These worksheets solve typical problems encountered in the chemical engineering area.
Worksheets marked with 
use PTC Mathcad premium features, otherwise they are Express compatible. All worksheets created in PTC Mathcad Prime 3.0.
| Worksheet name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| 2DLinearInterpolation | Linear interpolation is a common scientific and engineering concept - it's the process of estimating intermediate values from a series of X-Y points by connecting adjacent points with a straight line. | |
| Binary Distillation with the McCabe-Thiele Method | A propane-pentane feed at 10 bar is to be separated in a multistage distillation unit to a required purity of both components. This worksheet will calculate the required number of theoretical stages required. Data describing propane-pentane equilibrium composition is supplied. | |
| Calculating the Specific Enthalpy of Ethanol | This worksheet will calculate the specific enthalpy of ethanol with respect to a reference temperature. | |
| Energy Transfer Across a Heat Exchanger | Heat is being transferred from a hot to a cold stream across a heat exchanger according to the schematic below. The mass flowrates, input temperatures and specific heat capacities of both streams are known, as well as the heat transfer coefficient and heat transfer area. This worksheet will calculate the temperature of both output streams. | |
| Equilibrium Stages Required to Separate a Propane/Pentane Mixture | A propane-pentane feed at 10 bar is to be separated in a multistage distillation unit to a required purity of both components. This worksheet will calculate the required number of theoretical stages required. Data describing propane-pentane equilibrium composition is supplied. | |
| Fitting Experimenta Data to the Antoine Equation | This worksheet calculates the emprical coefficients A, B and C for a given set of data. It produces an initial set of values for these quantities using a matrix inverse technique. It then attempt to refine the values; this may not necessarily give a better fit. The worksheet then picks the values of A, B and C which gives the lowest sum of the squares of the errors. | |
| Flowrate Between Two Reservoirs | A pump transfers from one reservoir to another reservoir according to the schematic below. Check valves are placed either side of the pump and experimental head/flowrate data for the pump is available. | |
| Heat Transfer Coefficient for Pool Boiling of Water | This worksheet will calculate the heat transfer coefficient for the pool boiling of water from a surface using the Forster and Zuber (1955) correlation | |
| Heating an Oil Stream Through Three Steam-Heated Tanks | Cold oil is being heated by steam through three tanks connected in series. The transient change in temperature in the three tanks is modelled by three coupled ordinary differential equations. The equations will be numerically solved using Mathcad's flexible ordinary differential equation solver, OdeSolve. The validity of the solutions will be checked by comparing the numerical results to the analytical solution. | |
| Liquid Flow Through a Pump | A pipe receives water from a centrifugal pump. This worksheet will calculate the flowrate through the pipe. | |
| Liquid Flow Through Pumps in Parallel | Two pumps in parallel pump water from a reservoir according to the schematic below. Experimental data describing the head/flowrate relationship for each pump is available. This worksheet will calculate the flowrate at the exit piping. | |
| Model of a Single-Component Vaporiser | This worksheet develops a simple model of a single-component vaporiser via a heat and mass balance. The governing differential equations are then solved numerically. | |
| Model of a Single-Component Vaporiser under PI Control | This worksheet develops a simple model of a single-component vaporiser via a heat and mass balance. The vaporiser maintains a constant temperature of liquid via PI control that modifies the heat. The governing differential equations are solved numerically. | |
| Pressure Drop Through a Pipe of a Power Law Fluid | A power law fluid (for which rheological data is available) is to be pumped through a pipe. This worksheet will calculate the maximum flowrate and the associated pressure drop if the flow is to be kept laminar. | |
| Pressure Drop Through a Pipe of a Two-Phase Fluid | A mixture of gas and oil flow through a pipeline. This worksheet will use the Lockhart-Martinelli correlation to find the two-phase pressure gradient. | |
| Pressure Drop Through a Venturi Meter | Water flows through a venturi flow meter. This worksheet will calculate the pressure drop. | |
| Tank Heating an Oil Stream under PID Control | A cold oil stream is being heated in a stirred tank. The dynamic change in temperature in the tank is modelled by an ordinary differential equation. The temperature of the liquid in the tank is driven to a set point via a PID controller, which alters the heat added to the system. | |
| Tank Heating an Oil Stream under PI Control | A cold oil stream is being heated in a stirred tank. The dynamic change in temperature in the tank is modelled by an ordinary differential equation. The temperature of the liquid in the tank is driven to a set point via a PI controller, which alters the heat added to the system. | |
| The Transient Draining of Liquid From One Tank to Another with a Pump | A pump drains liquid from one tank into another identical tank. It is positioned midway between each tank, connected by a pipe at the bottom of each tank. The flow is opposed by friction in the connecting pipe. This worksheet models the transient change in liquid height in each tank. | |
| Vapour/Liquid Equilibria of an Acetonitrile/Nitrobenzene Mixture | This worksheet will calculate the bubble and dewpoint of two different acetonitrile/nitrobenzene mixtures. |
