IUCRC Phase II: Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Center for Advanced Research in Drying (CARD)

伍斯特理工学院(WPI，Lead Site)和伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校(UIUC，合作伙伴Site)正在从目前的第一阶段过渡到第二阶段，他们的NSF IUCRC题为“干燥高级研究中心(CARD)”。CARD致力于通过提高能源效率和减少各种干燥以及相关的热量和质量传递过程的碳足迹，帮助美国制造业变得可持续发展。CARD的活动分为两个主要举措。第一个是从事与工业相关的创新研究，重点是节能干燥过程。这一倡议通过基础和应用研究，继续产生新的见解、先进的工艺、工具和制造技术，以实现有效的工业工程实践。第二项倡议确定和开发新的工程教育方法，以培养创新能力，将其作为多样化的下一代制造业劳动力的重要核心能力。WPI和UIUC已经开发了新的节能干燥技术，并正在向成员公司转让。例如，在WPI，这些技术包括创新的再附着喷嘴、独特的光纤传感器、非接触式超声波干燥以及介电泳力干燥。在UIUC，非热、超声波、蛋白质干燥方法为食品行业提供了解决传统热干燥方法导致的质量退化问题的解决方案。目前的中心成员代表食品、农业以及纸浆和造纸行业。在第二阶段，CARD将把它的成员扩展到其他行业，如化工、制药和纺织制造。在第二阶段，CARD将在以前面向本科生和研究生的教育活动的基础上，进一步扩大STEM渠道。第二阶段的推广活动将包括为初中生和高中生提供实践STEM学习体验，以培养技术知识和能力，并提供对不同STEM专业和职业的见解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI, lead site) and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, partner site) are transitioning from the current Phase I to Phase II of their NSF IUCRC entitled, “Center for Advanced Research in Drying (CARD).” CARD is dedicated to assisting the U.S. manufacturing industries to become sustainable by improving the energy efficiency and decreasing the carbon footprint of various drying and relevant heat and mass transfer processes. CARD’s activities fall into two major initiatives. The first is engagement in innovative industrially-relevant research, with a focus on energy efficient drying processes. This initiative, through fundamental and applied research, continues to generate new insights, advanced processes, tools, and fabrication techniques for effective industrial engineering practices. The second initiative identifies and develops new engineering education methods to nurture innovation as a vital core competency for a diverse, next generation, manufacturing workforce. New energy efficient drying technologies have been developed at WPI and UIUC and are being transferred to member companies. For example, at WPI, these technologies include innovative reattachment nozzles, unique fiber optic sensors, non-contact ultrasonic drying, and drying with dielectrophoretic force. At UIUC, the nonthermal, ultrasonic, protein drying method has provided a solution for the food industry to address the quality degradation issue caused by traditional thermal drying methods. The current Center members represent food, agriculture, and pulp and paper industry sectors. In phase II, CARD will extend its membership to other industry sectors such as chemical, pharmaceutical, and textile manufacturing. In Phase II, CARD will build on its previous educational activities with undergraduate and graduate students to further expand the STEM pipeline. Phase II outreach will include hands-on STEM learning experiences for middle and high school students that build technical knowledge and ability and that offer insights into different STEM majors and careers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.