Professional design of chemical plants based on problem-based learning on a pilot plant

Abstract

This work describes a novel teaching methodology and its application in a subject framed in the last course of the master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Seville. The main aim consists of promoting a way to facilitate professional practice in this field to the students. Authors also aim at guiding the transition to the new learning requirements demanded by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).The novel methodology is based on the development of a detailed design of a pilot plant that can be further evaluated by the students themselves. Students are also allowed to run experiments at the facility and carry out several standard tests to verify the quality of the results of their works. The novelty of this proposal consists of incorporating a real installation available in our department to drive new learning methodologies applied in Chemical Engineering curricula. The methodology is distributed across several tasks: training (self-learning), project execution and supervision, comparison with a real installation and pilot plant experiences. The application of the proposed teaching methodology provided quality didactic material production, high satisfaction of the students with the new learning approach and the fact that they gained practical experience at industrial scale.