Modeling of an industrial anaerobic digester: A case study for undergraduate students

Abstract

An industrial digester is proposed as a case study, aiming at promoting active learning in undergraduate chemical reaction engineering courses. This problem is a good candidate for teamwork in groups of two to four members to stimulate debate and enhance the learning experience. Students are given two weeks to prepare a short written report describing model building, solution method, interpretation of results, and sensitivity analysis. At the end of the first week, model building and its resolution are supposed to be accomplished so that the encountered difficulties can be shared and discussed in class. The authors assume that the students have a prior knowledge of the use of mathematical software. Some students will specifically need help with the convergence of the model. The second week is devoted to performing the sensitivity analysis and identifying key operating parameters. Finally, a roundtable discussion is proposed to present the final project in which each group will present a 10 minute talk about their work. When everyone has completed their individual presentations, the instructor will facilitate discussion and debate to reach general conclusions.