ChE Education Applications

This page features interactive educational applications that demonstrate the principles and calculations involved in various chemical engineering unit operations. Users can modify a wide range of process and operating parameters, with the corresponding plots and results updating in real time. This interactive approach helps chemical engineering students develop a more intuitive understanding of how changes in individual parameters affect overall process behavior and performance. 

August 8, 2026 Update

The latest update to the ChE Apps introduces a new collection of interactive modules for process dynamics and control. New First-Order and Second-Order System simulators provide visual demonstrations of fundamental dynamic-response concepts, including process gain, time constants, damping, oscillation, and transient behavior. These are complemented by a four-part PID Water Tank Simulator series that progressively introduces basic temperature control, actuator and sensor dead time, coupled temperature and liquid-level control, and realistic measurement and controller nonidealities. Together, the new applications are intended to provide a more intuitive bridge between the mathematical models used in process control and the dynamic behavior observed in actual systems.

The PID simulators incorporate adjustable controller tuning, actuator and sensor dynamics, disturbances, process constraints, and numerical integration using the Dormand–Prince 5(4) method. Later simulations extend the system to include material and energy balances, level control, protective logic, measurement noise, hysteresis, sampling effects, and different controller deadband strategies. The applications were developed with an emphasis on interactive exploration of controller behavior rather than treating PID tuning as a purely numerical exercise. 

The ChE Apps welcome page has also been reorganized to provide clearer navigation among the growing collection of thermodynamics, separations, and process dynamics and control applications.

Summary

• Added interactive First-Order System, Second-Order System, and Static PID simulators for studying fundamental process dynamics.

• Introduced a four-part PID Water Tank Simulator series covering progressively more realistic process-control behavior.

  • Simulation A introduces basic PID temperature control with actuator, process, and sensor dynamics.

  • Simulation B adds independently adjustable actuator and sensor dead times.

  • Simulation C introduces coupled temperature and water-level control, variable inventory, outlet-flow manipulation, and process-protection logic.

  • Simulation D incorporates measurement noise, hysteresis, sampling effects, controller deadband strategies, and additional instrumentation nonidealities.

• Reorganized the ChE Apps welcome page for clearer navigation and easier access to the expanding collection of applications.

July 17, 2026 Update

The latest update to the ChE Apps expands their capabilities while preserving the reliability of the original computational engine. Support for open steam rectification has been added to the Ponchon–Savarit and McCabe–Thiele modules, enabling the analysis of a wider range of distillation processes. In addition, a new Gas Absorber and Stripping application has been introduced to cover gas–liquid separation operations. The underlying calculation code remains unchanged, ensuring consistent and reliable computational results. Meanwhile, the applications have been enhanced with graphical improvements and a redesigned user interface, developed with AI-assisted design tools, to replace the previous outdated interface with a more modern, intuitive, and visually appealing user experience. 

Summary

• Added support for open steam rectification in the Ponchon–Savarit and McCabe–Thiele distillation modules.

• Introduced a new Gas Absorber and Stripping application.

• Preserved the original computational code, ensuring consistent and validated chemical engineering calculations.

• Implemented graphical improvements for clearer and more polished visualizations.

• Replaced the previous outdated interface with a modern, AI-assisted redesign to improve usability and overall user experience.