Putting Particles First in Student Education- a Critical Review Why Particle Science Can’t be Taught at “Traditional” Undergraduate and Graduate Chemical Engineering Programmes

Particle technology is the key for producing high value products in many industries such as food, pharma, paints, car manufacturing, coating, biofuels, building, water treatment …etc. The diversity of products requires particle transport and storage equipment, coating and mixing processes, particle characterisation and the development of new innovative products. The complexity and natural fluctuations of particle and bulk properties makes the characterisation and the prediction of the material flow difficult. Over the years, researchers found empirical equations which approximate the complex behaviour of the powder under flow and compression conditions. These empirical equations are based on experiments with fitted parameters which change with the powder composition e.g. in a powder blend. These fitting parameters can’t be found analytically and the experimental effort to obtain these data is significant. The investment for universities in setting up powder technology laboratories is substantial. But what is the return?

Students studying Chemical Engineering will most probably struggle with the content of a powder technology course because there is no former education on this topic. Science subjects at school ignore this field completely in their curriculum and so, the students contact with particle technology goes back to the days in the kindergarten where sand castles were built with wet sand. Another challenging element is that most of the powder technology findings are not founded on a sound theory. There is a conceptual difference to subjects such as thermodynamic where a complex but well described theory provides the empirical equations which can be used by students.

Particle technology is different. It is based on experience not on science because the science is not well understood “yet” and this makes teaching this subject a true challenge. [1]

At the University of Greenwich we developed a Chemical engineering programme incorporating particle technology from the first contact of students with their courses. The case studies presented to students in the different courses of the programme incorporate latest knowledge from research which helps them to build their understanding based on scientific facts, statistical analysis as well as learning by doing. The skill set of graduates leaving the University of Greenwich equips them with the expertise, experience and understanding to help industries in many sectors to produce high quality products with reliable processes. Particle technology will always be a key subject in industry and a challenging course at universities. Substantial investments of the universities and research councils are vital for progressing the establishment of more courses at universities and to secure the education of young experts which can drive the technology and knowledge forward in the particle technology field.

References:

[1] Particle progress. The chemical engineer. Dec 2016/ Jan2017 pp. 38-40