Safety Visualization and Hazard Recognition in Chemical Engineering

Taxonomy Dimensions

Primary Purpose: Visualization, Content Creation
Integration Depth: Guided Integration
Student Agency: Scaffolded Autonomy
Assessment Alignment: Critical Evaluation, Meta-Learning
Technical Implementation: Tool Selection, Error Management
Ethics & Professional Development: Responsible Use, Professional Norms

Course Context

Junior-level chemical process safety course where students struggle to visualize hazard scenarios, anticipate potential failure modes, and develop risk mitigation strategies without real-world experience.

Implementation Description

Activity Overview

Students use AI image generation tools to visualize hazard scenarios, failure modes, and safety systems in chemical processes, enhancing their ability to anticipate risks and develop comprehensive safety protocols beyond textbook descriptions.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Safety Fundamentals (Weeks 1-2):
- Traditional instruction on process safety principles
- Review of incident case studies with conventional illustrations
- Introduction to hazard identification methodologies
- Baseline assessment of hazard recognition capabilities
AI Visualization Introduction (Weeks 3-4):
- Training on effective prompting for safety visualizations
- Instruction on technical accuracy verification
- Practice generating visualizations of known hazard scenarios
- Critical analysis of visualization limitations
Hazard Scenario Visualization (Weeks 5-7):
- Students identify potential hazards in process flow diagrams
- Generate visualizations of hazard scenarios from multiple perspectives
- Create visualizations showing proper vs. improper safety procedures
- Develop comprehensive hazard narrative using visualizations
Failure Mode Analysis (Weeks 8-10):
- Students identify equipment failure modes
- Generate progressive visualization sequences showing failure development
- Visualize consequences of different failure scenarios
- Create comparative visualizations of prevention methods
Safety Training Material Development (Weeks 11-14):
- Students design safety training materials using AI-generated visualizations
- Develop hazard communication tools for operators
- Create emergency response visual guides
- Present materials for peer and instructor evaluation

Example Prompts

Hazard Scenario Visualization Prompt

Create a detailed technical illustration of a runaway reaction in a batch reactor processing exothermic polymerization.

Include the following elements:
1. A jacketed 500-gallon stainless steel reactor with agitator
2. Clear indications of temperature increase (show digital displays and physical signs)
3. Pressure buildup visualization (include pressure gauge reading)
4. Early warning signs visible to operators
5. Proper placement of safety systems (relief valve, rupture disk, quench system)
6. Control room monitoring station

The visualization should be technically accurate with:
- Appropriate reactor components and instrumentation
- Realistic layout of chemical processing equipment
- Accurate representation of safety systems
- Proper PPE on visible personnel

Create this as a cross-sectional view showing both the interior reaction and external signs of the developing hazard.

Failure Modes Sequence Prompt

Create a sequence of 3 technical illustrations showing the progressive failure of a heat exchanger due to fouling in a chemical process.

For each stage of the sequence, show:

Stage 1 - Early signs of fouling:
- Shell and tube heat exchanger in normal operation but with early fouling
- Temperature indicators showing subtle changes from normal
- Flow rate beginning to be affected
- Microscopic view inset showing initial deposit formation

Stage 2 - Advanced fouling:
- Significant fouling buildup
- Temperature differentials outside normal parameters
- Pressure drop across exchanger increasing
- Potential hot spots developing
- Operator attempting standard mitigation procedures

Stage 3 - Critical failure point:
- Severe restriction of flow
- Localized overheating
- Potential tube rupture
- Process fluid mixing
- Emergency response procedures being implemented

Make the illustrations technically accurate for chemical engineering applications with appropriate instrumentation, equipment design, and safety systems visible.

Safety System Comparison Prompt

Create a side-by-side comparison of two approaches to overpressure protection for a chemical storage tank containing flammable solvent:

Left side - Conventional pressure relief system:
- Typical atmospheric storage tank (10,000 gallons)
- Pressure relief valve
- Vent to atmosphere
- Flame arrester
- Standard instrumentation

Right side - Enhanced safety system:
- Same tank specifications
- Pressure relief valve connected to vapor recovery
- Nitrogen blanket system
- Redundant level indicators
- Automated emergency shutdown capabilities
- Thermal monitoring

For both systems, include:
- Proper installation details
- Required maintenance access
- Instrumentation and control connections
- Potential failure points (subtly indicated)
- Relative cost indicators

The visualization should help chemical engineering students understand the trade-offs between these safety approaches and identify which scenarios would require the enhanced system.

Assessment Strategies

Hazard Portfolio (30%):
- Students create a portfolio of visualized hazard scenarios
- Include technical descriptions of each hazard
- Document the iterative improvement of visualizations
- Provide critical analysis of visualization accuracy
- Include verification against industry standards
Comparative Safety Analysis (25%):
- Students analyze a process design
- Identify and visualize multiple potential hazard scenarios
- Compare effectiveness of different safety systems
- Justify recommendations with visualization support
- Apply industry risk assessment methodologies
Peer Safety Review (20%):
- Students review peers' hazard visualizations
- Identify technical inaccuracies or omissions
- Suggest improvements to hazard representations
- Compare different interpretations of the same scenario
- Document insights gained from varied perspectives
Safety Training Development (25%):
- Students create operator training materials
- Develop visual emergency response guides
- Design hazard communication tools
- Present materials in a mock training session
- Justify design choices based on safety principles

Implementation Considerations

Required Resources

Access to image generation AI (DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion)
Reference materials for technical accuracy verification
Industry safety standards and guidelines
Process simulation software for scenario development
Learning management system for visualization sharing

Common Challenges

Ensuring technical accuracy in AI-generated visualizations
Avoiding reinforcement of unsafe practices in visualizations
Managing varying levels of prompt engineering skill
Preventing overreliance on visualizations without understanding
Addressing AI tools' limitations in specialized technical domains

Integration Tips

Partner with industry professionals to verify visualization accuracy
Develop a library of effective prompt templates for chemical engineering safety
Create a formal verification protocol for AI-generated visualizations
Combine visualization with process simulation for validation
Gradually increase student autonomy in developing scenarios

Faculty Experience Required

Strong understanding of chemical process safety principles
Familiarity with industry hazard identification methods
Basic prompt engineering skills for technical visualization
Ability to critically evaluate visualization accuracy
Understanding of how visualizations integrate with safety training

This example was developed as part of the "Strategies for Integrating Generative AI in Engineering Education" workshop materials.