An Undergraduate Course in Modeling and Simulation of Multiphysics Systems

Authors

  • Estanislao Ortiz-Rodriguez University of Waterloo
  • Jorge Vazquez-Arenas University of Waterloo
  • Luis A. Ricardez-Sandoval University of Waterloo

Abstract

An overview of a course on modeling and simulation offered at the Nanotechnology Engineering undergraduate program at the University of Waterloo. The motivation for having this course in the undergraduate nanotechnology curriculum, the course structure, and its learning objectives are discussed. Further, one of the computational laboratories covered in the course, a relatively simple drug release model, is presented. This computational laboratory is designed to expose the students to the modeling and simulation of a macroscopic model, given in the form of an ODE, coupled with one of the boundary conditions of the system’s microscopic behavior, given in the form of a PDE. The implementation of the proposed drug-release model is performed in COMSOL, a commercial software application suitable to train students in the modeling and simulation of micro and nano systems.

Author Biographies

Estanislao Ortiz-Rodriguez, University of Waterloo

Estanislao Ortiz-Rodriguez holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in chemical engineering from the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi (UASLP), in Mexico. He has worked in the chemical industry sector in Mexico, where he has gained experience in processing operations such as crystallization and drying of inorganic compounds. Recently, he was awarded a Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering from the University of Waterloo, in Canada. Through his graduate programs, the author has specialized in polymer characterization and polymer processing. In this latter topic, he has implemented numerical simulations to address conventional and reactive extrusion operations in twin screw extruders.

Jorge Vazquez-Arenas, University of Waterloo

Jorge Vazquez-Arenas received his B.Sc. in chemical engineering from the Minatitlan Institute of Technology (ITM Mexico, 2003), his M.Eng. in Minerals Engineering from the Autonomous University of San Luis (UASLP Mexico, 2005), and he is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He was a two-year (UAM Mexico, 2007) research fellow in the department of Chemistry in the Metropolitan Autonomous University. His research and educational interests focus in the modeling of electrochemical systems, electrodeposition of single metals and alloys, hydrometallurgy, corrosion, passivation, and EIS methods.

Luis A. Ricardez-Sandoval, University of Waterloo

Luis A. Ricardez-Sandoval received his B.Sc. degree from the Instituto Tecnologico de Orizaba in Orizaba, Mexico. He obtained his M.Sc. degree from the Instituto Tecnologico de Celaya in Celaya, Mexico. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Canada. Prior to joining the graduate program at UW, Luis worked in the manufacturing and oil and gas industry for several years. He is currently an assistant professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Waterloo. His current research interests include multiscale modeling of chemical processes, design and control of dynamic systems, systems identification, and robust control.

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Published

2010-09-01

Issue

Vol. 44 No. 4 (2010): Fall 2010

Section

Manuscripts