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The article is the second in a three-part series that explores the causes and contributing factors of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Topics include the role of equipment failures in impacting safety system performance, the comparison between actual safeguard performance at the Bhopal factory and its designed expectations, and the hazard identification and risk analysis (HIRA) approach used to assess the effectiveness of safeguards in chemical plants.

The article discusses the growth and advancements in the use of aerobic bioreactors for producing various bioproducts, with a focus on minimizing shear in the bioreactor process. Topics include the history and evolution of bioreactor use in industrial applications, the ranking of organisms based on their sensitivity to shear, and strategies to reduce shear damage in delicate materials processed in bioreactors.

The article discusses the challenges and solutions in the production of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with a particular focus on heat exchanger fouling. Topics include the rise of renewable fuel production driven by government regulations and economic incentives, the impact of feedstock variations on production processes, and the operational challenges posed by heat exchanger fouling.

The article discusses efforts to improve the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain through advanced manufacturing technologies and modular production systems. Topics include the challenges exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in pharmaceutical and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production, the RAPID Manufacturing Institute's development of an Accelerated Modular Process Development (AMPD) framework, and the design and construction of modular production systems at AVN Corporation.

Only a few of the students who graduated from Chemical & Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary found jobs in 1983 because of a severe recession and the National Energy Program artifically deflating the oil price. Despite the slow start to their careers, the graduates have made substantial contributions to industry, government agencies, and academia. They worked on over 60 projects in more than 40 countries, many of which were valued in the billions of dollars (excluding projects in Canada). Because of the volatility in the petroleum industry, the graduates often moved from one company to another: 6 individuals worked for 10 or more companies, while only 2 spent their entire career at a single company. In 1981, we were told that the half‐life of an engineering career was 5 years, but while many did take up senior management positions and business roles, most remained very close to the engineering profession throughout their careers. Here, we summarize the career paths in broad terms, like how frequently graduates changed jobs, how much time they averaged in each company, and mention the role of education in their work. Of the 60 students who graduated in 1983, this perspective article excludes seven engineers who passed away prematurely, and another seven who could not be reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrence of similar accidents is evidenced by past accidents, which show that accidents are not decreasing globally. It is recommended to implement the concept of inherent safety design (ISD) in the chemical process industry as a component of accident prevention strategies. This study aims to identify potential indicators of ISD for each inherent safety (IS) keyword, which will be referred to later as design reasoning (DR), based on 529 selected cases that suggest design changes that enhance the safety of processes, materials, or equipment. The cases were collected from accident cases, IS handbooks, chemical engineering journals, new product brochures, and chemical engineering magazines. The cases have to demonstrate that the new design is safer than the previous design. The design changes were evaluated to extract the corrective action and determine the common strategy employed. This information was then interpreted as DR. The collected DR were subsequently categorized and measured in terms of frequency according to IS keywords. From the statistical analysis, the highest percentage of DR is improve mixing (18%) which accounted from 95 out of 529 cases. The second is loose proximity (15.5%) and the third is fewer equipment (14.9%). For the IS keyword ranking, it can be summarized that: moderation (40%) >minimization (27%) >simplification (21%) >substitution (12%). Results showed that moderation inherent safety is a popular strategy used to implement IS. The findings serve as a valuable reference for designers or engineer attempting to implement ISD in their design task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise control over sequence structure in copolymers is essential for chemical product engineering. The complexity of sequence structures results in the challenging characterization of monomer sequences. Herein, a chemical composition model (CD model) is developed to record the distribution density of monomers in the chain segment, where the deviation of the chemical composition function between a copolymer and its ideal sequence structure can directly map the sequence structure quality. The application of the CD model in randomly generated virtual copolymers demonstrates that the model has great sensitivity and discrimination to evaluate sequence structures accurately. Furthermore, the CD model is combined with the kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to explicitly track the evolution of sequence structure quality in the copolymerization process. The CD model provides an insight into the evolution of sequence structure, which is conducive to building the bridge between molecular structure and properties for the development of chemical product engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystallization via nucleation can isolate active pharmaceutical ingredients from their crudes. While chemical engineering