Alfred Herritsch

A desktop virtual reality application for chemical and process engineering education

A desktop Virtual Reality (VR) application of a skim milk powder process has been developed. The goal was to use this application as a learning resource to expose students to processing plant environments, which are becoming increasingly difficult to visit due to availability and safety reasons. The VR application comprises 360° panorama images of the milk powder process plant, process flow diagrams (PFD), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID), 3D drawings and additional materials such as supplemental text, videos and animations. This paper describes the VR application as well as an evaluation of the application. The results of this study show that the application was easy to use and the users were satisfied with it. The design recommendations for the development of similar VR learning applications are also discussed in this paper.

An improved drying model for highly-impermeable hardwoods.

Abstract Previously reported drying experiments on highly impermeable hardwoods have shown that bell-shaped within-board moisture content profiles develop as drying proceeds, with a change in concavity around the fibre saturation point. However, drying models based on Ficks second law of diffusion with an Arrhenius temperature dependency for the diffusion coefficient predict a parabolic form. The present work showed that the influence of moisture content on the diffusion coefficient must also be considered to improve these drying predictions. A drying model that includes both temperature and moisture content effects on the diffusion coefficient was developed. This model is able to accurately predict the drying rates and within-board moisture content profiles of New Zealands indigenous red and hard beech timbers for various timber thicknesses over a range of temperatures, relative humidities and air velocities used in practice.

Visiting a milk factory without gumboots: Students' attitudes towards a virtual field trip

A desktop Virtual Reality (VR) application showing a milk powder production facility has been developed. It was used as a medium for conducting a virtual field trip (VFT) to expose students to processing plant environments, which are becoming increasingly difficult to visit due to availability and safety reasons. The application comprises 360° panorama images of the milk powder process plant and additional materials such as diagrams, supplemental text, videos and animations. This paper describes a VFT study conducted using the VR application, comparing it to a real field trip. The results provide insights for developing similar VFT.