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The NSF CCLI-A&I project has initiated a prototype course to integrate problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy into the chemical engineering curriculum with an implementation of computer-aided modeling and simulation packages. It starts with a new course, CAMS (Computer Aided Modeling and Simulation), in the sophomore level and concludes at a senior course of Advanced Analysis. The course structure can be seen from the following chart. |
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In the CAMS class, the sophomore students are introduced to two types of computer packages: mathematical packages (MathCad and POLYMATH) and simulation packages (Aspen and ProII). During the first six weeks of class, the students use the mathematical packages to solve math problems that typically arise in upper-level chemical engineering classes, including regression (both linear and nonlinear), nonlinear equations, and systems of ordinary differential equations. The remainder of the semester is devoted to familiarizing the students with the simulation packages. Since these sophomore students have not yet had any chemical engineering courses (except the material and energy balance class, which they take concurrently), some time is spent describing the theory behind such common unit operations as flash drums, heat exchangers, chemical reactors, distillation columns, etc., as well as the theory behind each package's solution algorithm. Of course, many of the details are left to later upper-level classes, after the students have been introduced to the required fundamental theory. However, problems in several junior and senior courses are given in this class and solved by computer packages. |
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To start a Computer Aided Modeling and Simulation teaching at a stage as early as sophomore is quite new in the chemical engineering curriculum. Nevertheless, after two years experimenting, the NSF-CCLI implementation project finds that the advantages are quite obvious. The first advantage is to help the students in co-op program and in Process Analysis (Material and Energy Balance). Most of our co-op students use one of the Computer Aided Modeling and Simulation packages (such as ASPEN, PROII, and HYSYS) during the co-op time period. CAMS prepares them early enough that they will be able to move into the working situation quickly to solve a practical problem in industry. When the co-op students come back to school to learn the fundamental principles in junior/senior engineering basic courses, they already have this "problem based learning" pedagogical mind-set. This helps to pave the way of "problem based learning" pedagogy in chemical engineering curriculum. The NSF-CCLI implementation project has found that the co-op students can learn the fundamental principles more effectively than the non-co-op students. This could be a difference between the learning pedagogies of science and engineering education. In other words, the engineering students feel the need to learn fundamental principles in order to solve problems. The other advantage for the CAMS is to prepare the students for the chemical engineering sophomore (Process Analysis), junior (Thermodynamics, Momentum Transfer, Heat Transfer, and Kinetics) and senior (Mass Transfer, Plant Design, Process Control, and Process Advanced Analysis) courses in problem based learning with an implementation of computer aided modeling and simulation. CAMS teaches the students to do a process simulation for the units of Mixers, Separators, Heat Exchangers, Columns, Reactors, and Pressure Chargers. These units are the applications of Process Analysis, Momentum Transfer, Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, and Kinetics. Besides, the selection of the thermodynamic models prepares the students to learn a non-ideal mixture of chemical compounds that will be studied in Thermodynamics. Thus, CAMS serves as a pathfinder course in the chemical engineering curriculum. Examples collected from major chemical engineering courses are given below: |
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