textbooks provide theoretical knowledge on crystallization and nucleation theories, they often fall short in providing provide practical insights on the nucleation mechanism. To bridge this gap, we introduced a virtual experiment on nucleation in second-year chemical engineering classrooms. The main goal is to educate students on crystallization procedures in research and process industries, teaching them how to analyse and manage collected data while integrating theoretical knowledge. This includes conveying the kind of information that can be obtained from a crystallisation process and instructing students on how to analyse and manage the data collected in the light of the theories learned. We devised an original chemical engineering problem on nucleation, derived directly from the raw data collected in the classroom from virtual experiments. This method differs from the conventional approach of solving standard textbook problems. The textbook problems, regrettably often lack crucial information on how nucleation rate or surface free energy are directly obtained from raw data. By the conclusion of the virtual experiment, students have acquired a comprehensive understanding encompassing both practical and theoretical aspects of crystallization, with a particular focus on nucleation. The methodologies elucidated in this study can be applied across a spectrum of chemical engineering modules, including process engineering, unit operations in chemical engineering, mass transfer, and can even be integrated into specialized courses dedicated to crystallization. • Problems were developed in classroom based on experimental data from virtual lab. • Virtual experiments on nucleation deployed in third year chemical engineering classrooms. • Example problems on crystal nucleation developed in collaboration with students in the classroom. • Students solve the example problems developed by them in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The solution of non-linear equations is one of the most important and frequent problems in numerous engineering and scientific disciplines. Numerous real-world issues can be described using non-linear equations in a variety of scientific fields, including natural science, social science, electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering, economics, statistics, weather forecasting, and particularly biomedical engineering. Iterative techniques must be used in order to solve such nonlinear problems. The majority of numerical methods required the first or higher derivative of the functions, whose computational cost is large and diverges if the slope of the functions at the beginning or some intermediate points approaches zero. To prevent this, we develop numerical methods that utilize the parameter embedding, also known as Homotopy methods, to find the root of nonlinear equations. Convergence analysis shows that the proposed family of methods' order of convergence is two. To determine the error equation of the proposed technique, the computer algebra system CAS-Maple is employed. To illustrate the accuracy, validity, and usefulness of the proposed technique, we consider a few realworld applications from the fields of civil and chemical engineering. In terms of residual error, computational time, computational order of convergence, efficiency, and absolute error, the test examples' acquired numerical results demonstrate that the newly proposed algorithm performs better than the other classical methods already existing in literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instrumental Analysis”is an important foundational course offered for chemistry related majors such as chemistry, chemical engineering, medicine, environment, materials, and life sciences. It has a wide range of applications and strong interdisciplinary nature. Curriculum ideological and political education is an important measure to implement the fundamental task of cultivating morality and talents, inherit the red gene, and cultivate new talents of the times. “Instrumental Analysis” is an important carrier and medium of ideological and political education in the curriculum. Based on the teaching background of“Instrumental Analysis”and experimental courses, this article deepens the reform of course objectives, content, structure, and mode, and organically integrates ideological and political elements such as patriotism, cultural confidence, craftsmanship spirit, exploration and innovation, and ideal beliefs with the content of the Instrument Analysis course, strengthen the guiding role of teachers in ideological and political education in the curriculum, enhance the professional quality and moral cultivation of students, achieve the unity of knowledge transmission and value shaping, and provide reference and guidance for the implementation of ideological and political education in the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews a series of cases for which the correct determination of the mass transfer coefficient is decisive for an appropriate design of the system and its operating conditions. The cases are of interest for applications in the energy sector, such as the thermoconversion of a fuel particle, processes in pipes, packed and fluidised beds, and corollary unit operations, such as extraction, absorption, and adsorption. The analysis is carried out by examining the expressions for the determination of the Sherwood number (which contains the mass transfer coefficient), and, when possible, generalised relationships (also in graphic form) have been provided, to offer a useful tool to cognoscenti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Over the past decades, intensive efforts have been dedicated to overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off dilemma of advanced high-strength steels by creating multi-phase microstructures with chemical heterogeneity. This paper presents a brief summary of the advancements in medium Mn steel (MMnS), which has garnered prominence in automobile applications due to its high strength coupled with good toughness achieved via the modulation of retained