Capstone design projects can cover a wide range of topics, and any technical problems that can be tackled by people trained in chemical engineering or biological engineering can fit. The common denominator of good problems is that they can be addressed through a "paper" analysis: searching the published literature available at CU to assemble ideas and data, then analyzing those ideas through computer models and other abstract methods.
For chemical process design problems, student teams will typically:
- Develop a process flow diagram
- Carry out a process simulation, which may include heat integration
- Use simulation results, hand calculations, and/or computational modeling to design key pieces of process equipment, and
- Carry out an economic analysis
- Address safety, environmental/health/regulatory issues, and discuss the larger benefits of the project to society.
The course does not have a laboratory per se, although special arrangements for laboratory studies are sometimes possible.
Many clients submit topics that would not otherwise get their attention given other workplace priorities. Some clients offer projects unconnected to their current work that they find personally interesting. Accordingly, we sometimes receive "blue-sky," exploratory-type projects, while other projects have a strong tie-in to the client's current business.
Past design project topics include:
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Non-egg based platform for influenza vaccine
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Scale-up of recombinant lectin manufacturing process
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Li-ion cathode battery materials coating
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Manufacture of amorphous spray-dried API/polymer excipient
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Process design for pre-sterilization cleaning of cell therapy consumable components
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Controlled release polymer for drug delivery
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Scale-up and commercialization of a shelf stable, single dose vaccine platform
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Develop a design concept for industrial hemp processing, including identifying new potential products.
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Using process models, compare batch vs. continuous processing for the production of monoclonal antibodies as human therapeutics.
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Develop a photocurable adhesive to bond components of a prosthetic leg together, including a method of application and a cost analysis. (This project included lab work at the liaison's site.)
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Complete a preliminary design of a phenol production unit and analyze the profitability, operability and safety/environmental aspects of the process.
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Design a natural gas processing facility or a gas-to-liquids process for recovering flare gas.
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Design a gas phase polymerization process for manufacturing a polymer.
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Develop alternatives to freezing bulk solutions of protein therapeutics in bags or plastic bottles for stability during shipping and storage.
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Environmental feasibility of a idstream oil and gas processing facility
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Dry ice supply for mRNA vaccine products
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Disposable wound protector device
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Design a 50 L bioreactor and optimize a bioreactor seed train