Chemical Engineering Capstone Design II

Topics

• Design an integrated chemical engineering process that includes realistic design parameters and applies appropriate technical principles.
• Design individual unit operations within an overall chemical engineering process using industry-relevant process simulation tools.
• Perform a technoeconomic analysis to assess the feasibility of a process design.
• Effectively communicate technical results and design recommendations in written and oral formats.
• Integrate experimental or research findings with engineering design when applicable.
• Apply primary research and patent literature relevant to chemical and biomolecular engineering designs.
• Apply project management principles to develop a comprehensive engineering design as a team.
• Apply leadership and team work tools and principles to work effectively in a small engineering team.
• By simulating a corporate work environment the students are introduced to the demands and expectations that they will face when they enter the workforce, and are thus better prepared to function in either the academic or the corporate environment.
• Each system design within the overall plant design requires the identification of relevant process design parameters and the solution of chemical engineering calculations to arrive at a design recommendation. The students are also taught an in house capital cost estimating algorithm, which they must use in determining the capital cost of their recommended designs. (e) The students use Aspen Tech Process Simulator and the ASPEN cost estimating system to first simulate and then determine the capital and operating cost of their design solutions.
• The students work in either three or four member teams and learn by experience and by instruction how to manage team dynamics to complete the work in a timely fashion.
• The students prepare power point presentations describing the results of their work for the week and present them to professors and TA's who critically evaluate both content and presentation. Written clarification memos for points arising from the presentation are also required.
• Stress is placed on the concept of designing to minimize environmental footprint and good corporate stewardship in design.

Official roster learning outcomes