Work in progress — Design and the robotically-controlled mini-plant in freshman chemical engineering

Through an iterative process over nine semesters, the freshman Chemical Engineering Analysis course in Mississippi State University´s Swalm School of Chemical Engineering has evolved into a problem-based design experience using the LEGO NXT^® robotics kits integrated with Vernier^® sensor technology and auxiliary bench-scale equipment (e.g. pumps, valves, piping and tanks). Integrating a variety of skills important to engineering practice, this course engages students in critical thinking; team-building; integration of mathematics, chemistry and physics; a systems approach to open-ended problem solving; and, the application of concepts, data collection and analysis with actual systems construction and testing. The use of the reasonably-priced LEGO NXT^® robotics kits allows replication of multiple robotically-controlled “mini plant” units across a large class (60+), enabling student design teams to simultaneously, yet creatively and uniquely develop solutions to a variety of process design problems.