Workshop: Separations Research Needs for the 21st Century

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AbstractProposal Title: Separations Research Needs for the 21st CenturyProposal Number: CTS-0434437Principal Investigator: Richard NobleInstitution: University of ColoradoThe objective of the proposed workshops is to provide a forum to set out separations needs and a framework for research focused towards solutions. A series of three workshops is planned. The initial workshop will identify the priorities for separations needs based on impact across different industries, short vs. long term impact, and perceived investment risk. Two workshops will then be organized, one primarily for chemists (ACS meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 21, 2004) and one with chemical engineers (AIChE meeting, Austin, TX, November 6, 2004). For each meeting, the appropriate group (ACS Separation Science and Technology sub-division, AIChE Separations Division) will help coordinate the logistics and assist in providing attendance of a representative segment of their constituency. The purpose of this meeting will be to identify research approaches that can address these research needs. Recent materials and other chemical engineering advances provide the potential for expanded opportunities in almost all the separation technologies. A key issue is how separations technologies (and possibly others) will address the separations needs for the future. These needs span a large range in scale, operating conditions, chemical environments and lifetime requirements. Future separations needs are related to the pharmaceutical, biomedical, and other biotech industries, microelectronics, aerospace, and alternative fuels (i.e. hydrogen) segments of the economy. In addition, nanotechnology will impact separations in general with respect to scale and materials. Environmental concerns, such as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, will continue to provide the impetus for improved separations technologies. In terms of the broader impacts, the result of this series of workshops will be a clearly identified set of research needs and some proposed plans to address these needs.