how we teach: chemical engineering thermodynamicsinnovative practices - approach •non-graded...

How we teach: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

AIChE 2018

The AIChE presentation is the preliminary presentation of these results. For the “archival” version of results, please reference the forthcoming proceedings paper from ASEE 2019;

because that version of the results will incorporate any late survey responses, results may change slightly

Overview

• Survey Results - Margot Vigeant

• Perspectives on Thermodynamics - Don Visco

• Audience participation & Discussion - Everyone! Facilitated by David Silverstein

Survey Results - AIChE EdDiv Survey Committee Report

Kevin DahmLaura Ford

Christy WestLucas LandherrDavid SilversteinMargot Vigeant

The AIChE presentation is the preliminary presentation of these results. For the “archival” version of results, please reference the forthcoming proceedings paper

from ASEE 2019; because that version of the results will incorporate any late survey responses, results may change slightly

Mission - AIChE EdDiv Survey Committee• The AIChE EdDiv Survey Committee is a volunteer group that seeks to

compile, analyze, and broadly share timely and comprehensive information with the chemical engineering community on the content, pedagogy, and implementation of undergraduate chemical engineering courses and curricula.

• The goal of our work is to enable more informed course and curriculum design throughout the chemical engineering community.

Active since 2008ALL past surveys

linked here!

Previous Thermo Surveys

• 1973

• 1976

• 1982

• 1992 <—- Used for comparison here, where possible

Department Demographics# Faculty / Instructors

0

6

12

18

24

30

0-5 6-10

11-15

16-20

21-25

26-30

31-35 35

+

Students

0

6

12

18

24

30

0-25

26-50

51-75

76-10

0

101-1

25

126-1

50

151-1

7517

5+

Thermo Class SizeGraduates / Yr

81 Programs Reporting

Courses and Credits

Courses

Total # PChem& Thermo

Courses

14%

25%

48%

11%2%

0 1 2 3 4 or More

PChem

4%7%

51%

38%0123 or More

ChemE Thermo

4%

57%

36%

4%

0123 or More

1992: 53% 1 course, 47% 2

We like home cooking!• Only four respondents indicated they require a “thermodynamics” class

that is not “chemical engineering thermo” class

• (X2) “Students Take General Engineering Thermodynamics and then Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics”

• “Thermo 1 is through the dean of engineering, Thermo 2 is co-offered with materials thermodynamics, Thermo 1 is not a pre-req for Thermo 2 (unfortunately)”

• “General Thermo, then ChemE Thermo, then ChemE Thermo Lab (1 unit)”

When is each course typically taken?

First/Only P-Chem First/Only Thermo

First Year 6 0

Second Year 11 54

Third Year 31 22

Fourth Year 1 0

1992: 85% in 3rd year

How many credit hours does your CHE Thermo course(s) receive?

# Credits # Respondents % Respondents

3 38 46.9

4 (or 4.5) 20 24.7

6 20 24.7

7-9 3 3.7

1992: 76% were 3.0 hr courses, no lab

Content

Textbook8%5%

10%

10%

13%14%

39%Smith, van Ness, Abbott, & SwihartSandlerElliott & LiraDahm & ViscoKoretskyCengel, Boles, & KanogluOther

1992: Smith & van Ness 68%, Sandler 22%

Thermo Fundamentals

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Firs

t Law

Seco

nd L

aw

1st &

2nd

to U

nit O

ps

Idea

l gas

law

Stea

m

Reve

rsib

ility

Max

wel

l's re

latio

ns

PChemENGR ThermoChemE Thermo IChemE Thermo IINot covered

Cycles

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Carn

ot c

ycle

Carn

ot re

frige

rato

r

Pow

er c

ycle

s

Refri

gera

tion

cycl

es

PChemENGR ThermoChemE Thermo IChemE Thermo IINot covered

More on cycles#

Prog

ram

s

0

15

30

45

60

Rankine OVC Otto Stirling Brayton Diesel

Molecular Thermo & Models

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Fuga

city

Chem

ical

pot

entia

l

EOS

1 co

mp.

