(332g) Simulation Modules for Improving Learning in Process Dynamics and Control Courses

Process Dynamics and Control (PD&C) is typically the first course in the chemical engineering curriculum that addresses dynamics in chemical processes explicitly.  Developing an understanding of process dynamics is of paramount importance for industry-bound chemical engineering students, yet students often feel as though the subject is oddly disconnected from their curriculum and challenging to comprehend.  Furthermore, most PD&C instructors have found it prohibitively challenging to implement new pedagogical strategies into PD&C courses.  The suggested course content is expansive, experimental set-ups are expensive, and dynamic experiments are time-consuming.  Several simulation modules have been proposed as alternative means of experiential learning in PD&C courses, but as a whole, while these modules may improve the computational abilities of the students, they do not promote learning of the course material. 

We have developed a series of MATLAB/SIMULINK-based modules that use simulations and computer-driven exercises to introduce students to computational tools for problem solving and build intuition regarding the identification and control of dynamic processes.  With these modules, students are required to identify control system components from a written description and then to design, build, test, and analyze control systems using a variety of control strategies. Preliminary data suggests that the addition of these modules to a traditional PD&C course enhances learning and increases student confidence in the subject material.  In this presentation, we will describe and demonstrate the modules, discuss the specific learning objectives, and present feedback from students.