Abstract:

The objective of this work is to promote the acquisition of programming skills among students in bachelor's and master's degrees in Chemical Engineering through the development of interactive software applications (APPs) that would allow for a simpler implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL). More concretely, the aim is to improve both the competencies related to programming in Matlab or Python in a practical use of knowledge environment.
Traditionally, PBL is hard to implement due to the lack of time, as teachers have to prepare the cases one by one, while the students have to solve highly complex calculations. One way to solve this problem is to develop applications that can be used both to generate cases by teachers and to solve them at the user level by students. By being designed in an open environment, they can be modified by students themselves to promote the acquisition of programming skills.
Following these premises, we have designed and implemented three interactive applications in Matlab and Python that allow i) simulating the operation of an adsorption column, such as those used in water treatment plant, ii) simulating the operation of a 2nd generation lignocellulosic ethanol bioreactor using different raw materials, iii) analyzing the reactor behavior of tubular reactor with axial dispersion under mass transfer or kinetic control. These APPs are open to students and include a technical note that details their functionality, being currently in use for PBL in different courses of Chemical Engineering degree of the University of Málaga.

Keywords:

Matlab, Python, Programming Skills.