(21e) Using Pilot Plants In a Capstone Unit Operations Laboratory Course to Create a Chemical Manufacturing Experience

Unit Operations courses are typically considered “capstone” courses in many undergraduate chemical engineering programs.  At Michigan Technological University, each semester of the senior year has a required 3 credit unit operations focused course.  This paper details the content for the second of these two courses which is a unique, manufacturing focused Chemical Plant Operations course utilizing two fully automated pilot plants.  The pilot plants include a two-story, 30 gallon jacketed, batch polymerization reactor (PDMS reactor) and a three-story, distillation column (Solvent Recovery Unit or SRU).  Both pilot plants are part of the  Process Simulation and Control Center (PSCC) at Michigan Technological University.  The course incorporates participation by numerous industrial speakers as well as utilization of an Emerson Process Management Delta V^TM control system, Foundation^TM fieldbus and Hart-enabled process instrumentation, an OSIsoft PI^TM data acquisition system, Six Sigma quality control tools, and ISA S-88 methods.  Lecture material includes quality management, the application of statistical process control, and current trends in quality manufacturing.  Students complete two “project cycles” requiring the completion of proposals prior to each run followed by the submission of comprehensive written and oral reports.