(149d) Integration of Process Safety Experience in Research Project into Undergraduate Process Design Courses

The undergraduate, senior process design course at The Ohio State University comprises a series of two 4-credit courses, namely: Chemical Process Principles: Economics and Strategy and Chemical Engineering Design and Development. The first course (Process Principles) introduces and teaches senior chemical engineering undergraduate students a core set of process design principles, including process safety evaluation, economic evaluation, optimization theories and heat integration. The second course (Design and development) exposes students to managing, working and communicating on a real world (industry/academia sponsored) open-ended chemical engineering project wherein they apply the skills learned from the first course towards completing the project. This two-tiered structure gives students an in-depth learning opportunity to learn skills in one course and reinforce them by application to a real-world project in the second.

This talk will focus on the process safety facet of the two courses. Specifically, over the last two years, the presenting author and the instruction team have restructured the process safety lessons taught in the first course (skill building) to revolve around a specific chemical looping pilot plant constructed by the instructor and his team. Concepts of process safety analysis, safety relieve valve sizing, inherently safer design are directly exemplified in the pilot plant design making a clear translating class room lessons to real-world applications. Though this approach engages students by rooting the class on a specific and detail process, such approach requires additional challenges it requires the students to familiarize themselves with the process concept, learn how to interpret control and mechanical specification documents, and decipher piping & instrumentation diagrams. However, with this approach, students can be better prepared to enter industry. The learnings from the first course are reinforced in the second, where the students apply PHA and risk assessment techniques to their open-ended projects. The present paper will initially discuss the experience in developing material that incorporated the chemical looping pilot plant development in the process design teaching material. Experience gained from the last two years of instructor this course in regards to student response and course refinement are discussed. Finally, examples and perspectives of the applications PHA and risk assessments from the first course used in practic by students in their second course will be presented. An overall perspective on specific changes that will be implemented in Fall 2018 and direction of further safety material will be shared.