(581i) Integrating Advanced Process Control Topics into the Chemical Engineering Curriculum Using Simulink

Typical undergraduate chemical engineering process control courses cover a wide range of topics, including dynamic models of processes, Laplace transforms, transfer function models, and the dynamic response of first, second, and higher-order systems. These courses also delve into feedback and feedforward control, as well as stability. Generally, students learn the theoretical aspects of process control and subsequently apply their knowledge in separate chemical engineering laboratory courses, projects, or their professional careers.

Given the growing academic and industrial interest in more advanced process control methods, such as model predictive control or reinforcement learning, instructors are seeking ways to integrate these topics into both graduate and undergraduate process control courses. To support instructors in incorporating advanced process control topics in a practical manner, we will provide Simulink-based teaching resources, documentation examples, and content that we have delivered in seminars or as guest lectures. Considering MATLAB and Simulink are extensively utilized computational tools in both industry and academia, these resources and activities are designed to familiarize students with the tools they will encounter in industry or academic research.