Virtual Simulation Experiment Teaching Platform Open to Public

The Chemical Basic Experiment Center of the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology (SCET) cooperated with Beijing Ober Software Technology Development Company and jointly developed a series of virtual simulation experiment teaching resources of chemical engineering principles. Considering the pandemic’s effect on on-site teaching and learning, SCET decided to provide free access to this platform of virtual simulation experiments to all the universities in China. College students from all over the country can log on to the platform, use all the teaching resources, and "conduct experiments" while sitting at home.

The School of Chemical Engineering and Technology started the construction of virtual simulation platform quite early in China, and later the work was selected as both the national and municipal virtual simulation experimental teaching projects.

The content of the platform was designed based on the equipment independently developed by the teachers of the experiment center and their teaching experience, and the virtual simulation teaching is realized through the IT support by the professional technology company. The virtual simulation project not only broke the limitations posed by experimental space and entity, but also maximized resource sharing and utilization, presenting an alternative for practical teaching.

For the project, the experimental center designed and produced a highlyrealistic virtual simulation of the unit operation experiment. Students can complete all chemical unit operation experiments online. Plus, the experiment center makes videos to explain related experiment processes and prepares self-test questions for students to preview experiments before operation.

The virtual simulation platform yielded multiple achievements.

The "3D comprehensive virtual simulation experiment of distillation" was approved as one of the first national virtual simulation experimental teaching projects. It was also the first of its kind at Tianjin University and Tianjin Chemical Industry. Recently, the project “Absorption unit operation integrated 3D virtual simulation experiment” has been approved as Tianjin virtual simulation experiment teaching construction project. Via virtual simulation experiments, the experiments involving toxic, harmful, flammable and explosive materials can be conducted, so can the adjustment of equipment parameters which is unable to conduct in practical teaching experiments.

Compared to physical experiments, the virtual simulation experiments excel in being more developed, innovative and challenging. In a sense, they enhance both quantity and quality of experiments.

The website for the national virtual simulation experiment teaching project sharing platform is www.ilab-x.com, and individual users must register to use the service.

For data statistics and other management functions, please contact the relevant technical personnel through email-- obrscb@163.com.