IUCRC Phase II: Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Center for Advanced Research in Drying (CARD)

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI, lead site) and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, partner site) are transitioning from the current Phase I to Phase II of their NSF IUCRC entitled, “Center for Advanced Research in Drying (CARD).” CARD is dedicated to assisting the U.S. manufacturing industries to become sustainable by improving the energy efficiency and decreasing the carbon footprint of various drying and relevant heat and mass transfer processes. CARD’s activities fall into two major initiatives.

The first is engagement in innovative industrially-relevant research, with a focus on energy efficient drying processes. This initiative, through fundamental and applied research, continues to generate new insights, advanced processes, tools, and fabrication techniques for effective industrial engineering practices. The second initiative identifies and develops new engineering education methods to nurture innovation as a vital core competency for a diverse, next generation, manufacturing workforce.

New energy efficient drying technologies have been developed at WPI and UIUC and are being transferred to member companies. For example, at WPI, these technologies include innovative reattachment nozzles, unique fiber optic sensors, non-contact ultrasonic drying, and drying with dielectrophoretic force. At UIUC, the nonthermal, ultrasonic, protein drying method has provided a solution for the food industry to address the quality degradation issue caused by traditional thermal drying methods.

The current Center members represent food, agriculture, and pulp and paper industry sectors. In phase II, CARD will extend its membership to other industry sectors such as chemical, pharmaceutical, and textile manufacturing. In Phase II, CARD will build on its previous educational activities with undergraduate and graduate students to further expand the STEM pipeline.

Phase II outreach will include hands-on STEM learning experiences for middle and high school students that build technical knowledge and ability and that offer insights into different STEM majors and careers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.