History of Chemical Engineering - ACS Publications - American

Downloaded by 177.74.84.192 on August 27, 2015 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 1, 1980 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1980-0190.pr001

PREFACE

ith the publication of this book, the American Chemical Society W honors chemical engineering on the occasion of what can be con sidered, for lack of a precise date, the approximate Centennial of its origin as a distinct profession. The central theme of the book is the historical identification and development of chemical engineering as a profession in its own right, distinct not only from all other forms of engineering, but particularly from all forms of chemistry including applied chemistry and industrial chemistry. The volume's twenty-two chapters widely represent both industry and education, and originate in the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy, and India. Thefirstchapter, written by F. J. Van Antwerpen, Secretary and Executive Director Emeritus of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, was the keynote paper of the symposium on which the book is based. Several chapters concentrate on the early emergence of chemical engineering as distinct from chemistry, while others are concerned with more recent developments where chemical engineering has occupied a particularly high profile, as in the case of nuclear energy. Other chapters offer anecdotal and biographical insights into keyfiguresin the history of the profession, and one deals with prob lems of professional identity. Thefinalchapter, by D. F. Othmer, exam ines important aspects of the future of chemical engineering. Earlier reference was made to the lack of any generally agreed date for marking the emergence of chemical engineering as a distinct profession. The reason is that chemical engineering has not one, but two main roots, that developed along differing time schedules. One root was primarily chemical and of mainly European origin, while the other was primarily physical and of mainly North American origin. The former root is char acterized by the industrial chemistry approach, which achieved its principal development during the mid-nineteenth century and in which chemists and mechanical engineers teamed to manufacture chemicals on a large scale. The latter is characterized by the unit operations approach, which underwent its major development in the United States during the early part of the twentieth century and in which M.I.T. played a pre eminent role. A very important point is that the two concepts fused from the outset in the United States, but did not begin to converge until ix

In History of Chemical Engineering; Furter, W.; Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1980.


relatively recently in Europe. The major significance of this factor on the overall history and development of the profession is demonstrated in several chapters. In the introduction to his famous handbook (J), George E. Davis records that "The first public recognition of the Chemical Engineer seems to have been made in 1880, in which year an attempt was made to found a 'Society of Chemical Engineers' in London." The initial attempt was unsuccessful, but provides a date which is as good as any other for establishing the point of origin of chemical engineering as a unique profession. However even the British claims of origin are dis putable. Ivan Levinstein, writing in the Journal of the Society of Chemi cal Industry in 1886, said "We do not possess what may be termed chemical engineers, or at any rate they are very few indeed in number" (2). Ε. K. Muspratt, writing in the same issue, stated "It is very difficult to find a manager who has a knowledge of engineering combined with a knowledge of chemistry. Such men must be educated, and it is only now, after the Germans and French have shown the way for forty years, that we are beginning to follow in the path" (3). Chemical engineering is the fourth most universally popular form of engineering, after civil, electrical, and mechanical. These are known as the "big four" of engineering, and there is neither a consistent nor close fifth. Chemical engineering, at the forefront of scientific advance ment not only in the applications of the chemical sciences but also in a much broader range of relatedfields,must ensure that it does not lose the momentum of thefirstcentury of its development to what could be a developing loss of its professional identity. Among the many previous works on aspects of the history of chemi cal engineering, the serious historian should be aware of the books (4-7), papers (8-10), and manuscripts (11-13) cited below. Finally I would like to thank my wife Pamela, and my daughters Lesley, Jane, and Pamela for their many kindnesses during the prepara tion of this work. I also would like to thank the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society for honoring me with the award of a Special Educational Opportunities Grant to organize and conduct the ACS international symposium on which this book is based. Literature Cited 1. Davis, G. E. "A Handbook of Chemical Engineering," 2nd ed.; Davis Bros. Ltd.: Manchester, England, 1904; Vols. 1 and 2. 2. Levinstein, I. J. Soc. Chem. Ind., London 1886, 5, 353. 3. Muspratt, Ε. K. J. Soc. Chem. Ind., London 1886, 5, 414. 4. Van Antwerpen, F. J.; Foudrinier, S. "Highlights, the First Fifty Years of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers:" A.I.Ch.E.: New York, 1958. χ



5. Dixon, W. T.; Fisher, A. W., Jr. "Chemical Engineering in Industry;" A.I.Ch.E.: New York, 1958. 6. Piret, E . L. "Chemical Engineering Around the World;" A.I.Ch.E.: New York, 1958. 7. Miall, S. "A History of the British Chemical Industry;" Ernest Benn Ltd.: London, England, 1931. 8. Hougen, O. A. "Seven Decades of Chemical Engineering," Chem. Eng. Prog. 1977, 73(1), 89. 9. Pigford, R. L. "Chemical Technology: The Past 100 Years," Chem. Eng. News 1976, 54(15), 190. 10. Dodge, B. F.; Guthrie, H. D.; Van Antwerpen, F. J. "The Origin and Development of Chemical Engineering in the United States," presented at the 4th Interamerican Congress of Chemical Engineering, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Apr. 1969. 11. Trescott, M. M. "Unit Operations in the Chemical Industry: An American Innovation in Modern Chemical Engineering," Univ. of Illinois: Urbana, IL, 1979. 12. Guédon, J.-C. "Chemical Engineering by Design: The Emergence of Unit Operations in the United States," Institut d'histoire et de sociopolitique des sciences, Univ. de Montréal, Quebec, Canada, 1979. 13. Stephenson, R. M. "A Selective Historical Bibliography of Chemical Engi neering," Univ. of Connecticut: Storrs, CN, 1979. Royal Military College of Canada

W I L L I A M F . FURTER

Kingston, Ontario K7L 2W3 August 21, 1979

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History of Chemical Engineering - ACS Publications - American

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