Overview

The IChemE Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional group would like to invite members to the annual Appita and IChemE technical meeting. This includes the opportunity to enjoy a buffet dinner before the technical programme.

Speakers

Charles Bourdonneau, Senior Associate, Process Safety Engineer, Wood Beca Ltd

Design Verification of Critical Controls in Process Plants

Safely operating a process does not only rely on the identification of inherent hazards to the process and their, control but also on the assurance we have that those controls are performing the way they should. This is where the design verification is an important step for demonstrating the safety of your plant.

Jack Chen, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, AUT; Co-Founder of Spherelose

Spherelose – A Journey Towards Sustainable Cellulose-Based Surfactants

Spherelose® is a cellulose-based surfactant platform currently being developed at Auckland University of Technology. Inspired by New Zealand’s sustainable forestry industry, Spherelose® can be made from the off-cuts of sustainably harvested timber. By combining the cellulose in wood pulp with plant-based oils, the surface-active properties of the resulting particles can be tuned to serve a range of surfactant applications. This technology is currently in the process of translating from lab scale to pilot scale, and this talk will detail the journey from academic research to a spin-out company and eventual commercialisation.

Rob Whitton, Leader, Materials, Engineering and Manufacturing, Scion

Seaweed-derived Nanocellulose: Unlocking Value from a Sustainable Resource

Scion has developed a green process to produce nanocellulose hydrogel from seaweed. Partnering with Agrisea, Scion is currently designing a process plant that will produce hydrogel at scale at Agrisea’s facility, utilising seaweed that is a byproduct from Agrisea’s other production processes. Scion’s research aims to identify high-value applications for this sustainable material.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the New Zealand Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

^*This is not an IChemE event and as such the Institution will not be storing or controlling any data linked to this event. If you have any concerns or questions about how your data is stored please contact the event organisers directly.