austenite (γret) stability. We examine the optimization of integral mechanical attributes such as strength, ductility and toughness. MMnS can reach an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) beyond 2200 MPa; however, there is a steep decline in toughness below 100 J when the UTS is > 1200 MPa. The relevant mechanisms including novel alloying design strategies, innovative processing routines such as flash processing, chemical boundary engineering and meticulous modulation of γ stability through chemical heterogeneity are analyzed. Furthermore, the potential avenues for research and innovation in MMnS are outlined by incorporating laser additive manufacturing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work is dedicated to the memory of our professor Emilian Bratu (1904- 1991), the founder of chemical engineering education in Roumania. The "road" of Chemical Engineering from empiricism to Process Engineering - a multi-disciplinary science in the postmodern era, was traced in Roumania by Professor Emilian Bratu who with art, clairvoyance and love built the School of Chemical Engineering in Roumania, in the middle of 20th century, being the first trainer of specialists in the field of chemical engineering - engineers, and phd. engineers. This year we celebrate 120 years since the birth of the academician Prof. Dr. Eng. Emilian Bratu, the founder of the Roumanian school of chemical engineering. On this anniversary we experiment a double feeling. On the one hand, there is a strong feeling of gratitude for the immense wealth of knowledge passed on to his PhD students and the generations of students who trained in the profession of chemical engineer with his courses as a basis of study. On the other hand, I am also filled with a feeling of satisfaction because I have the opportunity to remind and review, even if briefly, the strong mark left in the science of chemical engineering in Romania by the distinguished academician university professor Emilian Bratu from "Politehnica" University of Bucharest (UPBuc.), chair of chemical engineering, outstanding personality of the Roumanian academic community and world-renowned scientist. Professor Emilian Bratu left us a huge legacy, with a potential for use in all branches of the economy - the science of chemical engineering. An inheritance also means a great responsibility, and implies large obligations in its maintenance and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the evolution of chemical engineering is useful the definition proposed by Kuhn, which defines a scientific paradigm as: "universally recognized scientific achievements that, for a time, provide model problems and solutions for a community of practitioners" (Kuhn, 1996).11 From the ancient times applied chemistry meant an art, a trade for obtaining salt, caustic soda, soap, sulfuric acid, sugar, glass-things in rudimentary workshops. Traditional recipes have been transferred with minor, empirical improvements gained from observation. This period can be considered as the empirical stage of chemical engineering. The development of the variety and the amounts of the chemical products, mainly in the last quarter of the 19th century, imposed a new stage, respectively the rational stage of chemical engineering. The empirical rules and practices were abandoned for rational scientific methods. The transition to this stage is especially owing to the great progresses of physical chemistry. In 1885 prof. H.E. Amstrong has taught at Central College of London the first chemical engineering course. In this course fundamental scientific training was combined with technical practice for design of chemical industry equipment. It may be considered that at this moment the rational stage of chemical engineering begins. In 1887 prof. Geoge Davies from Manchester Technical College has taught a lot of chemical engineering lessons. These lessons were the roots of his further Handbook of Chemical Engineering published in 1901. The practical value of Davies lessons from this book consists in the variety and abundance of the technical end economical data. Due to the lack of scientific explanations, in fact this book belongs to empirical stage and is a document of what meant chemical engineering at that stage Bratu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we report some practical experiences of integrating education for sustainable development into established university teaching modules. The 2021 guidance on Education for Sustainable Development from the UK's standards bodies QAA and Advance HE is an important and urgent motivation for introducing sustainability into university courses. We take as our context a first-year introductory module in Chemical Products and Process in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and a second-year module in Software Engineering and Systems Development in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, both at Queen's University Belfast. We outline some of the challenges of adding new themes to existing courses. We comment on ways of presenting themes of sustainable development alongside existing module content, and we indicate the type of work students produced. We identify approaches that resulted in good outcomes, and outline changes we have made with a view to improved future outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the challenges faced in “Principles of Chemical Engineering” teaching, characterized by students’ difficulties in comprehension, application, and persistence, the teaching team, guided by the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) philosophy, has enriched the theoretical teaching framework through a “multi-dimensional and comprehensive” approach. Efforts to solidify foundational knowledge and strengthen practical skills aim to cultivate chemical engineering thinking. The adoption of a “multi-project, multi-stakeholder” approach for teaching evaluation has facilitated the innovative reform of the “Principles of Chemical Engineering” course. This initiative has significantly enhanced students’ abilities in innovation, practice, and