Chemical Engineering Education in the Next Century

This paper summarizes the work of the EFCE Working Party Education (WPE) over the last decade and attempts to identify effective educational solutions to meet the challenges caused by the rapid rate of change in technology and society world‐wide. The paper uses the results of the 1994 WPE survey of curricula in European Chemical Engineering Universities to identify a first degree level core curriculum. The problem of how to adapt the discipline to meet technological and societal changes without losing its identity is addressed. Basic sciences, chemical engineering science, integrated systems design and holistic thinking are emphasized as essential elements of the discipline. The paper discusses how Safety, Health and Environment (SHE), biotechnology, computerized models, product design, sustainability and other new subjects have been incorporated into chemical engineering curricula since the original survey. A simple model of the education process is presented to indicate how students might obtain a chemical engineering understanding and mindset. The paper explains how chemical engineering evolved from its origins in the petrochemical, heavy chemical and nuclear industries, to its current wide range of applications in industries, such as fine chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, software, and cybernetics. It is suggested that the impact of changes arising from industry, new technology and society has driven the chemical engineering discipline to a point where it is now ripe for re‐invention. The effects of rapid industrial, technological and societal change on chemical engineering education are studied against the backdrop of a discipline on the threshold of a significant change. The paper concludes by identifying curriculum development, personal development and life‐long learning as three important factors for educating chemical engineers for a successful future.     

New Challenges in Heterogeneous Catalysis for the 21st Century

Abstract  

Heterogeneous catalysis has been around for a long time, but has still much room to grow. The empirical trial-and-error mode used to develop catalysts in early times has progressively made way for a more molecularly driven approach to their design. Modern surface-sensitive techniques have opened the way to a better understanding of the mechanisms of catalytic reactions and the demands imposed on catalytic sites. Computational studies have added insights into the structural and energetic details of surface species and the kinetic driving forces for specific surface reactions. Novel nanotechnology and synthetic advances have provided new methods to manufacture better-defined catalysts, with high concentrations of the active sites identified by fundamental mechanistic studies. All combined, these advances have led to the design of new catalysts by taking advantage of the size and shape of the nanoparticles used as active phases and of specific structures and the nature of the support. New research has also been directed to the development of more sophisticated nanostructures, to add new functionalities to simpler catalysts or to combine two or more primary functions into one single catalyst. Much progress has been made in these directions, but the new tools are yet to be fully exploited to resolve present limitations in a myriad of catalytic systems of industrial importance, for energy production and consumption, environmental remediation, and the synthesis of both commodity and fine chemicals.     

21世纪洗涤剂的发展趋势和面临的挑战

回顾过去 10年和展望未来 ,介绍和预测了 2 1世纪洗涤剂的发展趋势和面临的挑战。全球洗涤剂工业发展是不均衡的。欧洲的发展趋势是继续浓缩化 ,高密度的片状洗涤剂和超浓缩的液体洗涤剂 -洗衣膏显示出发展潜力。美国的液洗剂已经迅速增长到 5 0 %的份额。在拉丁美洲浓缩洗涤剂还没有潜在市场。二合一洗涤剂是 2 1世纪的新产品。无水液体洗涤剂的挑战是稳定性 ;含水液体洗涤剂的难点在于填加漂白剂。 2 1世纪呼唤低温、节能、节水洗涤剂 ,以及相应的表面活性剂、酶制剂和漂白剂体系     

面向21世纪的精细化学品工业

回顾了世界精细化工的发展历程,展望了其发展趋势,介绍了精细化工中采用的一些高新技术,并根据我国精细化工的现状提出了一些对策建议     

新世纪化学工业的探讨

针对近年来全球化学工业状况,从６个主要方面论述２１世纪化学工业和技术发展方向。     

在21世纪化学工业的可持续性发展

根据目前化学工业存在的问题及面临下一个世纪的要求,提出了如何实施可持续发三个方面,即：采用新的催化技术,固体酸碱的开发应用及创新无污染的新工艺,新方法,新产品,并举例说明。     

面向21世纪的中国精细化工

论述了２１世纪中国精细化工发展的特点、部分新领域精细化工门类发展重点预测、精细化工发展建议等问题,认为２１世纪是我国精细化工的发展期。     

21世纪的《化工原理》教材

本文对化工原理课程与传递过程、分离工程课程之间的关系进行了分析,对<化工原理>第二版教材的特点和主线作了介绍.此外,对课程配套的多媒体课件、习题集也作了简要介绍.     

