Properties and Phase Equilibria for Product and Process Design (PPEPPD) International Conference, May 22-26, 2016, Porto, Portugal

Princeton University, Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

1624141 Athanassious Z. Panagiotopoulos The project supports attendance of U.S. researchers at the Properties and Phase Equilibria for Product and Process Design (PPEPPD) international conference this coming May, 2016 in Porto, Portugal. The PPEPPD conference is the premier worldwide conference in the area of molecular thermodynamics as related to chemical process and product design. By subsidizing airfare for attendance of both senior and junior academic researchers at the conference, the award will foster exchange of scientific ideas and the latest advances in this important area of chemical research focusing on thermophysical properties and phase equilibrium data needed to lower costs and improve efficiencies across a broad spectrum of chemical products and processes. PPEPPD 2016 will bring together international researchers in the application of molecular thermodynamics to industrially relevant product and process design. The conference will provide a forum for interactions between both junior and senior researchers at the cutting edge of techniques for thermophysical properties and phase equilibrium measurement and estimation, and identify the challenges in the growing areas of alternative energy resources and storage, gas and oil upstream and downstream processing, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, marine and saline systems and processes, nanotechnology, and sustainability. One of the primary goals of PPEPPD is to provide interaction between academic, government, and industrial researchers on how molecular thermodynamics (experimental and computation) can benefit real-world industrial product and process design. The meetings are the most important gatherings for molecular thermodynamicists from all over the world - typically attracting 200-300 participants from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The topics selected by the International Organizing Committee of the 14th PPEPPD include both fundamental aspects of molecular thermodynamics (thermodynamics and transport properties, surfaces, interfaces and confinement effects, quantum calculations and force fields, and molecular and multiscale simulations),and applied aspects (product and process engineering, gas and oil downstream and upstream processes, alternative energy resources and storage, environmental processes, sustainability and risk management, carbon capture and storage, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, food processing, agrochemicals and biomass, marine and saline systems, materials, and nanotechnology). The purpose of PPEPPD is the sharing of state-of-the-art techniques to further product and process design that will fuel world-wide economic growth in the chemical and related industries, and allow the modeling of new separation processes for meeting lower greenhouse gas emission goals. U.S. participation is essential for making contributions to the general knowledge base, for building awareness of global activities, and for fostering international collaboration. The requested funding would provide air fare support for a few senior invited U.S. lecturers and members of the international organizing committee, but will mainly provide support for approximately 16 young researchers who would not be able to attend without such support. From an educational standpoint, this represents a unique opportunity for young attendees to network with peers from around the world and experience the latest worldwide perspective on research trends in the areas of thermodynamics, transport properties, phase equilibria, etc. as related to a broad range of chemical processes and products.