Experiments & Experiences with Scilab in Undergraduate Education

Experiments & Experiences with Scilab in

Undergraduate Education

P. R. Naren

School of Chemical & Biotechnology

SASTRA University

Thanjavur, Tamilnadu 613 401 INDIA

E-mail: [email protected]

Scilab India Conference

IIT – Bombay

3 – 4 Dec 2014

Progress Through Quality Education

SASTRA University

3-Dec-14 Experiments & Experiences with Scilab in Undergraduate Education 2

• Established in 1984

• Deemed university 2001

– Deemed University u/s 3 of UGC

Act, 1956

• Re-accredited with A grade by

NAAC in 2014

• Transparent merit based admissions

– 10k students , 1k faculty

• School of Chemical & Biotechnology

– Chemical Engg.

– Biotechnology

– Bioengineering

– Bioinformatics

• Research centre

• Thanjavur

– 300 km from Chennai

– 40 km from Trichy

– Historic place

– River Cauvery

– Rice bowl

Chennai

Thanjavur

Outline

• Elective course CAChE

• Scilab workshops

• UG semester projects

• Textbook companion projects

• Specific pitfalls and difficulties

• Recommendations

• Summary


Elective Course: CAChE


Computer Applications in Chemical

Engineering

– Elective B.Tech Chem. Engg.

6th semester, Dec 11 – Apr 12

3 batches – 80 students

– Core M. Tech Chem. Engg.

2nd semester, Dec 13 – Apr 14

• Scilab as computing tool

• Complements problem solving

– Process calculations

– Thermodynamics

– Reaction Engineering

– Mass and Heat transfer

• Lectures and Practical

– Algorithms

– Implementation of numerical

techniques 2 hr per week

– Tutorial 2 hr. per week

– Assignment

– Internal assessment

Spoken Tutorials in Learning Phase


• Students introduced to Scilab through Spoken tutorials

– Online test

Test questions needs to be revamped

– Possibility of higher level test at end of course ?

Scilab Workshops


• Awareness creation

• I year undergraduates

– Across disciplines

– Under SASTRA

University IIChE Student

Chapter

• 2 successful editions

– Oct. 2013, 2014

– 500 participants

• Promotion :FDP

programme

– At BITS, Trichy

• Content open to publicin.linkedin.com/in/prnaren

www.slideshare.net/narenpr

– PPT

– Codes

Scilab Tutorials : I year UG


• Tut1: Product of two nos.

• Tut2: Product of two nos. + user input

• Tut3: Matrix calculations based on user

choice

• Tut4: Matrix calculations based on user

choice with condition check

• Tut5: Spline curves

• Tut6: Building blocks

• Tut7: Equation of motion : v

• Tut8: Equation of motion: v and x

• Tut9: Roots of polynomial

• Tut10: Smart Input for Tut4

• Tut11: Write output into text file

• Tut12: Sum on n numbers

• Tut1: Print statements

• Tut2: Input function

• Tut3: Switch case

• Tut4: If then else

• Tut5: Plot functions

• Tut6: Function (Sub routines)

• Tut7: ODE function : I order

• Tut8: Simultaneous ODE : Two I order

• Tut9: Inbuilt function fsolve

• Tut10: GUI

• Tut11: File operations

• Tut12: For looping

Scilab Tutorials: Mech. & Biotech.

Scilab Features

• Tut5: Plot functions

• Tut6: Function (Sub routines)

• Tut7: Inbuilt function fsolve

• Tut8: Linear regression

– “\’ operator

• Tut9: File operations

• Tut10: For looping and GUI

• Tut11: ODE function : I order

• Tut12: Simultaneous ODE :

– Two I order


• Tut5: Specific heat

capacity

• Tut6: Building blocks

• Tut7: Molar volume

from Virial equation

• Tut8: Enthalpy vs.

Temperature

• Tut9: Write output into

text file

• Tut10: Molar volume

from IGL

Mechanical Engg. - Thermodynamics

Tut5: Michaelis Menten rate

Tut6: Building blocks

Tut7: Roots of polynomial

Tut8: Activation energy

Tut9: Write output into text

file

Tut10: Pressure drop in FBR

Tut11: Substrate conc M-M

rate

Tut12: Equation of motion: v

and x

Biotechnology

Semester Projects

• Use of Scilab for process design / reactor engineering

models

– Pressure balance model of Circulating Fluidized bed

– Development of reactor engineering model for fixed bed reactor

• Use of GUI based input

– Ease

– Added benefit


Textbook Companion Projects

• Opportunity for high performers / self-learners to

– Learn Scilab

– Understand subject knowledge better through coding

– Paid internship

– Contribute Scilab resources

• 2 Completed and 2 ongoing

• Similar scheme for developing Scilab sample codes

repository ?

– Domain specific

– Numerical techniques


Specific Pitfalls and Difficulties

• Better synchronization of file / folder browser

– Rename option

– Delete option

• Lack of specificity in reporting of errors

– Inline error notification for incompatible syntax

Scilab script


a = 2 +

Error: Expression or statement

is incomplete or incorrect.

!--error 2

Invalid factor.

Specific Pitfalls and Difficulties

• Better user interface and graphical artwork for

aesthetic appeal

– Concatenation in case of multiple loops

• Customized applications / add-ons


Recommendations

• Enhanced documentation

– Make it available on FOSSEE platform as reference textbook

• Better organized help menu

• Active Scilab help community / forum

• Toolboxes

– Curve fit, PDE

• Spoken tutorials / Scilab companion project : FOSSEE: SciTutorials

– PDE, Stiff ODEs

– Numerical techniques

Discipline specific

Pooled from textbook companion codes

• Scilab proficiency certificate

– Incentive for learning


Summary

• Ample scope for growth as efficient and effective

computational tool for engineers

– Aids Problem solving

– Complements learning

FOSSEE potential to be harnessed

SciTutorials

Reach students better


Acknowledgements

• Students of CAChE Course

– 2013, 2014 and 2015 batches

– S. Abhinav, Rutgers, NJ

– G. Subash, ICT, Mumbai

– Sneha R. Iyer, ICT, Mumbai

– Priyam Nayak, IBM, Bangalore

• Faculty colleagues SCBT

• SASTRA University IIChE Student Chapter


Thank You

• Prof. Kannan Moudgalya, IITB

• Scilab Team, FOSSEE, IITB

– Usha Viswanathan, Project Manager

– Mohamed Kasim Khan, Spoken Tutorial


Thank You

A person who never made a mistake never tried

anything new.

- Albert Einstein

- 1879 -1955

Contact E-mail

[email protected]
