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Case Study

Modernizing Unit Operation Laboratories Using CFD-Based Digital Twins

“By integrating Ansys Fluent-based CFD digital twins into Unit Operations Laboratories, we have the potential to transform how students engage with core chemical engineering concepts. Tools such as SpaceClaim, Fluent, and EnSight allow students to simulate and visualize flow fields, temperature distributions, and reaction behavior that are impossible to measure experimentally. This integration not only strengthens conceptual understanding but also prepares students with industry-relevant simulation skills. My experience with Ansys has been exceptionally positive due to its accuracy, robustness, and seamless transition from classroom learning to real-world engineering practice.”

— Dr. Yu Feng
Associate Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University

Engineering simulation was incorporated into Unit Operations Laboratories to address long-standing limitations of traditional experiments in conveying transport phenomena and process mechanisms. By integrating CFD-based digital twins alongside physical experiments, students gain access to spatiotemporal flow, temperature, and species data that are otherwise unmeasurable. This approach strengthens conceptual understanding, enhances hands-on learning, and equips students with industry-relevant simulation skills.

OSU two-phase flow
adsorber and distillation equipment

The two-phase flow (left) and the adsorber + distillation equipment (right) in the unit operation lab at Oklahoma State University.

Challenges

Traditional Unit Operations Laboratories provide limited visibility into internal flow, heat, and mass transfer mechanisms, making it difficult for students to connect theory with observations. The primary challenge was identifying a simulation platform capable of producing high-fidelity, physics-based digital twins that integrate seamlessly with laboratory hardware. The software needed to be accurate, intuitive for undergraduates, compatible with student licenses, and aligned with industrial workflows.

OSU heat exchanger
CFD-Based Digital Twin by OSU

CFD-based digital twin of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (developed by Dr. Yu Feng) providing “x-ray” vision for revealing the spatiotemporal distributions of the temperature and flow velocities inside.

Course Department 

  • School of Chemical Engineering

Courses Being Taught 

  • Unit Operations Laboratory I
  •  Unit Operations Laboratory II

Engineering Solutions 

CFD-based digital twins were developed and embedded into Unit Operation Laboratory modules using Ansys, part of Synopsys tools. Students used SpaceClaim software to understand and modify lab geometries, Ansys Fluent software to simulate flow, heat transfer, and reaction kinetics, and EnSight/CFD-Post capabilities for advanced visualization and analysis. Simulations were conducted before, during, and after experiments, enabling direct comparison between predicted and measured data. This workflow enabled students to explore operating conditions, visualize internal transport phenomena, and validate experimental results through first-principles modeling.

Digital twin of packed bed reactor

CFD-based digital twin of a packed bed reactor (developed by Connor Westcott) reveals temperature and flow-rate effects on methyl acetate hydrolysis, enabling high-resolution optimization of reaction performance.

Benefits

  • Improved student understanding of fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, and reaction kinetics through visualization of spatiotemporal data
  • Enhanced ability to interpret and validate experimental measurements using simulation results
  • Increased student engagement and confidence through hands-on exposure to industry-standard CFD tools
  • Alignment of laboratory instruction with modern digital engineering practices
  • Development of transferable computational and analytical skills relevant to graduate study and industrial careers
OSU Engineering North

Engineering North Building of Oklahoma State University