Web-Based Simulation Games for the Integration of Engineering and Business Fundamentals

Authors

  • Bruno Calfa University of Wisconsin-Madison • Madison, WI 53706
  • William Banholzer University of Wisconsin-Madison • Madison, WI 53706
  • Monty Alger Penn State University • University Park, PA 16802
  • Michael Doherty University of California, Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA 93106

Abstract

This paper describes a web-based suite of simulation games that have the purpose to enhance the chemical engineering curriculum with business-oriented decisions. Two simulation cases are discussed whose teaching topics include closing material and energy balances, importance of recycle streams, price-volume relationship in a dynamic market, impact of plant scale on capital, operating, and unit costs, and benefits vs. risks of pioneer plants.

Author Biographies

Bruno Calfa, University of Wisconsin-Madison • Madison, WI 53706

Bruno Calfa is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; he has recently managed and contributed to the development of the Chemical Business Simulator, a free website containing simulations that combine business and engineering fundamentals, and performed conceptual design and operational analyses of solar fuels processes (specifically, regarding the role of chemical storage). He received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (2015), where he developed data analytics methods for enterprise-wide optimization under uncertainty. He received his B.Sc. in chemical engineering from PUC-Rio, Brazil (2009).

William Banholzer, University of Wisconsin-Madison • Madison, WI 53706

William F. Banholzer joined the University of Wisconsin in the fall of 2013 following a 30-year career in industrial research. At UW, Banholzer has appointments in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, the Chemistry Department, and the Wisconsin Energy Institute. He retired from Dow Chemical where he was an executive vice president leading Dow’s Venture Capital, New Business Development, Licensing activities, and served as Dow’s chief technology officer. In addition, he served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Dow Corning Corporation, chairing the Corporate Responsibility Committee. Banholzer also served on the Dow AgroScience’s Members Committee and the Dow Foundation Board of Directors.

Monty Alger, Penn State University • University Park, PA 16802

Monty Alger is the director of the Penn State Institute for Natural Gas Research and professor of chemical engineering. Prior to Penn State, Monty held positions as senior vice president for Research Myriant, LLC, and vice president and chief technology officer with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. He spent 23 years at General Electric (GE) where he led technology development at the Global Research Center, GE Plastics, and Advanced Materials Business. Before joining GE, he was director of the MIT Albany Chemical Engineering Practice School Station. He is active with several university and industrial advisory boards and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He has S.B. and S.M. degrees in chemical engineering from MIT (1978) and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1982).

Michael Doherty, University of California, Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA 93106

Michael F. Doherty is professor of chemical engineering and former department chair at the University of California Santa Barbara. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He received his B.Sc. in chemical engineering from Imperial College, London in 1973, and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Trinity College, University of Cambridge, in 1977. His research interests include process systems engineering with particular emphasis on crystal engineering, and separation with chemical reaction.

Downloads

Published

2017-04-10

Issue

Vol. 51 No. 2 (2017): Spring 2017

Section

Manuscripts