engineering thinking. Simultaneously, as the teaching team progresses with the instructional innovations and reforms, their engagement in teaching research and participation in teaching competitions have notably improved their teaching competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the conventional emulsification method, droplets generated within microfluidic devices exhibit distinct advantages such as precise control of fluids, exceptional monodispersity, uniform morphology, flexible manipulation, and narrow size distribution. These inherent benefits, including intrinsic safety, excellent heat and mass transfer capabilities, and large surface‐to‐volume ratio, have led to the widespread applications of droplet‐based microfluidics across diverse fields, encompassing chemical engineering, particle synthesis, biological detection, diagnostics, emulsion preparation, and pharmaceuticals. However, despite its promising potential for versatile applications, the practical utilization of this technology in commercial and industrial is extremely limited to the inherently low production rates achievable within a single microchannel. Over the past two decades, droplet‐based microfluidics has evolved significantly, considerably transitioning from a proof‐of‐concept stage to industrialization. And now there is a growing trend towards translating academic research into commercial and industrial applications, primarily driven by the burgeoning demands of various fields. This paper comprehensively reviews recent advancements in droplet‐based microfluidics, covering the fundamental working principles and the critical aspect of scale‐up integration from working principles to scale‐up integration. Based on the existing scale‐up strategies, the paper also outlines the future research directions, identifies the potential opportunities, and addresses the typical unsolved challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of the optimal operational policy for an automotive supply chain is explored under a centralized management approach using dynamic programming. A deterministic optimal control model is proposed to meet multi-product demand over a period while minimizing a cost performance index for a five-echelon network. The production-inventory levels are the state variables and the raw material acquisition rates are the control variables to be decided in the problem. The novelties include parts mixing operations, assembly requirements, and a push–pull chain operation strategy. The continuous model is solved using Iterative Dynamic Programming, an algorithm with successful applications in chemical engineering problems. Its implementation here is the first in supply chain (SC) management models. The results demonstrate that the proposal is suitable to represent the dynamic behavior of the SC and provides useful information to outline a cooperative decision-making process. Managerial insights are derived to improve the resilience and efficiency of the chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The movement of multiple liquid droplets within steam flow constitutes a commonplace and noteworthy phenomenon across a spectrum of disciplines, including environmental science, chemical engineering, and energy studies. To simulate the dynamic behavior of these droplets, the methodology of Euler grid approximation, along with the Eulerian wall film (EWF) coupled with the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method, was successfully employed to simulate the steam-liquid separation and liquid film processes within the swirl-vane separator. The trajectory of droplets within the gas phase field was constructed using the Euler grid approximation methodology, while the flow of liquid film formed by droplet–wall collision was modeled based on the coupled EWF and VOF liquid film model. The investigation of two-phase flow and liquid film flow within the swirl-vane separator under high temperature and pressure conditions was conducted utilizing the proposed model, with subsequent analysis of the pertinent characteristics of droplets and liquid film. Specifically, the thickness and velocity of the liquid film significantly increased with the increase in droplet mass flow rate, with larger droplets more prone to concentrate and form stable flow of thick liquid film. The study results may hold significant implications for the design, operation, and optimization of separators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advection–diffusion–Langmuir adsorption (ADLA) presents a complex problem in chemical engineering and biomedicine fields. This transport phenomenon can be described by the advection–diffusion–reaction (ADR) equations, which traditionally require intensive computational load at extreme conditions. In this paper, physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) are applied to solve the ADR equations due to their mesh-free and computationally efficient nature. Six cases are examined, including both diffusion-dominated and advection-dominated cases with varying Péclet numbers Pe and aspect ratios λ. To ensure stability and efficiency during training with the Adam optimizer, the gradients of the loss function are analyzed. Key gradient terms causing instability are identified, leading to recommendations for lower weights for these gradient terms. The validation results show that compared to the finite difference method, PINN achieves a concentration field error within 10% and an average adsorption amount error within 7.2% for diffusion-dominated cases. For advection-dominated cases, the errors are within 20% and 2.5%, respectively. In conclusion, PINNs can offer an efficient and accurate technique for solving ADR equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on use of AI-based chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT in the chemical engineering industry, highlighting both the potential benefits and the challenges of deploying such technologies. Topics include recent updates to ChatGPT, differences between paid and free versions; and case studies demonstrating its application in process safety.

