The Wolfson Centre celebrated the milestone in August.
The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology was originally a department within the School of Engineering at what used to be Thames Polytechnic, later to become the University of Greenwich. At this time, in 1974, the office and laboratories were based in Woolwich, where they remained until their relocation to Medway in Kent in 2005.
The department was set up initially at the request of the then head of school who had completed his PhD in 2-phase solid gas flow and discovered that the polytechnic did not cater for this discipline. He therefore appointed people to continue this stream of Research which in turn led to research into general bulk materials handling, and the Bulk Solids Handling Unit was born. It was not until 1989 that the Wolfson Centre name was added, thanks to funding from the Wolfson Foundation.
Although the people, the location and the department name may have changed throughout its 50-year history, the aim of the centre has remained the same – to help industry with its bulk solids handling issues.
Since 1974 the centre has evolved into what it is today – only one of three comprehensive bulk materials handling centres around the world – and the only one of its kind in Europe.
The centre’s experts deal with all materials that are in the form of particles, a phase of matter that has its own unique patterns of behaviour unlike other materials. Such materials are widely used in industry and the Wolfson Centre is recognised world-wide in both industry and academia for the work in this field through consultancy services, research and education through short courses, seminars and workshops.
Through its consultancy services, the Wolfson Centre has helped to:
- Design new plant and advised on updating of existing plant
- Advised on material blends for new products in the food and drink industries, homeware goods and renewable energy sectors
- Tested countless materials for their handleability and flowability properties
- Advised in expert witness cases
- Advised on the aftermath of accidents – fires, destruction of silos, blow-outs
- Been at the forefront of the design and implementation of unique tools and equipment such as the widely used Brookfield Powder Flow Tester, Segregation Testers, Virtual Formulation Laboratory (VFL), Cellular Automata (CA) based modelling to predict segregation in industrial hoppers and silos, and a Mechanical Surface Energy Tester to predict bulk flow properties
The centre’s series of short courses are regularly delivered to over 200 delegates around the world each year, whether on the premises in Medway, onsite or online.
Research into new areas of technology has provided studentships for around 50 PhD students since the early 1980s in subjects such as pneumatic conveying, wear and particulate handling, including the current director ‘Professor of Bulk and Particulate Technology’ Mike Bradley who graduated in 1990 and has remained in the department ever since. Without Bradley, the Wolfson Centre would not exist as it is today.
The Wolfson Centre remains a small independent department within the faculty of Engineering and Science. In August, the centre celebrated its 50th anniversary by inviting leading Industry clients and collaborators, past and present staff and students, to join them for a day of bulk materials handling activities. The event was sponsored by SHAPA, the MHEA and the University of Greenwich Faculty of Engineering and Science.
After an informal buffet lunch, a series of seminars took place, showcasing Industries close links with the centre’s work via guests including Peter Brookes from Hargreaves Industrial Services, Phil Freeman from Tate and Lyle Sugars, Davey Wharrier from Lynemouth Power, Ian Birkinshaw in his last role as SHAPA Secretary and Dr Rizwan Chaudhry from Clyde Pneumatic Conveying who was also a PhD graduate from the Centre.
A brief tour round the onsite pilot plant followed, guided by the Wolfson Centre consultants who were on hand to answer questions about the equipment and facilities.
