Wolfson Bulk Solids Centre celebrates 50th Anniversary
Wolfson Bulk Solids Centre celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology.
The Centre 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 – the only one of its kind in Europe.
Their 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 academe for the work in this field through consultancy services, research and education through short courses, seminars and workshops.
Through its consultancy services, it has helped:
- Design new plant or 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, a Mechanical Surface Energy Tester to predict bulk flow properties, to name but a few
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 Mike 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. Helping Mike with the technical services, research and teaching are Drs Tong Deng, Baldeep Kaur, Vivek Garg, Atul Sharma and Hamed Johnny Sarnavi, all experts in different areas of bulk solids handling technology.
Working hard in the background is Senior Technician Paul Wakeman, who joined in 2023 bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the laboratories, and the Centres Support Manager, Caroline Chapman who has been with the department for nearly 20 years, keeping everyone in check!
In August the Wolfson Centre celebrated this special occasion by inviting leading Industry clients and collaborators, along with past and present Wolfson 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 Centres work. After an introduction from Mike Bradley, a potted history of how the Centre came into being and an informative history of bulk solid materials, the floor was taken by invited 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 on-sile pilot plant followed, guided by the Wolfson Centre consultants who were on hand to answer questions about the equipment and facilities.
Then everyone headed off to a Drinks reception and Dinner where the evening progressed with guests renewing old acquaintances and reminiscing with their own bulk materials handling stories.
