Some applications of computerized symbolic manipulation in the analysis of chemical engineering systems

AbstractThe potential advantages of using symbolic manipulation software in the analysis of mathematical models that describe typical chemical engineering systems is described. It is suggested that the systematic application of computerized symbolic manipulation would permit application problems in chemical engineering to be solved with greater efficiency and accuracy than using tedious manual operations which are susceptible to error. In addition, a greater degree of mathematical sophistication is possible which can provide greater insight into the physical situation when compared to purely numerical techniques. To introduce the application of symbolic manipulation to chemical engineering systems, several example problems are briefly described and solved using the software package MACSYMA. The particular ones used here describe the flow of thin liquid films, the exit age probability density function for nonideal mixing in a continuous-flow stirred tank, the steady-state reactant concentrations that exist in a train of backmixed reactors with first-order reaction, and the steady-state concentrations of an organic species in a countercurrent flow multistage extraction column. The use of these for pedagogical purposes and as an entry point for analysis of more sophisticated applications is suggested and discussed