Departement Chemische Ingenieurstechnieken
Onderzoeksrealisaties
Onderzoekseenheden
Bio- & Chemical Reactor Engineering and Safety (CREaS)
Afdelingshoofd: Prof. Jan Degrève
To accomplish its mission of exploiting and enhancing (bio)chemical reactor processes and process safety, CREaS integrates expertise, methodologies and techniques from different (bio)chemical reactor and process engineering domains, going from macro- and microscopic analysis of (bio)chemical processes, via modelling and design, to process optimization. Parallelized and controlled bioreactor experiments, metabolomics, metabolic flux analysis, dedicated microscopic imaging, among other techniques, provide insight in (bio)chemical reaction kinetics and its interactions in relation to process dynamics and control. Research projects follow an iterative loop of data generation, modeling and optimization, or focus on one of these aspects. Process optimization can be achieved at different systems levels, ranging from monitoring and control of biomarkers and metabolic engineering to optimization of up-scaling conditions.
Voltijdse professoren: Prof. Jan Degrève, Prof. Kristel Bernaerts, Prof. Pedro Fardim, Prof. Ilse Smets, Prof. Steffen Waldherr
Process Engineering for Sustainable Systems (ProcESS)
Afdelingshoofd: Prof. Tom Van Gerven
The ProcESS section is dedicated to contribute to sustainable chemical processing by developing intensified and integrated flow sheets using continuous reactors and separators with alternative energy forms. Process intensification and integration are key to the overall approach of our research as we aim at the design of new unit processes as well as their integration with other unit operations (hybrid and multifunctional devices) and in complete flow sheets. Research focuses on process intensification, membrane technology and transport phenomena in multiphase systems.
Voltijdse professoren: Prof. Simon Kuhn, Prof. Georgios Stefanidis, Prof. Bart Van der Bruggen, Prof. Tom Van Gerven
Soft Matter, Rheology and Technology (SMaRT)
Afdelingshoofd: Prof. Christian Clasen
Research in Soft Matter, Rheology and Technology of the KU Leuven aims at the development of methodologies with which the processing problems of non-Newtonian liquids can be addressed rationally. Concentrated colloidal suspensions and polymeric fluids constitute the two major classes of rheologically complex fluids under consideration. Recently, work has also started on surfactants.
Rheological constitutive equations for both polymeric fluids and suspensions are being developed. This is supplemented with studies on the experimental determination of the rheological characteristics of complex fluids using state-of-the-art equipment. Rheo-optical and dielectric techniques are used for this purpose in our laboratory.
Microstructure and flow behaviour is studied systematically to predict the rheological properties and the resulting microstructure from the composition of the material and from the characteristics of the components.
Voltijdse professoren: Prof. Paula Moldenaers, Prof. Erin Koos, Prof. Peter Van Puyvelde, Prof. Christian Clasen
KULAK - Renewable Materials and Nanotechnology Research Group
Technology Cluster Sustainable Chemical Process Technology
Onderwijs
Het Departement Chemische Ingenieurstechnieken staat in voor de opleiding van de burgerlijk ingenieurs scheikunde. Het programma in Leuven staat voor een combinatie van een solide 'chemical engineering' achtergrond, aangevuld met unieke toetsen van internationaal vooraanstaande topics. Zo kan je kennis maken met het productgerichte denken, als aanvulling bij het meer klassieke procesgerichte onderwijs. Tevens krijgen moderne aspecten van chemical engineering, zoals procesintensificatie, biotechnologie en duurzame processen een prominente plaats in het programma. Voor verdere informatie kan u steeds contact opnemen met programmadirecteur Ilse Smets.
