Selecting the Appropriate Numerical Soft- ware for a Chemical Engineering Course

Criteria for evaluating mathematical software packages and the results of a recent comparison of such packages are briefly reviewed. A benchmark problem that was developed based on the results of this comparison is presented. This problem can be used in various courses, representing various levels of knowledge in chemical process analysis, mathematical modeling and numerical methods where the solution is achieved using the software most appropriate to the objectives of the particular course. This work demonstrates and illustrates the conclusion that the most educational benefits can be gained by using several packages throughout the chemical engineering curriculum. The software that is most appropriate for a particular course must be determined according to the course objectives and the previous exposure of the students to mathematical models, numerical algorithms and computer programming.