Utilization of mathematical software packages in chemical engineering research

• Main Authors: Lee, Ang Wee, Ghasem, Nayef Mohamed, Hussain, Mohd Azlan
• Format: Article
• Published: ASEAN Chemical Engineers 2005
• Subjects: TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/7056/; http://aseanjche.ugm.ac.id/ojs/index.php/jce/article/view/13
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Using Fortran taken as the starting point, we are now on the sixth decade of high-level programming applications. Among the programming languages available, computer algebra systems (CAS) appear to be a good choice in chemical engineering can be applied easily. Until the emergence of CAS, the assistance from a specialized group for large-scale programming is justified. Nowadays, it is more effective for the modern chemical engineer to rely on his/her own programming ability for problem solving. In the present paper, the abilities of Polymath, Maple, Matlab, Mathcad, and Mathematica in handling differential equations are illustrated for differential-algebraic equations, large system of nonlinear differential equations, and partial differential equations. The programming of solutions with these CAS are presented, contrasted, and discussed in relation to chemical engineering problems.