A fundamental step in the education and scientific research processes is the final-year project for undergraduate students. In chemical engineering departments, the final year project has unique properties since it deals with the design and production of specific materials or chemicals. It represents a whole plant design. In the present work, a layout and tips are proposed for a typical final-year chemical engineering graduation project. Six chapters are suggested. Each chapter is given a main theme and subtitles in order to facilitate the writing process of the project. Chapter one represents an introduction to the importance of the material that was produced, material properties, production process, etc. In chapter two, material and energy balance calculations are addressed. Chapter three handled the equipment design. Cost and environmental assessments are discussed in Chapter four. The results of chapters two and three are compared with software outcomes, which can be collected in chapter five. Finally, the main results, conclusion, and recommendations for future work are proposed to be in Chapter six. Furthermore, tips and advice are addressed to assist students in the writing of a typical graduation project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perspectives of technological advances needed for short term energetic transition are briefly reviewed and discussed critically. In particular, the technologies for the greenhouse gas emission-free production of electrical energy, its storage and transport, the production, transport, storage and use of hydrogen, and the use of biomass derived technologies are shortly and critically reviewed. Critical aspects are emphasized. The role of chemistry, and in particular materials chemistry and engineering, in short-term developments are underlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient‐index (GRIN) lenses have long been recognized for their importance in optics as a result of their ability to manipulate light. However, traditional GRIN lenses are limited on a scale of tens of microns, impeding their integration into nanoscale optical devices. This study presents a groundbreaking self‐assembled method that overcomes this limitation, allowing for constructing GRIN lenses at an extremely small dimension. The self‐assembly process offers several advantages, including creating highly precise, scalable, cost‐effective, and complex structures that eliminate the need for intricate and time‐consuming manual assembly. By engineering densely packed arrays of metallic nanoparticles, exceptional control over the local refractive index has been achieved. This is accomplished by layer‐by‐layer assembly of gold nanoparticles of different sizes over silica beads. A GRIN lens light‐sink is built where light is preferentially directed toward the center, which is corroborated by measuring the fluorescence of Rhodamine B (RhB) in the inside. Unlike traditional bulky macroscopic GRIN lenses, light‐sinks boast a size under 2.5 µm. Notably, the self‐focusing effects of this design allowed us to track the growth of single‐nanoparticle layers using SERS (Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy). These results pave the way for designing and developing lens‐like devices at the nanoscale, allowing unprecedented light manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the movement to improve process safety, incidents in chemical-related industries are still occurring around the world. Personnel process safety lack of knowledge is a typical cause of these events. Process safety is an integral part of a chemical engineer’s work. Employees’ discontent with chemical engineering graduates’ process safety understanding revealed deficiencies in undergraduate courses. Inadequate accident investigation and prevention training has also hampered graduates’ knowledge and preparation for high-risk jobs. To address the gaps, an online game platform was suggested and tested with 450 undergraduate students at different levels and disciplines. Virtual reality process safety game proven to improve chemical engineering graduates’ process safety competency while delivering industry experience. The approach is also believed to improve students’ problem-solving and decision-making skills and motivate engagement to study process safety. The main features of the game are desired to be online web-based with serious role-play integrated into real-life simulation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper covers aspects of quantifying the symmetry of two- and three-dimensional elastic bar-and-joint structures. The concept of symmetry as a quantitative property instead of a binary question of 'yes' or 'no' is widely accepted and thoroughly investigated, for example, in molecular physics but also in engineering sciences, mainly in chemical engineering. Similarly to most of the articles written on this topic, our method is also based on the comparison of specific metrics of the analyzed structure and a reference one, i.e., which possesses the desired (perfect) symmetry. The deviation of the analyzed (imperfect) structure from the reference structure is