The Use Of Process Flowsheet Simulators In Soph. And Jr. Chemical Engineering Courses

Process Flowsheet Simulation Software has been used since 1990 in sophomore and junior level chemical engineering courses at Michigan Technological University. MicroCHESS Process Simulation (by COADE) was used in the mass balance course in 1990. Starting in 1991, HYSYS/HYSIM (by Hyprotech Ltd.) has been used in the mass balance, energy balance, stagewise operations and mass transfer/separations courses. The use of Process Flowsheet Simulation Software is implemented by assigning computer projects. The primary objective of the computer projects is to expose the students to the type of software used for designing chemical processes in industry and in the senior-year design course. Secondary objectives include the experience of working in a student group (initially recommended but now required), the opportunity to undergo the "painful" and frustrating process of learning to use new software, initial exposure to the design of a part of a chemical process, recognition of the value of Process Flowsheet Simulation Software in optimizing a process, an awareness of the role of economics in design, and verification of the concepts studied in class. The computer projects for the mass balance course always involve a chemical reaction with recycle. The Process Flowsheet Simulation Software uses the Wegstein algorithm to deal with the recycle. The students have already done calculations by hand using Wegstein for simple chemical reaction-recycle problems. One of the computer projects for the energy balance course involves problems already solved by hand. The students investigate the reliability of the enthalpy estimation techniques used by the physical property package in the software. A second computer project involves the determination of adiabatic flame temperature. The computer projects for the stagewise operations and mass transfer/separations courses involve one or more columns and usually a recycle stream (absorption or liquid extraction followed by desorption or distillation with solvent recycle and with energy recovery). The students can also compare the enthalpy and equilibrium data used in hand calculations with the values estimated by the software. All of the above objectives have been achieved. The computer projects must be carefully formulated and be appropriate for the level of the course. Adequate assistance must be provided on use of the software. The students like the design and economic aspects of the computer projects.