The Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation Center is introducing new educational offerings for professional development and conducted its first short course Jan. 26-29, covering the fundamentals of bulk solids processing and handling.

With registration at capacity, the inaugural session hosted participants from 12 different states representing such companies as Nutrilite, Nestle, Styrolution, Green Dot, and Kice Industries. The course was designed to give both new and existing employees within the particle technology field comprehensive knowledge pertaining to handling, processing, storage, and flow behavior.

"Education on the science and safety of bulk solids is imperative because almost every industry has properties of particle technology," said John Lawrence, the facility's research director. "And after the excellent response we had to our first course, it's evident that there is a strong demand among manufacturers to gain a better understanding of bulk solids. We are excited to be able to provide more of these learning opportunities in the near future."

A variety of renowned experts in the field — such as Timothy Bell, an engineering fellow with DuPont; Karl Jacob, an engineering fellow from the Dow Chemical Co.; and Ben D'Alessio, director of dense phase systems at Coperion K-Tron — were brought in to lead classroom discussions and hands-on demonstrations in the center's full-scale test laboratory. Along with an overview of pneumatic conveying, the three-and-a-half-day course also further examined challenges within the hopper. Participants were exposed to powder and solid flow problems and were shown how to prevent and mitigate a dust explosion. They also explored programmable logic controller, or PLC, technology.

The Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation Center plans to offer this foundational course every six months, while courses focused on more specific topics will be given throughout the year. The center's next class, March 8-10, will specialize in pneumatic conveying of powders and bulk solids. Registration information can be found online at bulk-solids.k-state.edu/profdev/.

The 13,000-sq-ft facility officially opened in May 2015 and was created to promote bulk solids materials handling within undergraduate education, professional development, and industry research. Two local companies, Coperion K-Tron Salina and Vortex Valves, serve as anchor occupants in the building. The vast amenities and offerings of the Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation Center make it the only one of its kind in North America.

For information regarding upcoming short courses, or inquiries about the center and its capabilities, contact Lawrence at [email protected] or 785-829-1110.

Get more information or register for the International Powder & Bulk Solids Conference & Exhibition, May 3-5, 2016