quantified by one scalar. The novelty in our approach is that we consider not just the relative position of the nodes but also the normal stiffness of the truss members, even for structures with higher-order, i.e., polyhedral symmetries. For both geometric and material properties to be accounted for, the eigenvalues of the stiffness matrix were chosen as metrics. The difficulty lies in finding the reference structure which will be carried out based on energy principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active learning, also called "learning by doing" (LbD), has resulted in positive learning outcomes in several higher education degrees. This paper describes an LbD experience within Chemical Engineering education aiming to enhance learning and transferable competencies using a Life Cycle Assessment course as a vehicle. This compulsory course belongs to the European Project Semester (EPS) program taught in the fourth year of the Chemical Engineering Degree at the University of Cantabria. From the beginning, the activity has targeted LCA practice with a strong emphasis on performance and its application as a decision-making tool in real case studies through close collaboration with regional companies. Working in partnership with industrial companies has favoured a win-win-win situation as students could apply knowledge as future LCA specialists. In contrast, companies gained valuable insights to improve their environmental performance, and lecturers enhanced their industrial networks. A public session carried out at the end of the activity created an enriching debate on subjects from a diversity of points of view (e.g., the selection of impact categories, the proposed improvements for environmental impact reduction, etc.). According to the lecturers, the competencies acquired by students through this LbD experience in life cycle assessment have notably evolved, demonstrating not only an enhanced understanding of environmental impacts across a product life cycle but also a significant improvement in critical thinking, team collaboration, and practical problem-solving skills, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and its application in real-world scenarios. This is in line with the student's perception that considered, such as "problem resolution", "capacity for analysing" and synthesis and "capacity for information" management. These are essential not only for future LCA practitioners but for chemical engineers. [Display omitted] • LbD has been positively applied in LCA course of Chemical Engineering Degree. • Students have applied LCA to real cases with the collaboration of industrial companies. • The proposed methodology has demonstrated overall learning strengths and challenges. • Connection with chemical industry has created an opportunity for students to apply learning. • Students have improved several skills such as decision-making and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents ten different exercises covering various computational tools. These exercises are practical applications presented to improve the understanding and skills of students in important concepts of chemical-aided process synthesis. A few exercises aim to build a foundation in computational techniques for chemical engineering undergraduates. The exercises are based on a spreadsheet that covers the design of regression analysis to find the optimum Antoine constants, array calculation for multicomponent distillation material balance, and the generation of a Gantt chart to plan and study the activities of batch processes. The other exercises included an introduction to process simulation, simulation, and reactor rating, and a simulation of multicomponent shortcut distillation. These exercises provide students with hands-on experience in utilizing process simulation software essential for analysing and optimizing chemical processes in real-world scenarios. The exercises also included the design of a heat exchanger network and solving a linear programming problem. An anonymous survey was collected from the cohort that had undergone the exercises, and the practical grades were compared with the batch that did not study the proposed exercises. Additionally, student feedback on practical exercises was collected. Based on the experience of the course coordinator and the collected feedback from participants, it was clear that the exercises helped students to inculcate critical thinking and self-learning abilities. An article essentially sheds light on the computer-aided practical exercises that enable chemical engineering graduates to engage in lifelong learning. [Display omitted] • Ten exercises cover spreadsheet, regression, array, Gantt charts, and more. • Diverse computer-aided exercises promote lifelong learning. • Coordinator experience and feedback highlight self-learning capability. • An integrative approach that combines engaging practical exercises enhances the application of theory. • Computer-aided practical exercises for process synthesis actively engage students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As engineering educators attempt to develop solutions to increase