DCOU — Dimensionamento Computacional de Operações Unitárias: uma ferramenta didática para Engenharia Química

Abstract

This work presents the development of DCOU (Computational Sizing of Unit Operations), an open-source web-based software application designed as a didactic tool for Chemical Engineering education. The system automates calculations for unit operations based on consolidated equations, covering modules for piping, fluid flow, pumps, thermodynamic properties, ideal reactors, and mass balances. In addition to numerical results, the application integrates learning-oriented resources, such as a technical glossary with rendered equations, theoretical explanations embedded in each calculator, example scenarios provided by the backend, and interactive visualizations of physical phenomena. The clientserver architecture exposes calculations and visualization models through an open API (Application Programming Interface), while the modern React frontend organizes these resources into a navigable and responsive experience, with consistent adaptation to different screen sizes, including mobile devices, desktops, and ultrawide monitors. The code remains publicly available, promoting flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement by the academic community.