Contact (CTS)

Tel: 703-292-8371
Fax: 703-292-9054

Room 525N

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Richard O. Buckius
Division Director

About CTS

Division of Chemical and Transport Systems

The Chemical and Transport Systems (CTS) Division is part of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Engineering. We fund research that contributes to the knowledge base of a large number of industrial manufacturing processes and also to some natural processes that involve the transformation and transport of matter and energy. The transformation processes may be chemical, biological, physical, or a combination of these. The industrial processes involve a wide range of technological pursuits and are found in such industries or areas as aerospace, electronics, chemicals, recovery of natural resources, the environment, petroleum, biochemicals, materials, food, power generation, and allied activities.

CTS supports research that involves the development of fundamental engineering principles, process control and optimization strategies, mathematical models, and experimental techniques, with an emphasis on projects that have the potential for innovation and broad application in areas such as the environment, materials, and chemical processing. These principles are also applied to naturally occurring systems such as rivers and lakes, coastline areas, and the atmosphere, especially in populated areas. Special emphasis is on environmentally benign chemical and material processing.

AREAS OF RESEARCH

Research support is available in the Chemical and Transport Systems Division through the following activities:

Chemical Reaction Processes-- Supports fundamental and applied research on rates and mechanisms of important classes of catalyzed and uncatalyzed chemical reactions as they relate to the design, production, and application of catalysts, chemical processes, and specialized materials; chemical phenomena occurring at or near solid surfaces and interfaces; electrochemical and photochemical processes of engineering significance or with commercial potential; design and optimization of complex chemical processes; dynamic modeling and control of process systems and individual process units; reactive processing of polymers, ceramics, and thin films; and interactions between chemical reactions and transport processes in reactive systems and the use of this information in the design of complex chemical reactors.

Interfacial, Transport, and Separation Processes-- Supports research in areas related to interfacial phenomena, mass transport phenomena, separation science, and phase equilibrium thermodynamics. Research in these areas supports various aspects of engineering technology, with the major focus on chemical and material processing and bioprocess engineering. Research conducted in this program also contributes to the division's emphasis on the impact of basic knowledge on physicochemical hazardous waste treatment and avoidance. The program provides support for new theories and approaches that determine the thermodynamic properties of fluids and fluid mixtures in biological and other fluids with complex molecules. Separations research is directed at many areas, with a special emphasis on bioprocessing and all forms of chromatographic, membrane, and special affinity separations.

Fluid and Particle Processes-- Supports fundamental and applied research on mechanisms and phenomena that govern single and multiphase fluid flow, particle formation and transport, various multiphase processes, nanostructures, and fluid and solid system interaction. Research is sought that contributes to improving the basic understanding, design, predictability, efficiency, and control of existing systems that involve the dynamics of fluids and particulates and the innovative uses of fluids and particulates in materials development, manufacturing, biotechnology, and the environment.

Thermal Systems-- Supports fundamental research in two major areas: (1) Thermal Transport and Thermal Processing and (2) Combustion and Thermal Plasmas. Projects should seek a basic understanding at the microscopic and macroscopic levels of thermal phenomena underlying the production of energy, synthesis and processing of materials, cooling and heating of equipment, and biological systems and the interaction of industrial processes with the environment. Higher priority goes to those projects that deal with problems on the cutting edge of technology while developing human resources in engineering.

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Last updated:
23-Sep-2004