Numerical Methods in Chemical Engineering with MATLAB

Chemical engineering challenges—from designing chemical reactors to predicting transport phenomena—often lead to complex mathematical equations that cannot be solved by hand. This course introduces you to the essential numerical methods and computational techniques required to solve these real-world engineering problems. You will transition from manual calculations to writing structured, efficient scripts that model physical and chemical systems with confidence. By reading through clear explanations and analyzing practical code examples, you will learn how to translate engineering principles into solvable mathematical models. You will start with the absolute fundamentals of numerical analysis, understanding how to set up governing equations before moving on to practical simulation techniques. What you'll learn: - Understand the foundational theory of numerical approximation and error analysis in engineering models - Solve non-linear algebraic equations representing chemical equilibrium and equation-of-state calculations - Apply numerical integration techniques to determine reactor sizing and conversion rates - Set up and solve systems of ordinary differential equations for transient chemical systems - Implement modern MATLAB scripting best practices, including vectorized operations and clean code formatting - Analyze and debug simulation scripts to ensure accuracy and convergence of your numerical solutions This text-based course is designed to guide you step-by-step, starting with core mathematical concepts and basic programming structures. You will then progress to simulating complex multi-component distillation columns, chemical kinetics, and heat transfer profiles. This course is perfect for undergraduate engineering students, practicing chemical engineers looking to refresh their computational skills, and beginners interested in scientific computing. No prior programming experience or advanced numerical analysis background is required to get started. Start reading today to build a strong foundation in computational chemical engineering.