 14.5 without. The overall mean grade of the experienced tutor was 14.6. Despite this agreement in mean marking there were notable differences between student assessors and tutor marks in particular cases. The problems required stage calculations with reflux and column efficiencies; each had the marks indicated to be awarded for all sub-sections. Granularity in grades for both student assessors and tutor was a 1/2. There was no evidence of student collusion in marking. Independent survey results showed more than 3/4 of all student assessors highly valued this learning experience and that it stimulated interest in the course material. Students without solutions however were marginally less likely to want to have peer assessment in other courses (p = 0.095).     

微型化工设备的研究与应用进展

微型化、集成化是未来科学技术的发展方向,在微化工过程中,微型化工设备的开发和应用为微化工的实现提供了强大的支持。按用途将微型化工设备分为微热交换器、微反应器、微分离器、微混合器等,分别对其特点和研究应用现状进行简单的介绍,并对其前景进行展望,同时指出了未来发展可能会遇到的难题。     

The use of a computer algebra system in the analysis of chemical engineering problems

Computer algebra systems are powerful processors designed to treat formal mathematical expressions. Routine features include many operations that occur frequently in the analysis of engineering problems, and provide the analyst with a powerful and reliable tool for manipulating algebraic, differential and integral equations. The power and general utility of one particular computer algebra system is first demonstrated on two elementary examples—the first involving the solution of an ordinary differential equation by weighted residual techniques, and the second, a perturbation solution of Duffing's equation. Ideas stemming from these examples are then applied to a current research problem involving the determination of the amplitude and frequency of self-sustained density wave oscillations in a once-through evaporator. All examples show the power of this system in handling large amounts of tedious algebra with relative ease, thus eliminating the potential for manual error.     

The use of the plato computer system in chemical engineering

Computer aided instruction on the PLATO System has been generated and tested for three chemical engineering cources: stoichiometry, thermodynamics, and unit operations. The use of these materials has had strong educational benefits, as shown by several years of testing with several hundred students.     

The development of chemical engineering in german industry and universities

Chemical engineering is taught at German universities in three different types of curricula: chemical engineering proper, process engineering (“Verfahrenstechnik”), and industrial chemistry (“Technische Chemie”). Independent departments resp. faculties of chemical engineering exist at four universities. At other universities process engineering is offered as a complete curriculum with a smaller amount of chemistry than chemical engineering curricula, mostly by the departments of mechanical engineering. Industrial chemistry is an essential component of chemistry courses at most technical universities and optional subject at several classical universities. The cause of this diversity of approaches to chemical engineering can be traced back to the beginning of the production of high-value organics (dyes, pharmaceuticals) in Germany in the second half of the 19th century.     

加强宏观调控和战略研究──介绍两份美国化学工业研究报告

通过介绍美国１９９６年发表的两份化学工业研究报告，讨论了化学工业加强宏观调控的一些问题：加强宏观调控的重要性，技术发展规划，情报信息工作和合作问题。     

试论绿色化工技术在化学工程与工艺中的应用

绿色化工技术是基于生态理念基础上产生的新技术,在化工工程生产与工业生产中应用具有重要作用。通过强化绿色化工技术合理应用,能满足化工生产与工艺生产各项要求,对环境污染等各项问题进行有效调控。     

Mathematics in chemical kinetics and engineering: An introduction to the special issue dedicated to papers presented at the MaCKiE-2002 conference

The MaCKiE-2002 conference discussed scientific problems that arise in applied chemistry, and for which advanced mathematical methods are known or are still under development. In this introduction to the special issue dedicated to the conference, we discuss its background and give an overview of the contributions that were selected for publication.     

