News in brief

Annemarie Rima, the current head of the MSc office. In addition to MSc office employees, some employees of Student Advisory Desk Stad and the Communication & Marketing Group will join the new International office. Rima thinks she’ll need seven extra employees. However, the executive board has withheld approval until they see an improved plan.

Fireworks shouldn’t be stored in sea-cargo containers

Dr. Saul Lemkowitz of TU Delft is surprised by the fact that fireworks were stored in

sea-cargo containers at a firework company in Enschede. If black gunpowder is kindled in a closed room, such as sturdy metal container, the pressure could become so high that it will lead to detonation and destruction, as happened in Enschede last Saturday. In the chemical industry it is customary for storage accommodations to have a safety lid, which opens when the pressure gets to high and prevents the tank from exploding.

Industry interested in new inflammation model

International companies like Shell, Exxon and ICI, the UK’s largest chemical company, are extremely interested in a new model developed by TU Delft which helps companies prevent dust explosions. During his PhD project, Arief Dahoe conducted tests to see which conditions in a spherical reactor led to explosions. He discovered that the commonly used model to predict explosions was incorrect. Currently, he is expanding his new model to more complex reactors.

International office opens in June

The executive board has decided that the International office – which will be a contact point for foreign students and employees and for the Dutch Immigration & Naturalisation department – will start in June, headed by Dr. Annemarie Rima, the current head of the MSc office. In addition to MSc office employees, some employees of Student Advisory Desk Stad and the Communication & Marketing Group will join the new International office. Rima thinks she’ll need seven extra employees. However, the executive board has withheld approval until they see an improved plan.

Fireworks shouldn’t be stored in sea-cargo containers

Dr. Saul Lemkowitz of TU Delft is surprised by the fact that fireworks were stored in

sea-cargo containers at a firework company in Enschede. If black gunpowder is kindled in a closed room, such as sturdy metal container, the pressure could become so high that it will lead to detonation and destruction, as happened in Enschede last Saturday. In the chemical industry it is customary for storage accommodations to have a safety lid, which opens when the pressure gets to high and prevents the tank from exploding.

Industry interested in new inflammation model

International companies like Shell, Exxon and ICI, the UK’s largest chemical company, are extremely interested in a new model developed by TU Delft which helps companies prevent dust explosions. During his PhD project, Arief Dahoe conducted tests to see which conditions in a spherical reactor led to explosions. He discovered that the commonly used model to predict explosions was incorrect. Currently, he is expanding his new model to more complex reactors.