Chemical Engineering Students Design for Powering the World

In the design project, students solve a practical and industrially relevant design problem in the same way as might be expected in an industrial situation. They are expected to develop and evaluate process alternatives via rigorous simulation, perform equipment sizing, optimise various process units, analyse the safety and environmental impact of the process, estimate capital and operating costs, and assess plant profitability. Thus, the design project aims to impart a holistic learning experience, where students get an opportunity to carry out the major steps in the design and evaluation of a new chemical process or product, exhibit creativity, work in a team and write a comprehensive report on a full-f ledged chemical process design. Furthermore, students learn how to solve open-ended design problems with several alternate solutions by making critical design decisions based on sound scientific justifications and giving due consideration to cost and safety. Such a learning experience serves to emphasise various aspects of higher order thinking and learning; it also engages students at the top levels of the Bloom’s Taxonomy pyramid (“Bloom’s Taxonomy”, n.d.).