This paper is dedicated to the idea of studying in virtual worlds and discusses how virtual storytelling technology (VST) can provide an educational process. We try to answer the question -is it possible to substitute a real learning environment with a fully immersive 3D virtual space? And if so, what role should a virtual teacher play and what skills should he have? We describe several advantages that virtual environment (VE) has as compared to an ordinary classroom. It enables children to explore a phenomenon involved and gives them a strong incentive to study. Further, in VE we can transfer a lesson to inaccessible places and carry out demonstrations and experiments that are unrealizable on Earth. We consider the relationship between VST and game-like environments. We present some particular educational applications developed at our institute on the basis of Avango VR-system. Finally, we discuss the future of educational virtual environments and virtual storytelling.

a b s t r a c tPolyactive ® membranes show promising properties for CO 2 separation from flue gas. An investigation of different module types using Polyactive ® membranes was carried out for this paper. A test rig was built to explore, amongst other process parameters, the pressure drop in envelope-type membrane modules. The experimental data and simulation results were compared with quite good consistency. This validation enabled further simulations for different modules in a virtual pilot plant configuration. Applying the data from the pilot plant simulation to a reference power plant, the scaled-up cascaded membrane system was analyzed using different membrane modules. Considering the required membrane area, energy consumption and pressure drop in different modules, a counter-current membrane module configuration exhibited the best performance and had a marginal advantage in comparison with the chemical absorption process.

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