VLE

EOS

mul

ti-co

mp

VLE

Activ

ity m

odel

s

Parti

al m

olar

pro

perti

es

Stat

istic

al m

echa

nics

PChemENGR ThermoChemE Thermo IChemE Thermo IINot covered

Other Equilibria & Phase Behavior

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Ioni

c co

mpo

unds

Polym

ers

Solid

s

LLE

Reac

tion

equi

libriu

m

PChemENGR ThermoChemE Thermo IChemE Thermo IINot covered

Other topics covered• Three-phase systems or VLLE (2)

• Distillation columns or separations technology (2)

• Electrochemical equilibria (2)

• Supercritical fluids (1)

• Kinetic theory of gases (1)

• Complex reaction mechanisms (1)

• Surface tension (1)

• Quantum mechanics (1)

• Activity models use for describing the behavior of food (1)

• Inclusive teaming (1)

What safety is included in ChE thermo courses?• Pressure calculations for sealed vessels • Flash point • Flammability limits • Emissions • BLEVE • SAChE certificates • Purging

Safety

26%

17%57%

NoYesMaybe

ABET Assessments

# of

Pro

gram

s

0

6

12

18

24

30

Eval

uatio

n of

Info

rmat

ion

Env/

Pol

/ So

c

Com

mun

icat

ions

Safe

ty

Ethi

cs

Life

-long

Lea

rnin

g

Com

putin

g

Desig

n

Prof

essio

nalis

m

Tech

onl

y

Oth

er

Process

Assessment Types

• Project Types

• 1/3 computer-based

• 28% involve calculations too complex for a test/quiz

• 7% make videos

• 1/3 are 1-month to 1-semester long

% o

f Pro

gram

s

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Test

s

Prob

lem

Set

s

Conc

ept Q

uest

ions

Qui

zzes

Proj

ects

Lab

Repo

rts

Medium

# of

Pro

gram

s

0

16

32

48

64

80

Pape

r

e-Bo

ok

OER

(non

-edi

tabl

e)

OER

(edi

tabl

e)

Illega

l

Hom

emad

e

Required Type

67%

31%

3%Only e-bookOnly PaperMixed

Computing

• “Other” = Software with book or homemade

% o

f Pro

gram

s

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Spre

adsh

eets

Mat

lab

& Si

mila

r

CHEM

CAD

& Si

mila

rAS

PEN

Ther

mo

& Si

mila

r

Sim

ulat

ion

Oth

er

1992: 2/3 programs require computer use for homework 15% use a process simulator

Instructional Settings

• Everyone teaches class

• Labs are primarily physical (one program reporting a mix of simulation and experiment)

% o

f Pro

gram

s

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Clas

s

Lab

Rece

tatio

n

Stud

io

Oth

er

Innovative Practice - Content• Created direct connection between thermodynamics course and

modeling/simulation course taught same semester • Environmental-oriented applications (Environ. Eng. are required to take

the course) • Combinatorial enumeration of states of simple lattice model to give

molecular description of entropy and from it other properties and driving forces for transport • Individual presentations about food production followed by community

service at food bank or urban farm, learning about food insecurity • Interactive study modules, available on www.LearnChemE.com • Build a Stirling engine • Process emphasis with spreadsheet and Aspen Plus

Innovative Practices - Approach• Non-graded concept tests to start lectures • Mini-design project • Spiral curriculum that spreads classical and chemical

engineering thermodynamics over 4 7-week long courses • Coaching model with in-class problems • Wheel of Doom to choose students to call on in class • Flipped classroom of various types, with concept tests, peer

instruction, and group problem solving in class • Homework due every class period

Conclusions

• Thermo - still core to the curriculum

• Computational emphasis

• Big Ideas: Energy/Entropy; property and equilibrium modeling (1 and multi-component)

• Reactions, solids, LLE, ions, electricity……