student retention and graduation rates and decrease student departures from their majors during the first two years of study, findings from a summer bridge program at a large minority-serving institution (MSI) show promise for practices that could potentially help to mitigate these issues. Summer bridge strategies have been shown to be effective in assisting in college students' transition from first to sophomore year. This study comprises a case study of a chemical engineering summer bridge program in which undergraduate peer facilitators introduced sophomore-level chemical engineering material and energy balance course material to their peers. The goal of this study was to understand the types of discourse methods used during problem-solving sessions by peer facilitators and how students' learning experiences were impacted. Data for this study were collected via video observations and a post-program open-ended survey. Authors found that peer facilitators created an environment where students felt encouraged and supported and could relate to facilitators and course materials in new ways. This work further illustrates promising practices of using peer facilitators that need further attention, along with the potential for how engagement and learning could be enhanced by the more formal preparation of peer facilitators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow meters are extensively utilized in fields such as chemical engineering, petroleum, and aerospace, and are an indispensable component of modern industry. This paper examines the metrological properties of a dual-rotor turbine flow meter within its measurable flow range through experimental approaches and investigates the cavitation flow dynamics within the flow meter using numerical methods. First, the flow characteristics curve of the dual-rotor turbine flow meter was established experimentally, and the accuracy of numerical simulation results was validated. Secondly, the transient characteristics of the cavitation cavity were revealed using the Z-G-B cavitation model and dynamic mesh technology. Finally, entropy production theory was applied to investigate the energy losses caused by cavitation, analyzing the contributions of different types of energy losses during the cavitation process. Flow calibration experiments and numerical simulations reveal an increase in the meter coefficient of the dual-rotor turbine flow meter in high-flow cavitation zones, indicating that the displayed flow rate is slightly higher during cavitation compared to non-cavitating flows. Transient cavitation flow undergoes three stages: attachment, development, and collapse. At 323 K, the volume fractions of upstream and downstream cavities increase by 38.9% and 48.3%, respectively, with the cavitation cycle duration being 1.21 times that at 298 K. At 343 K, these increases are 75.3% and 239.2%, with the cycle duration being 2.63 times that at 298 K. Among the various sources of loss, the contribution from losses due to pulsating velocity gradients is the most significant, with maximum proportions of 81.95%, 85.1%, and 87.11% at 298 K, 323 K, and 343 K, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Grafica: Journal of Graphic Design / Documents de Disseny Gràfic is the property of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The lifestyle of mankind has improved significantly since the start of the industrial revolution and the establishment of a science (engineering)‐based society, some 250 years ago. Notwithstanding, the outcome of these advances, a major threat is looming on the future of humanity due to the greenhouse effect produced by fossil fuel effluents and the degradation of the environment on earth. Chemistry and chemical engineering are key players in confronting these challenges and establishing sustainable lifestyle on earth. In particular, the interplay between materials research; solid‐state chemistry and nanoscience (nanotechnology) will be crucial for the future of sustainable life on earth. Education of the population‐at‐large to shift from a consumer‐based society into sustainability‐concerned lifestyle, is mandatory for realization of this paradigm shift. Harmonizing the interplay between entrepreneurs, financing bodies, public agencies, international organizations, legal bodies and research institutes should also play an integral part of this new equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structurally ordered soft materials that respond to complementary stimuli are susceptible to control over their spatial and temporal morphostructural configurations by intersectional or combined effects such as gating, feedback, shape‐memory, or programming. In the absence of general and robust design and prediction strategies for their mechanical properties, at present, combined chemical and crystal engineering approaches could provide useful guidelines to identify effectors that determine both the magnitude and time of their response. Here, we capitalize on the purported ability of soft intermolecular interactions to instigate mechanical compliance by using halogenation to elicit both mechanical and photochemical activity