Mathematical Modeling in Chemical Engineering

A solid introduction to mathematical modeling for a range of chemical engineering applications, covering model formulation, simplification and validation. It explains how to describe a physical/chemical reality in mathematical language and how to select the type and degree of sophistication for a model. Model reduction and approximation methods are presented, including dimensional analysis, time constant analysis and asymptotic methods. An overview of solution methods for typical classes of models is given. As final steps in model building, parameter estimation and model validation and assessment are discussed. The reader is given hands-on experience of formulating new models, reducing the models and validating the models. The authors assume the knowledge of basic chemical engineering, in particular transport phenomena, as well as basic mathematics, statistics and programming. The accompanying problems, tutorials, and projects include model formulation at different levels, analysis, parameter estimation and numerical solution.

Anders Rasmuson is a Professor in Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. He obtained his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, in 1978. His research has focused on mathematical modelling combined with experimental work in many areas of chemical engineering, for example particulate processes, multiphase flows and transport phenomena, mixing and separation processes.

Bengt Andersson is a Professor in Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. He obtained his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Chalmers in 1977. His research has focused on experimental studies and modelling of mass and heat transfer in various chemical reactors ranging from automotive catalysis to three phase flow in chemical reactors.

Louise Olsson is a Professor in Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. She obtained her PhD in Chemical Engineering at Chalmers in 2002. Her research has focused on experiments and kinetic modelling of heterogeneous catalysis.

Ronnie Andersson is an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. He obtained his PhD at Chalmers in 2005 and from 2005 until 2010 he worked as consultant at Epsilon HighTech as a specialist in CFD simulations of combustion and multiphase flows. His research projects involve physical modelling, fluid dynamic simulations and experimental methods.