Community service as an application of the independent learning – independent campus program to improve the competence of chemical engineering students through collaborative and student project-based learning

The community service program is one of the Tri Dharma or three obligations of Higher Education conducted by the academic community in Indonesia. A brand-new initiative in education was unveiled by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, specifically Independent Learning – Independent Campus. Numerous Chemical Engineering – Institut Teknologi Indonesia faculty members and students collaborated with partners to manufacture and diversify cocozone oil as an outcome of downstream research and community service. As part of the 'Independent Learning - Independent Campus' program, community service is examined to determine its effect on student competence development and faculty-student engagement. Furthermore, students are unaware of its cost because it is subsidized by the government, though it highlights the importance of voluntary community work. Similarly, faculty members followed the same trend, though their ratings were higher than the pupils. Student socialization is an important part of their education and learning process. Additionally, community service activities are beneficial to the partner since they cushion them against the economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Among the trends for a modern chemical engineering,the third paradigm: The time and length multiscale approach as an efficient tool for process intensification and product design and engineering

To respond to the changing needs of the chemical and related industries in order both to meet today's economy demands and to remain competitive in global trade, a modern chemical engineering is vital to satisfy both the market requirements for specific nano and microscale end-use properties of products, and the social and environmental constraints of industrial meso and macroscale processes. Thus an integrated system approach of complex multidisciplinary, non-linear, non-equilibrium processes and phenomena occurring on different length and time scales of the supply chain is required. That is, a good understanding of how phenomena at a smaller length-scale relates to properties and behaviour at a longer length-scale is necessary (from the molecular-scale to the production-scales). This has been defined as the triplet “molecular Processes-Product-Process (3PE)” integrated multiscale approach of chemical engineering. Indeed a modern chemical engineering can be summarized by four main objectives: (1) Increase productivity and selectivity through intensification of intelligent operations and a multiscale approach to processes control: nano and micro-tailoring of materials with controlled structure. (2) Design novel equipment based on scientific principles and new production methods: process intensification using multifunctional reactors and micro-engineering for micro structured equipment. (3) Manufacturing end-use properties to synthesize structured products, combining several functions required by the customer with a special emphasis on complex fluids and solid technology, necessating molecular modeling, polymorph prediction and sensor development. (4) Implement multiscale application of computational chemical engineering modeling and simulation to real-life situations from the molecular-scale to the production-scale, e.g., in order to understand how phenomena at a smaller length-scale relate to properties and behaviour at a longer length-scale. The presentation will emphasize the 3PE multiscale approach of chemical engineering for investigations in the previous objectives and on its success due to the today's considerable progress in the use of scientific instrumentation, in modeling, simulation and computer-aided tools, and in the systematic design methods.     

2006年上半年我国橡胶机械行业情况

据中国化工装备协会橡胶机械专业委员会对全国22家主要橡胶机械生产企业经济指标统计,2006年上半年橡胶机械行业销售收入达21.93亿元,同比增长14.1%,仍处于持续稳定快速发展阶段.累计利润比上年同期增长32.5%,经济效益进一步好转,但半年报显示,出口创汇不升反降,为近年来首次负增长,值得行业关注.     

过程系统工程和我国化学工业信息化

过程系统工程是过程工业信息化的指导理论.结合我国2020年化学工业信息化发展规划,并参照美国2020年化学工业技术发展设想和第八届国际过程系统工程会议(PSE'2003)提出的观点,对如何用过程系统工程理论指导我国今后化学工业信息化做一些探讨.     

Dynamics of soil nutrients and microbial biomass during first year cropping in an 8-year jhum cycle

The soil nutrient status and microbial biomass at three stages of firstyear cropping in an 8-year jhum (slash-and-burn agriculture) cycle system weredetermined and compared to an adjacent humid tropical forest in ArunachalPradesh, north-eastern India. Soil pH increased after burning and decreased asthe cultivation progressed in the jhum field. Soil organic carbon, available-P,total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium-N and nitrate-N decreased as the duration ofcultivation increased. Microbial biomass C, N, and P were high in the foreststand. Microbial biomass C increased gradually as cultivation progressed, whilemicrobial biomass N and P showed a post-burn decreasing trend. Bacterial andfungal populations were drastically reduced following slash burning. The studyindicates that first-year cropping may result in temporary patternhomogenization of soil nutrient cycling, but can have drastic effects withcontinued slashing and burning for long-term agriculture.