Process Engineering Research and Education at the Department of Process Engineering – Past, Present and Future

Abstract

The aim of this paper and this special issue is to overview the latest developments in process modelling, simulation, control, and process monitoring. The special issue of the Hungarian Journal of Industrial Chemistry will be devoted to 30th Anniversary of the Department of Process Engineering. It is meant primarily to contain papers written by the colleagues working closely with us. Their papers and this overview will illustrate that process engineering covers all the necessary knowledge required for defining, designing, implementing and optimizing any process where physical, chemical and/or biological transformation of materials occur. Nowadays, the task of process engineers is to design, construct and operate complete systems. These tasks are very complex and according to that diversity, the papers of this special issue are grouped to five parts: 1) Modelling and model analysis, 2) Data analysis and data driven techniques, 3) Control, 4) Optimization, and 5) Numerical methods. The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview about how process engineering research and education is effected by the needs of industrial process development, and to highlight how the Department of Process Engineering of the University of Pannonia (former University of Veszprem) adapts to these challenges.