NIST examines future directions of fluid property research. (News Briefs).As advanced technologies emerge in the chemical and related industries, fluid thermophysical properties will be needed for their design, development and optimization. However, there is a growing concern that technology is being developed in "virtual" environments where it is taken for granted Adj. 1. taken for granted - evident without proof or argument; "an axiomatic truth"; "we hold these truths to be self-evident" axiomatic, self-evident obvious - easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind; "obvious errors" that the computer will produce reliable results; the dependence of these results on underlying property data is often unappreciated. Many people feel that the fluid-property research required to connect simulated results to reality is in decline (especially in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. ), and that industry suffers for lack of reliable data. NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology, Washington, DC, www.nist.gov) The standards-defining agency of the U.S. government, formerly the National Bureau of Standards. It is one of three agencies that fall under the Technology Administration (www.technology. has been working to raise awareness of these issues, beginning with a forum organized in June 2000 in conjunction with the 14th Symposium on Thermophysical Properties in Boulder. Many of the key issues raised at that forum are examined in a forward-looking article written by two NIST scientists for Chemical Engineering Progress, the flagship magazine Flagship Magazine is an independent magazine for gamers [1]. Published in the UK, it started in 1983 for PBM players [2]. Since its hundredth issue in 2002, it has extended its coverage to include boardgames, role-playing games, web games and massively of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional organization for chemical engineers.[1] AIChE was established in 1908 with the purpose of establishing chemical engineers as a profession independent from chemists and mechanical . The article, titled "Fluid Properties and New Technologies: Connecting Design with Reality," reviews some of the significant future opportunities for fluid-property research, including molecular simulation, combinatorial methods, microscale process miniaturization min·i·a·tur·ize tr.v. min·i·a·tur·ized, min·i·a·tur·iz·ing, min·i·a·tur·iz·es To plan or make on a greatly reduced scale. min , environmental technology, unconventional mixtures and materials, and data standardization and exchange. It also discusses some of the challenges (many of them structural, such as the downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing of the corporate engineering groups that used to serve as a "bridge" between researchers and industrial needs) that must be overcome if fluid property resea rchers are to be successful in providing information that meets the needs of industry. The article is in the February 2002 issue of Chemical Engineering Progress, pages 34-41. A more complete record of the forum (including essays from experts reacting to the issues raised) has recently been issued as NIST Special Publication 975: Report on Forum 2000: Fluid Properties for New Technologies--Connecting Virtual Design with Physical Reality. This Special Publication, and related information, can be found on the Web at http://forum2000.boulder.nist.gov. CONTACT: Allan Harvey, (303) 497-3555; aharvey@boulder.nist.gov or Arno Laesecke, (303) 497-3197; laesecke@boulder.nist.gov. |
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