CBE 109: Numerical and Mathematical Methods

in Chemical and Biological Engineering

Syllabus - Fall 2016

• Week 1 (Sept.26 - Sept.30): Introduction (course organization - syllabus); Systems

of linear algebraic equations; Gauss elimination; Partial pivoting.

• Week 2 (Oct.3 - Oct.7): LU decomposition; Condition number; Ill-conditioning;

Iterative methods.

• Week 3 (Oct.10 - Oct.14): Nonlinear algebraic equations; Newton’s methods for a

single equation and systems of equations; Alternative approaches.

• Week 4 (Oct.17 - Oct.21): Ordinary differential equations; Stability issues in linear

and nonlinear systems; The continuous stirred tank reactor.

• Week 5 (Oct.24 - Oct.28): Ordinary differential equations; Initial value problems;

Numerical integration methods.

• Week 6 (Oct.31 - Nov.4): Ordinary differential equations; Boundary value problems;

Different types of boundary conditions.

• Week 7 (Nov.7 - Nov.11): Finite difference methods; Forward, central and backward
differences; Partial differential equations (PDEs); Examples: First-order hyperbolic
PDEs and parabolic PDEs.

• Week 8 (Nov.14 - Nov.18): Solution methods for parabolic and hyperbolic PDEs;
Numerical stability issues.
⋄ Monday Nov.14: Design project assigned.

⋄ Wednesday Nov. 16: Mid-quarter exam.

• Week 9 (Nov.21 - Nov.23): Elliptic PDEs; Linear and nonlinear two-dimensional

boundary value problems.

• Week 10 (Nov.28 - Dec.2): Solution of linear parabolic, hyperbolic and elliptic PDEs
with homogenous boundary conditions using separation of variables; Course review.
• Final exam: Wednesday, December 7, 2016, 3:00pm-6:00pm.
⋄ Monday Dec.12: Design project due.