Project and potential
From the point of view of the Chimica Industriale and Industrial Chemistry study path, students approach large processes and equipment used in industry from a mainly theoretical point of view, learning the functioning and optimization of the various operating units, but with the limitation to see them represented individually, as images or as plant diagrams (PFD and P&ID). The integration of a 3D simulation system of a real plant, developed down to the smallest detail, with the possibility of moving inside it in a virtual environment thanks to viewers, makes it possible to understand both the true appearance and the spatial arrangement of all process operations, and the work procedures on elements such as pipes and valves and control systems with a practical and realistic approach.
The collaboration between the research group of prof. Carlo Pirola of the Chemistry Department of the University of Milan and the AVEVA Company, developer and owner of various simulation software such as PRO II (steady-state) or DYNSIM (dynamics) made possible the development of the EYE4EDU educational project in the last years.
EYE4EDU
In this project the students have the opportunity to visit a CDU (Crude Distillation Unit) plant capable of processing more than 1,000 m3/h of crude oil. This plant was initially conceived and designed to be built, therefore all its components were calculated, optimized and positioned according to realistic and accurate principles.
In addition to visiting the plant as a whole, students can participate in numerous exercises in which they have to operate on the virtual plant to solve problems or start processes, also observing how the actions they perform influence the whole process thanks to real-time simulation thanks to the connection with DYNSIM.
The AVEVA company has been collaborating for several years with the Università degli Studi di Milano by providing access to their chemical plant simulation software.
In recent years he has shown great interest in the development of an educational system based on active learning through the EYE4EDU project, also producing a short video presentation on this new approach to study in collaboration with our research group.
VirtChem Project
The Virtchem Project is an Erasmus project in collaboration with the Charles University of Prague and the Sorbonne University of Paris which aims to explore chemistry and its simulation in virtual reality by proposing a path from single molecules to industrial plants passing through laboratory reality through immersive softwares.
Students participating in the project will use the "VEGA ZZ" program for molecular modeling, "LabSim - Chemical Laboratory Simulator of Qualitative Inorganic Analysis", for the simulation of a laboratory with chemical reactions between different substances and "EYE4EDU" to see the application in industrial chemistry.