CREATORS OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Here are the few great chemical engineers among many whose exceptional works lead to the foundation of chemical engineering moreover shaped the world we live in, with improved quality of life for all.
- GEORGE.EDWARD DAVIS — THE FATHE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
George E Davis is often regarded as the ‘founding father’ of chemical engineering. He greatly shaped the world of chemical engineering in the late 1800s. Davis argued for the creation of an institution for “chemists with a thorough knowledge of physics combined with a fair knowledge of mechanics”. He greatly stressed that many of the skills, processes, and principles used in chemical engineering are common to industrial applications. He invented the essential unit operation concept and wrote the first textbook on chemical engineering in 1901. Davis also attempted to find the first society of chemical engineers. His main profession was chemistry, particularly industrial chemical processes. In 1887, he presented a series of twelve lectures at the Manchester School of Technology. George Davis surely took his hobbies to an extreme level.
2. JOHN .H PERRY — FIRST EDITOR OF BIBLE FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
John H. Perry
The well-renowned Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook is the bible for Chemical Engineers. This book wouldn’t have been possible without John H. Perry for whom the book is named — as he edited its first edition and published in 1934, later the second edition was edited by his son Robert. H Perry. John was a physical chemist and a chemical engineer. He was globally known for his development of improved catalysts for sulfuric acid production. However, it is his book that truly shaped the world and has been a key source of knowledge chemical engineers for over 70+ years.
3.TREVOR KLETZ — — FATHER OF INHERENT SAFETY
Well-known as ‘The Father of inherent safety’, Trevor Kletz worked on improving and ensuring safety in the chemical process industries. He was a major promoter of Hazop. He is also listed in The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. He wrote eleven books and well over a hundred peer-reviewed papers on process safety and loss prevention. He was a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He was awarded medals by the latter two institutions.
4. CARL BOSCH — — — SCALED UP HABER-BOSCH PROCESS
He is the one who scaled up the Haber-Bosch process developed by industrial chemist Fritz Haber. This task involved the construction of plant and apparatus which would stand up to working at high gas pressure and high reaction temperatures. Haber’s catalysts, osmium, and uranium had to be replaced by a contact substance which would be both cheaper and more easily available. Bosch and his collaborators found the solution by using pure iron with certain additives. Bosch succeeded in working out methods for the industrial production of nitrogen fertilizers, thus providing practically every country in the world with sufficient fertilizers for agricultural purposes and making it possible to produce enough food for the growing population. Without it, we would only be able to produce two-thirds the amount of food we do today.
5. ARTHUR.D LITTLE — — — AMERICAN FATHER OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Arthur D Little has often been called the ‘American father’ of Chemical Engineering. He is primarily known as the founder of the ‘Arthur D. Little’ consulting company. He conducted analytical studies, the precursor of the consulting studies for which the firm would later become famous. In addition to that, he is credited with introducing the term ‘Unit Operations’ to chemical engineering and promoting the concept of industrial research. It was Arthur’s passion for research and improving processes that made him and his company such a success. As chairman of the Visiting Committee of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at MIT, he was responsible for the introduction of the Chemical Engineering Practice School.
6. DERMOT MANNING — -MADE POLYTHENE PRODUCTION POSSIBLE
Polyethene (PE) is the world’s most common polymer, with applications from low-cost to extreme-performance products. Polyethylene was discovered twice, each time by accident. Hans von Pechmann, a German Chemist accidentally synthesized it, in 1898, as an unexpected result of heating diazomethane. Two research chemists, Reginald Gibson, and Eric Fawcett were the second ones to discover it accidentally. However, the crucial breakthrough in understanding polyethylene and its production was done by Michael Perrin, who converted this accidental discovery into a reproducible reaction.
But, the person responsible for building a high-pressure reactor, making the production experiment possible was a chemical engineer, Dermot Manning. Dermot is also credited to enable ethylene production, from pilot to demonstration and full-scale productions.
7. DR.H L ROY- FOUNDING FATHER OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING IN INDIA
Dr. H.L. Roy, introduced chemical engineering as a new discipline of Engineering studies in the curriculum of the then Bengal National College, the nucleus of the present Jadavpur University, as early as 1921 for the first time in India. He had the foresight of the role of the Chemical Industry in building the Nation to provide the essentials human needs. His great vision not only pioneered chemical engineering education in India but also created a professional body — the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers for the close interactions between Academia & the Industry. In today’s modern world this evolving technology discipline demands an innovative approach in meeting the challenges, balancing carefully the ecology and environment. The mission of Dr. Roy is being fulfilled by his close associates and students in making India proud in achieving the position of the preferred destination for Global Chemical Industries.
8.M M SHARMA — FIRST INDIAN ENGINEER TO BE ELECTED AS A FELLOW OF ROYAL SOCIETY, UK
He has contributed extensively on the role of microphases in multiple reactions which he pioneered. His studies on Bronsted based catalysis in CO2 hydration (published in the Transactions of Faraday Society) and subsequently kinetics of Cobalt Sulfide(Cos) absorption in aqueous amines and alkanolamines brought out linear free energy relationship between CO2 and COS absorption in solutions of amines and alkanolamines.
He became an independent Editor of Chemical Engineering Science at a young age. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan(1987) and the Padma Vibhushan (2001) by the President of India.
9. J.B JOSHI — Innovation in multiphase reactors designs
He Developed in-house codes for (CFD) for multiphase dispersions and complex geometries. He Developed new designs for household cookers and stoves with thermal efficiencies of 50 to 60%, an improvement on the conventional cookers which have a thermal efficiency of 12 to 20%. He has released these technologies on a commercial basis.
He Performed the first Laser-Doppler anemometer (LDA) measurements in multiphase dispersions.
He gave the relationship between the mean and turbulent flow patterns and the design parameters such as axial mixing, mixing time, heat and mass transfer coefficient.
10. G. D YADAV
He is an innovative researcher who has made extensive original contributions to catalysis-science and engineering, green chemistry and technology, nanomaterials and nanocatalysis, energy engineering, and biotechnology.
He initiated work on novel techniques of enhanced oil recovery, flow visualization in 2-D and 3-D micromodels, phase transfer catalysis, and heterogeneous catalysis.
