The Inclusion Of Design Content In The Unit Operations Laboratory

• Published in: Association for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 6.1017.1
• Main Authors: Ridgway, Darin, Young, Valerie, Prudich, Michael
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 24.06.2001
• Subjects: Basic converters; Chemical engineering; Colleges & universities; Curricula; Decision making; Design engineering; Engineering education; Experiments; Iterative methods; Laboratories; Learning; Organic chemistry

There has been an emphasis to include design throughout the chemical engineering curriculum. Open-ended projects with design content are commonly included in core courses. The unit operations lab offers another opportunity through the use and extension of experimental data. The range of student learning goals in the typical unit operations laboratory, including the planning and execution of experiments, the interpretation of experimental data, and gaining familiarity with process equipment, make a design task a natural extension. Examples of how these data can be utilized are (i) to determine if the equipment can accomplish a different task; (ii) to design a larger piece of equipment; or (iii) to develop a model which is then used for large-scale design. At Ohio University we have instituted a design objective that each laboratory experiment is centered around. The design objective forces students to consider what data they need to collect, and analysis they need to employ. Examples for four experiments are presented here to demonstrate how the different aspects of design can be incorporated. Student response to this approach has been generally favorable. ABET defines design as follows, “Engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet desired needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences and mathematics and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective. 1” There has been an emphasis to include design throughout the chemical engineering curriculum. Open-ended projects with design content are commonly included in core courses. An aspect of design not as common, however, is the use and extension of experimental data from laboratory experiments. There is a range of student learning goals in the typical unit operations laboratory. These include the planning and execution of experiments, the interpretation of experimental data, and gaining familiarity with process equipment. These objectives make a design task a natural extension. Examples of how these data can be utilized are (i) to determine if the current lab equipment can be used for a different task; (ii) to design a larger- scale piece of equipment; (iii) to develop a model which is then used for large-scale design. Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2001, American Society for Engineering Education