21世纪精细化工的发展

概述当前精细化工的范畴和部分精细化学品的发展状况,并指出了21世纪精细化工发展的方向。     

21世纪我国化肥工业的展望

回顾我国化肥工业的发展及其面临的机遇和挑战,展望２１世纪我国化肥工业的发展前景及趋势,２１世纪我国化肥工业的发展应从低养份含量向高养份含量,单营养成分向复合肥和特种肥发展;原料结构合理化,向较低成本原料发展;采用先进技术,向大型化,超大型化,单系列,低成本,低能耗发展;国产化技术、设备、材料广泛在化肥装置中使用;化肥产品向纵深发展,化肥企业实行多种经营,企业经济效益不断提高。     

面向21世纪的煤化工

介绍了煤化工的现状及发展概况,展望了它的发展趋势。并根据我国的现状提出了一些建议。     

Porous glasses in the 21st century––a short review

This article reviews recent studies concerning the preparation, modification, characterization, modeling and application of porous glasses on the basis of phase-separated alkali borosilicate glasses.     

Fractional crystallisation – the fat modification process for the 21st century

The historical development of fractionation, from the use of fractionated tallow in Mège‐Mouriès' margarine to the modern dry fractionation process used to produced steep‐melting palm fractions for cocoa butter equivalents, is described. The principles of fractionation by fractional crystallisation are explained. The fractionation process is carried out in two stages: firstly, a crystallisation stage; secondly, a separation stage. Crystallisation may be effected without any solvent (dry fractionation) or in the presence of a solvent. It can be shown that the efficiency of separation of triglycerides is more or less independent of the solvent so that dry fractionation is, in principle, capable of giving as good a fractionation as solvent fractionation. However, separation of the solid phase (crystals) from the liquid phase is easier in the presence of a solvent, which dilutes the oil and lowers the viscosity. It is mainly developments in separation over the last 25 years that have led to the improved effectiveness of dry fractionation so that it can achieve results that rival solvent fractionation. The concept of ‘entrainment’ is explained with reference to the different separation methods and to their different efficiencies. Today, hydrogenation is in decline, due to nutritional concerns about trans fatty acids and to environmental concerns about nickel catalysts and their disposal. Increasingly, oils with reduced linolenic acid (C18:3) can be produced agriculturally so that stable frying oils may be produced without hydrogenation. With the decline in hydrogenation, interesterification has seen a renaissance, although it is only partially able to replace hydrogenation. Additionally, interesterification suffers from the ‘chemical’‐process image and environmental drawbacks of hydrogenation. Fractionation is a purely physical process which satisfies today’s increasing environmental and health concerns. It is the main modification process used for palm oil, whose production is still increasing rapidly and which is likely to become the world’s most‐produced oil within 10 years. If hydrogenation is to be avoided, then only palm stearins can supply the higher solid fat content components required to produce the margarines and shortenings essential to produce the bread, pastries and cakes we like to eat. Fractionation is therefore set to become the dominant modification process of the 21^st century.     

21世纪化工发展趋势

从化学工程学的多尺度化,化工过程的绿色化,化工生产的逐步微型化和过程参数的极限化等4个方面介绍了21世纪化学工程发展的趋势。     

21世纪化工贸易的发展

分析了世界贸易的发展趋势、我国化工对外贸易的现状和所面临的挑战以及应采取的对策。     

迎接21世纪煤化工产业发展春天

随着国际性能源紧张、石油价格的动荡,世界各国开始重视能源与化工原料的多样化。中国从资源特点和能源安全出发,更加关注煤化工的发展。在以煤的气化为核心生产基本有机化工产品和精细化学品、煤液化生产合成油等新一代煤化工技术的引进、开发研究方面已取得一定进展。21世纪煤化工产业将推上一个新阶段。     

Catalysis in the 21st Century, Lessons from the Past, Challenges for the Future

Catalysis is a science relying on many disciplines. The advent of industrial catalytic technologies in the last century has, most often, resulted from a sequential interaction between chemists and chemical engineers, both communities developing their own fundamental and applied sciences, i.e., a multidisciplinary process. Some of the major lessons learned in the past century, and related achievements, are illustrated and discussed. Challenges for catalysis research in the 21st century are identified, based on the current knowledge of catalysis researchers, recent fundamental and applied developments, and current or long-term objectives of the global chemical industry.     

21世纪煤化工技术发展展望

传统的焦化工业仍有生存和发展空间 ,急需技术革新 ;以煤气化为龙头的多联产将是煤化工的主要发展方向 ;煤炭直接液化出现转机。2 1世纪 ,煤化工已从低谷中走出 ,但由于煤本身的一些特点 ,对煤化工前途谨慎乐观 ,应从能源—资源—环境一体化考虑 ,优化解决煤炭转化中高效、洁净和经济三大问题。     

化学工程技术的发展动向及对策

阐述了化学工程学科的研究特点,论述了国内外化学工程技术研究的发展现状,指出了新世纪的化学工程发展趋势及对策。