(220b) Cor Van Den Bleek: Pioneer in Complex Systems Approaches to Fluidization

Professor Cor van den Bleek was unusually creative and well ahead of his time in his approach to chemical reactor engineering, building on mathematical concepts in chaos theory, fractals, neural networks and machine learning to provide insights into the complex hydrodynamics of fluidized beds. What set him aside was his ability to use advanced mathematics and statistical analysis for very practical problems in multiphase reactor and reaction engineering, incorporating technical, engineering acumen for experimental demonstration and applications. Most famously using chaos theory but also other methods borrowed from nonlinear mathematical analysis, he showed with his group how fluidized beds could be scaled up more accurately, how bubble coalescence could be controlled, and how particle agglomeration could be prevented or an early warning for it provided. Apart from his creative engineering brilliance, he was also a very sincere, supportive, and inspiring group leader, who would always put his team members in the spotlight.