Design in and out of Capstone

This talk will briefly present and share materials for three chemical engineering design projects spanning the curriculum. First, I will share a first-year product design experience and give an overview of its many variations (sneakers, salad dressing, swimming pools, among others). These experiences are designed to occur over three weeks of combined classroom and laboratory meetings, but may be altered for a one credit hour semester-long intro course or summer pre-college class.

I will also share a chemical process design “game” that can serve as a fun motivation in reaction thermodynamics. This module is useful as a preview of upcoming capstone design, as it asks students to balance costs for raw materials and plant conditions with potential sales from chemical products in an equilibrium-limited reaction, the creation of syngas by steam reformation of methane. Students compete in class (or virtually) to have the most profitable plant in this design optimization exercise.

Finally, Bucknell’s approach to the classic capstone chemical process design and process modeling course will be presented. In this course, student teams are formed before the start of class, and given a local feedstock, most recently from the Marcellus shale. Teams propose a product, a reaction pathway, and use Hysys to simulate the plant including separations and energy integration. Teams conclude with a feasibility report including economics.