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# Institution of Chemical Engineers
www.ingentaselect.com=titles=02638762.htm Trans IChemE, Vol 81, Part A, September 2003

EDITORIAL

SPECIAL TOPIC ISSUEÐPARTICLE TECHNOLOGY

Particle TechnologyÐA Driving Force in European

This special issue devoted to particle science and technology research and industrial applications in this area ranging
addresses some recent developments in manufacturing, from nanotechnology to plant design and operation.
separation and transportation of particulate materials. This special issue re ects some of the European
A ‘particle’ is simply something that is small in relation to strengths mentioned above. The opening paper by Dr
its surroundings—be it a solid liquid or gas. The industrial Feise (BASF) presents a personal view of the state of
signiŽ cance of particulate systems continues to grow on a solids processing activities and afŽ rms the dominant role
global basis. This rate of growth is expected to continue for played by European research in the world stage. We invite
at least a decade embracing the engineering of manufactur- other industrial and academic strategic reviews on this and
ing, energy systems, minerals and quarrying, medical related topics.
devices and healthcare, biosciences and environmental The development of  uid dynamic simulations and
systems. Europe provides a strong lead in the development complementary experimental validation techniques con-
and adoption of sustainable practices involving these tinues to present a theoretical and practical challenge. This
sectors. This drives forward research and development in is especially true for industrial systems where the particulate
water recovery, energy utilization, process intensiŽ cation, phase(s) occupy more than one percent by volume of the
manufacture of new materials, and measurement methods  uid mixture. This is further compounded if the  ow is
for optimal operation and its control. Particle science and complex (e.g. swirling) since further assumptions concern-
technologies lie at the heart of much of this research both at ing turbulence need to be made (and veriŽ ed). Ni et al.
nano- and micro-scale. It is pleasing to note that the report on the use of large eddy simulation methods to
historical strength of European industry and academia in understand the behaviour of an intensiŽ ed (oscillatory)
this topic is being maintained and developed. The challenge reactor. The elegant predictive capabilities of their simula-
for chemical engineers lies not in Ž nding applications, but tion are conŽ rmed using particle velocimetry measurements.
coping with the diversity of opportunities across very many Wang et al. show the use of non-intrusive electrical tomo-
sectors that need to adopt the systematic process engineer- graphic methods to elucidate the 2D particle concentration
ing ethos to development, design and operation of complex map and, for the Ž rst time, velocity information in a
systems. Without doubt, particle sciences are at the leading hydraulic conveying system in which swirl is induced to
edge of chemical engineering based upon a number of enhance and control particle dispersion. Nowakowski and
different metrics (industrial product value, relevance to Dyakowski introduce and demonstrate an advanced theore-
quality of life, research spend, academic headcount). tical approach for modelling swirl  ows in 3D in a hydro-
Indeed, I would suggest that this community presents a cyclone particle separator.
major driving force for the future development of chemical Crystallization and precipitation provide a primary parti-
engineering in Europe. The underpinning skills of chemical cle formation method across many industries. Wong et al.
process engineers to devise and implement models and report on experimental design and analysis of an interesting
processes at multiple length scales will be in continued semi-batch conŽ guration using a double feed for a barium
demand to meet societal needs. With increased diversiŽ ca- sulphate system and seeking to control product morphology.
tion into some of the sectors cited above new specializations Roos et al. introduce a new application based on vacuum
will inevitably arise based upon the founding coherent freeze crystallization for puriŽ cation of contaminated indus-
skills. trial wastes in place of scraped surface heat exchangers,
The new, broader scope of Chemical Engineering speculating on design approaches and other applications.
Research and Design (ChERD) with its formal alignment Turning to process-scale manufacturing, Bermingham et al.
with the various European Federation of Chemical Engi- describe approaches for developing control strategies based
neering Working Parties provides an excellent forum for on high Ž delity constituent process models for laboratory
dissemination of particle technology papers. The Editorial and pilot plant (1000 litre) draft tube crystallizers. Van der
Board are especially keen to encourage submissions of Gun et al. provide application examples of manufacture of

835
836 EDITORIAL

pure crystalline products and methods of characterization particles and the correlation of this value to process para-
using an oscillating membrane approach. meters.
Solid-liquid separation by two different Ž ltration proto- The Ž nal contribution by Hernáinz et al. illustrates the use
cols are described. Gundogdu et al. analyse the performance of selective  otation for the removal of salts.
of well known ‘dead-end’ Ž ltration processes that are further Looking beyond Europe, there is a vibrant global activity
mediated by applying vibrations. Wakeman and Butt in our subject as re ected in the recent 4th World Congress
provide a quantitative description for enhancing Ž ltration in Particle Technology in Sydney (2002) and the new
efŽ ciency based on the application of non-uniform electric international symposia organized within the Asian Particle
Ž elds (dielectrophoresis). Technology Group and the AIChE. We look forward to
The production of granular materials for personal future milestone meetings: 2nd Asian Particle Technology
products and as catalysts is considered in three contribu- Symposium in Penang, Malaysia (December 2003);
tions. Santomaso et al. present analysis and novel measure- PARTEC in Nuremberg, Germany (March 2004); 7th
ments of material behaviour in a rotating drum. This World Congress in Chemical Engineering in Glasgow, UK
methodology is seen to be applicable over a wide range of (July 2005); and 5th World Congress in Particle Technology
granulator rotational speeds and is relevant to scaling issues. in Orlando, USA (April 2006).
Michrafy et al. demonstrate the connection between the
material properties governing the granule-wall friction
during powder compaction and the consequences for tablet Professor R.A. Williams
properties. Subero-Couroyer et al. introduce a practical University of Leeds, UK
method for analysing the crushing strength of catalyst Subject Editor—Particle Technology

Trans IChemE, Vol 81, Part A, September 2003