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A hands-on experience to study membrane technology developed by undergraduate chemical engineering students

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Labs and Demonstrations in Chemical Engineering Education

Page Count

14

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41640

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41640

Download Count

587

Paper Authors

biography

Natacha Souto-Melgar University of Arkansas

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Dr. Natacha Souto-Melgar is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas (U of A). She received her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and B.S. in Chemistry, both from the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez. Her teaching interests include using active learning strategies in the classroom and mentoring students in lab courses where they design experiments instead of performing pre-defined laboratory experiments.

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Jackqueline Steinman-Ptacek University of Arkansas

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Andie Veeder University of Arkansas

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I am a honors senior chemical engineering student at the University of Arkansas.

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Abstract

This paper describes the development of an experiment to study separation using membrane technology. A reverse osmosis pilot plant equipment, donated by industry, was put in operational conditions at a low cost by a team of two undergraduate students. Our reverse osmosis system is simple, versatile, and portable. The undergraduate students improved the equipment design and prepared the operation and maintenance procedures. Also, they prepared an experimental handout and a video demonstration for the reverse osmosis experiment. This new experiment will be incorporated into the Chemical Engineering Senior Laboratory course. The students who participated in this project were exposed to a learning experience via an open-ended approach; they acquired the ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze, interpret data, use engineering judgment to draw conclusions, and improve their technical writing and communication skills. This project has a broader impact, after implementing the reverse osmosis experience in the laboratory course, chemical engineering undergraduate students will have the opportunity to perform various hands-on experiments, learning the theory and practice of an important membrane separation process.

Souto-Melgar, N., & Steinman-Ptacek, J., & Veeder, A. (2022, August), A hands-on experience to study membrane technology developed by undergraduate chemical engineering students Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41640

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