Tracking of learning level on design and safety skills in two core subjects of the chemical engineering degree at UPV

Abstract

[EN] Chemical engineers develop their profession in areas in which design of processes and safety of installations, equipment and procedures designed are especially relevant due to the impact and consequences that a failure of these items represent. Therefore, curriculum of chemical engineers chemical engineering should include these disciplines as a valuable skill. In the Universitat Politècnica of València (UPV), design and safety competence training is worked in the curriculum of chemical engineering degree through several subjects. "Experimentation in Chemical Engineering III" (EIq3) from 3rd course, semester B and "Industrial Processes of Chemical Engineering" (PIIQ) from 4th course semester A, are core courses specially focussed on the development of several activities to work these skills. In EIq3 students design a production process to obtain oil from almond for cosmetic purposes. This design project includes: lab work to study and understand the stages of the production process and its performance, drawing of block and flow diagram of the process by using Autocad and recommendation of basic safety measures in the installation. In the following semester, students of PIIQ study different production processes and design a process to obtain olive oil. This design includes drawing of block and flow diagram of the full process, selection and justification of safety measures needed and its implementation in the installation through its drawing in the flow diagram. Safety is also strengthened through an activity of safety presentation about an item related to the installation that students should prepare and defense. This work collects and analyses the evolution of the learning level and its deepness into safety and design skills through the analysis of the results obtained along the several control points stablished in EIq3 and PIIQ courses. These control points are: deliverables of academic works at the beginning of EIq3, assessment of design project and written exam at the end of EIq3 and academic results at the end of PIIQ of several academic years. Progressive work along these two consecutive courses in safety and design skills have allowed to obtain a deeper degree of learning in these disciplines and better results in a medium term compared with the previous academic years in which these activities and methodology were not performed in both subjects.