This project is directed at two goals. First, an experiment involving catalytic isomerization of n-butenes is built and introduced into the two required senior chemical engineering laboratory courses. The experiment is based on an existing gas chromatograph and involves a relatively simple apparatus built around a tubular glass reactor packed with chromia alumina catalyst. Purchased equipment includes an FID detector and second inlet for the chromatograph, a capillary column capable of separating the three n-butene isomers, and a tube furnace. The students become familiar with the essentials of heterogeneous catalysis and see how kinetic and equilibrium data for catalytic reactions are generated and analyzed. Second, an existing experiment involving the dynamics and control of a multivessel flow system is interfaced to the Internet. This setup allows students (using Web software such as Netscape Navigator) in several nonlaboratory courses (including a first-year elective open to all engineering students) to see, run, and acquire data from this system. Equipment includes a color video camera, motorized lens, tilt and pan stage for the camera, video compression card, and Pentium computer. *
