Chemical Engineering April 2023 - 41

Specialised in
RESEARCH CENTERS FOCUSED ON BULK-SOLIDS PROCESSES
The following research centers focus on processes
involving bulk solids and powders.
Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation
Center (BSIC; Salina, Kan.; bulk-solids.kstate.edu).
BSIC has six laboratories for conducing
industry-sponsored research, and a
full-scale bulk-solids test bay. BSIC provides
material properties testing, short courses,
product and equipment testing, research,
and consulting services.
Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Research and Technology
at the University of Greenwich (U.K.; gre.
ac.uk/engsci/research/groups/wolfsoncentre).
The center offers consultancy, research and
short courses for industries that handle powder
or granular materials.
Centre for Bulk Solids and Particle Technology
at the University of Newcastle (Callaghan,
N.S.W., Australia; newcastle.edu.au/research/centre/cbspt/).
The center works in
conjunction with TUNRA Bulk Solids (TBS;
bulksolids.com.au), an organization that provides
high-level professional consulting and
contract research service to the resources,
process and manufacturing industries.
The Center for Particulate Products and Processes
(CP3; engineering.purdue.edu/CP3) at Purdue
University (West Lafayette, Ind.; www.purdue.
edu). This integrated laboratory is shared
among several different departments with connections
to solids materials handling. CP3 has
a pilot-scale facility for the study of powders.
Institute of Solids Process Engineering and Particle
Technology at the University of Technology
Hamburg (Germany; tuhh.de). Led by
professor Stefan Heinrich, this center focuses
Student interest
Before graduates are produced,
however,
students
must
be
attracted
to the bulk-solids field as
an area of study. Achieving this has
proven to be difficult as well. " Despite
the industrial world's significant
dependence on bulk solids handling
operations, this discipline remains
relatively unknown, when compared
to related fields like mechanical and
chemical engineering, " says Dandu.
In part because of this lack of
awareness generally, generating significant
student interest in bulk-solids
handling can be an uphill battle.
" Most students will not take an interest
in the final year option to study
bulk-materials handling, " says the
Wolfson Centre's Bradley. " Despite
the ubiquity and importance of bulksolids
handling across all process engineering
disciplines - and the great
career opportunities available - very,
very few students take the unit in bulk
solids handling, " he explains.
The result is a shortage of engineering
graduates with an emphasis
on the industrial applications of fluidized-bed
technology.
Particle Technology Research Center at Western
University (London, Ont., Canada;
powders.ca). The center is dedicated to
research, development and innovation in
particle technology.
Center of Excellence in Particle and Material
Processing Technology (PMPT) at Chulalongkorn
University (Bangkok, Thailand; research.
chula.acc.th). This center focuses on nanofunctional
particulate materials synthesis and
application, and bio-functional particulate
materials synthesis and application.
Particle Engineering Research Center (PERC)
at the University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.;
perc.ufl.edu). The center's vision is to innovate
and transform particle science and technology
advances into useful applications.
Centre for Industrial Bulk Solids Handling at
Glasgow Caledonian University (Glasgow,
Scotland, U.K.; gcu.ac.uk). This center is
directed by professor Don McGlinchey, who
provides consulting services.
Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic
Particulate Systems (C-SOPS) at Rutgers
University (New Brunswick, N.J.; c-sops.org).
The center brings together a cross-disciplinary
team of researchers to work with industry
leaders and regulatory authorities to improve
the way pharmaceuticals, foods and agriculture
products are manufactured. C-SOPS
partners include the New Jersey Institute of
Technology, Purdue University, the University
of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, and more than
40 industrial consortium member companies.
in bulk-solids handling. " Considering
that bulk solids make up more
than 80% of items transported
around the world, it is crucial to
address the need for comprehensive
education in bulk-solids handling
as an option in both chemical
and mechanical engineering, "
BSIC's Dandu says. " Offering a
certificate program in bulk-solids
handling can be an effective solution
to meet this need. "
Wolfson Centre's Bradley remarks,
" I'd like to see powders
and particulates included as part
of the entire educational curriculum
- liquids, gases and solids
are studied at all levels of schooling
and in college-level courses.
Powders are just as important, not
just to industry but in the natural
environment as well. "
However, there are forces working
to overcome these challenges,
including
partnerships
between
academic centers and industry that
are often observed in bulk-solids research
centers. " Industry partners
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http://adlinks.chemengonline.com/84646-17 http://www.bulk-solids.k-state.edu http://www.bulk-solids.k-state.edu http://www.powders.ca https://www.research.chula.ac.th/organization/center-of-excellence-in-particle-and-material-processing-technology/ https://www.mhea.co.uk/the-wolfson-centre/ http://perc.ufl.edu http://newcastle.edu.au/research/centre/cbspt/ http://newcastle.edu.au/research/centre/cbspt/ http://bulksolids.com.au http://gcu.ac.uk http://engineering.purdue.edu/CP3 http://www.c-sops.org http://www.purdue.edu http://www.tuhh.de http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM

Chemical Engineering April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering April 2023