of organic crystals. Starting from (E)‐1,4‐diphenylbut‐2‐ene‐1,4‐dione, whose crystals are brittle and photoinert, we use double and quadruple halogenation to introduce halogen‐bonded planes that become interfaces for molecular gliding, rendering the material mechanically and photochemically plastic. Fluorination diversifies the mechanical effects further, and crystals of the tetrafluoro derivative are not only elastic but also motile, displaying the rare photosalient effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some problems in the specialty construction of local application-oriented universities, such as the mismatch between the talent training program and the industrial demand, the backward design of the curriculum system, the insufficient intersection of disciplines, and the significant lack of engineering practice of students and teachers. Therefore, in the construction of national first-class specialty, the chemical engineering and technology specialty of Liaodong University carried out teaching reform based on its features and the local economic and social development. By revising the talent training program, improving the curriculum system of professional courses, strengthening the construction of “double-qualified and double-skilled” teachers, and adjusting the training objectives and curriculum system of the specialty, the students’ professional theory and skills are cultivated, and their ability to analyze the complicated engineering problem is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared (NIR) photonic materials find extensive applications across important fields such as telecommunications, laser radar, and atmospheric remote sensing. In particular, photonic materials activated by main group elements, which exhibit unique spectral features including ultra‐broadband tunable luminescence and long lifetime, have become rising stars in NIR emitting dopants. In this review, the energy level characteristics of the p‐electrons to gain insight into the fundamentals of the NIR optical response from the main group elements are first introduced. Next, the NIR luminescence properties of the main group elements are discussed. Then, the strategy for the design of main group elements activated materials with the desired properties based on local chemical environment engineering is proposed. In addition, recent advances in the applications of main group element (excluding bismuth) activated materials are highlighted. Furthermore, the key scientific issues that urgently need to be solved for such materials, such as the detailed luminescence mechanism are highlighted. Anticipation also extends to the future research trends in this exciting field, including the ways for enhancing luminescence efficiency and extending spectral region, and the efforts for implementing these advancements in novel cutting‐edge technologies like photovoltaics and biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nachwuchs Reaktionstechnik (NaWuReT) is an organization of early‐career chemical engineers of the DECHEMA/VDI subject division Reaction Engineering. In the spring of 2023, we organized a series of online lectures involving five invited speakers from industry to shed light on different career opportunities. The speakers gave insights into their individual career pathways and presented their current projects, both of which sparked active discussions among speakers and attendees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on celebrating the significant contributions of chemical engineers to society, emphasizing the transformative impact enabled by the AIChE community's support. Topics include successful fundraising efforts totaling 5.7 million U.S. dollar, advancements through initiatives like Bee a ChemE and the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative.

X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non‐destructive spectrometric technique to detect elements with an atomic number from 11 (sodium) and beyond 92 (uranium). When X‐rays or gamma rays eject tightly bound inner core electrons, an electron from an outer shell will fill the empty orbital and fluoresce. Every element has a characteristic fluorescence, which depends on the element and the electrons in the orbitals that are ejected and those that fill the orbital. With the characteristic energy of the fluorescence, we determine elemental composition and concentration when adequately calibrated. Typical run times range from a second to a few minutes with an sensitivity to as low as 1μgg−1 (ppm). XRF guns are portable devices that produce qualitative data while libraries loaded to laboratory instruments are capable of producing quantitative data. A broad range of scientists and engineers apply XRF in research—140 of the 250 scientific categories in the Web of Science (WoS) cite XRF analyses. Of the 10,000 articles indexed in WoS since 2018, chemical engineering ranks fifth with the most articles. The focus of the research in this category includes adsorption and waste water, combustion and pyrolysis, catalysis and zeolites, and nanoparticles and oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]