BACKGROUND

Process Intensification and Miniaturisation (PIM) are emerging as important components of sustainable technologies in biological, chemical, environmental and energy conversion technologies. The attributes of process intensification are now accepted widely by industry and policy makers.

Innovations in PIM require an inter-disciplinary research approach. The aim of the Symposium is to bring together industrialists and academics from various disciplines to create an environment of cross-fertilisation and review recent progress in the intensification of biological, chemical, environmental and energy conversion processes.

The first international symposium on the science, engineering and technology of intensive processing was held at Nottingham University-UK, during 18-20 September 1995. Selected papers from that symposium were published in a special topic issue of Chemical Engineering Research and Design (Vol. 74, No A5, 1996) in order to provide the scientific bases of the PIM technology. The scope of the present PIM symposium reflects the enormous progress made since then.

VENUE

PIM-1 will be held in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Newcastle is the Capital of the Province of Northumberland and located at the North East Coast of England, with about 3 million inhabitants. Newcastle lies at the heart of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, renowned for its glorious unspoilt countryside and rich heritage.

Newcastle has a deserved reputation for being one of the friendliest and liveliest cities in Europe. It's vibrant and cosmopolitan, with much to offer people of all ages and backgrounds. In recent years it's been voted the 'best city in the UK to visit' and 'Party City of Europe'. The city is on the main London-Edinburgh train line, has its own international airport and links via North Shields Ferry Terminal to Scandinavia and The Netherlands.

SCOPE

Original and unpublished papers describing current research on Process Intensification and Miniaturisation from fundamental sciences to applied technologies are hereby solicited. General Process Intensification and Miniaturisation papers in biological, chemical, environmental and energy conversion are also welcome. Those pertaining to integration, modeling, control of intensified and miniaturised processes, novel equipment and miniaturised system fabrication are also appropriate. Some key areas of the PIM-1 include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Biotechnology

• Enzymatic reactions
• Animal cell cultures
• Microbial reactions
• Tissue engineering
• Plant-cell cultures
• Membranes/Catalytic

• Biomedicine
• Biosensors
• Bioremediation
• Food processing
• High pressure
• Support architecture

2. Chemical Technology

• Particle technology
• Separation processes
• Carrier mediated separations
• Chemical reactions
• High pressure processing
• Momentum, heat & mass tran.
• Ultrasonic/electric fiel

• Materials structuring
• Microreactors
• Supercritical fluids
• Membrane processes
• Intensive mixing
• Ionic liquids
• Electrochemical tech.

3. Environmental Technology

• Physicochemical remediation
• Carrier mediation
• Jet-loop reactors

• Soil decontamination
• Air pollution
• Water treatment

4. Energy Conversion Technology

• Gasification
• Pyrolysis
• Fuel cells
• Biomass energy conversion

• Hydrogen energy
• Microturbines
• Catalytic combustion
• Biofuels

5. Integration, modeling and control of intensified and miniaturised processes

6. Novel equipment and miniaturised system fabrication

LANGUAGE

The language of both the Symposium and the published proceedings will be English.

FORMAT

The format of the PIM-1 will be arranged with the following major elements as general papers presented in oral sessions, keynote speakers by invited speakers and interactive poster presentations. There will be also industrial and book exhibitions, social events and tours.

PUBLICATIONS

Symposium Proceedings: Papers accepted for presentation will be published as the Symposium Proceedings, which will be available at the meeting. Papers (up to 8 pages) appearing in the proceedings will also be reviewed. Instructions for the preparation of the manuscripts will be provided after the acceptance of the abstract.
Journal Publications: Authors can also submit their papers for publication in one of the four journals:

• Biotechnology Advances (Ed. Prof. M. MooYoung)
• International Journal of Transport Phenomena (Ed. Prof. P. Marto)
• Journal of Membrane Science (Ed. Prof. W. Koros)
• Exergy (Ed. Prof. I. Dincer)
  

Individual editors who are also members of the Scientific Committee will handle the review process.