Dr. Ted Knowlton has 46 years experience in particle technology and fluidization. He has worked on FCC technology, cokers, polyolefin, methanol to olefins, maliec anhydride, acrylonitrile, TiO2, polycrystalline silica, gasification, pyrolysis, sulfur capture, CO2 capture, and mining materials. He has developed well know processes such as HYGAS, U-GAS, PEATGAS, RENUGAS, HYTORT adn PFH.  He is also known for the development of the non-mechanical L-valve which is well suited for high temperature applications.

You can learn more about Dr. Knowlton by watching the Meet the Consultants - Dr. Ted Knowlton webinar.

Experience

Technical Fellow and Consultant, Particulate Solid Research Inc., Chicago, IL — 2010 to Present

Provides leadership and consultation for PSRI’s member-based and contract research

Technical Director, Particulate Solid Research Inc., Chicago, IL — 1995 to 2010

Develop and manage PSRI membership and contract research along with maintaining and expanding PSRI state of the art research facilities.

Technical Manager, IGT, Chicago, IL — 1971 to 1995

Managed and expanded IGT’s fluidization and solids transport programs.

Graduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University — 1965 to 1071

Something with corn I suspect

Education

• Iowa State University — PhD in Chemical Engineering, 1971
• Iowa State University — MS in Chemical Engineering, 1967
• Iowa State University — BS in Chemical Engineering, 1965

Awards

• Recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Fluidization and Fluid Particle Systems Committee of AIChE, 1989. 
• Invited Plenary Lecturer at the Seventh International Fluidization Conference, Brisbane, Australia, May, 1992. Lecture title: "Pressure and Temperature Effects in Fluid-Particle Systems" 
• Recipient of PACE (Professional Achievement Certification in Engineering) award for technical excellence - given to top Alumni of Iowa State University. June, 1993. 
• Recipient of the Fluor Daniel Lectureship Award - in recognition of the fundamental applied research in the area of fluidization (November, 1996). 
• Recipient of the Thiele Award for lifetime achievement in Chemical Engineering (September, 2004).
• Recipient of the International Fluidization Award of Achievement (May, 2007) 
• AIChE PTF Award for Lifetime Achievements, 2009. 

Committees

• Member of AIChE Fluidization and Fluid-Particle Systems Steering Committee, 1985-1995.
• National Chairman of AIChE Fluidization and Fluid-Particle Systems Section (Area 3B), 1983-1985. 
• Chairman of the Particulate Solids Research, Inc. (PSRI) Technical Committee, 1985-1989. •Technical Director of PSRI, 1989-Present.
• Member of the Organizing Committee of the Fourth International Circulating Fluidized Bed Conference, August 2-6, 1993. 

Skilles

•        Excel, slide ruler

Publications

Chew, J. W.; Hays, R.; Findlay, J.; Karri, S. B. R.; Knowlton, T. M.; Cocco, R.; Hrenya, C. M., Reverse Core-Annular Flow of Geldart Group B Particles in Risers. submitted, Powder Technology 2011.

Chew, J. W.; Hays, R.; Findlay, J.; Karri, S. B. R.; Knowlton, T. M.; Cocco, R. A.; Hrenya, C. M., Species segregation of binary mixtures and continuous size distribution of Group B particles in riser flow. submitted, Chemical Engineering Science 2011.

Chew, J. W.; Hays, R.; Findlay, J.; Karri, S. B. R.; Knowlton, T. M.; Cocco, R.; Hrenya, C. M., Reverse Core-Annular Flow of Geldart Group B Particles in Risers. submitted, Powder Technology 2011.

Issangya, A.S., Karri, S.B.R.., Knowlton, T.M., Cocco, R., “Effect of Gas Bypassing in Deep Beds on Cyclone Dipleg Operation” in n Circulating Fluidized Bed 10 (Ed. Knowlton, T.M.), Sunriver, Oregon (2011), Paper 5-6.

Karri, S.B.R., Cocco, R., Knowlton, T.M., “Erosion in Second Stage Cyclones: Effects of Cyclone Length and Outlet Gas Velocity” in Circulating Fluidized Bed 10 (Ed. Knowlton, T.M.), Sunriver, Oregon (2011), Paper 5-2.

Cocco, R., Shaffer, F., Hays, R., Karri, S.B.R., Knowlton, T.M., “Particle clusters in and above fluidized beds” Powder Technology, in press.

Cocco, R., Karri, S.B.R., Knowlton, T.M., “Circulating fluidized beds” in Computational Gas-Solids Flows and Reacting Systems: Theory, Methods and Practice (Eds. Pannala, S., Syamlal, M., O’Brien, T.), in press

Cocco, R., Shaffer, F., Hays, R., Karri, S.B.R., Knowlton, T.M., “The Effect of Cohesive Forces on Catalyst Entrainment in Fluidized Bed Regenerators,” in Advances in Fluid Catalytic Cracking: Testing, Characterization and Environmental Regulations, in press.

Cocco, R., Arrington, Y., Hays, R., Findlay, J., Karri, S.B.R., Knowlton, T.M., “Jet cup attrition testing,” Powder Technology, 200 (2010) 224.

“Differences in Cyclone Operation at Low and High Solids Loading”, T.M. Knowlton and S.B. Reddy Karri, Proceedings of the International Fluidization South Africa Conference, p. 119, Johannesbur, South Africa, November, 2008.

“Small Particle Cluster Formation in Fluidized Beds and its Effect on Entrainment”, R. Hays, S.B. Reddy Karri, R. Cocco and T.M. Knowlton, Circulating Fluidized Bed Technology IX, J. Werther, editor, p. 93, Hamburg, Germany, May, 2008.

“Hydrodynamic Scale-Up of Circulating Fluidized Beds”, T.M. Knowlton, S.B. Reddy Karri and J.S. Smith, Fluidization XII, X. Bi, F. Berruti and T. Puglsey, editors, p. 1, Engineering Conferences International, New York, 2007.

“Understanding and Solving Fluidization Problems in FCC Units”, T.M. Knowlton, Proceedings of the 6th South American Fluid Catalytic Cracking Confernce, Gramado, Brazil, September 19-33, 2005.

“The Effect of Riser Termination Geometry on Close-Coupled Cyclone Performance”, S.B. Reddy Karr and T.M. Knowlton, Circulating Fluidized Bed Technology VIII, K. Cen, editor, p. 899. International Academic Publishers World Publishing Corporation, Beijing, China, 2005.

“Gas Bypassing in Deep Fluidized Beds”, S.B. Reddy Karri, A. Issangya, and T.M. Knowlton, Fluidization XI, U. Arena, R. Chirone, M. Miccio and P. Salatino, editors, p. 515, Engineering Conferences International, New York, 2004.

“A Review of Catalytic Fluidized Bed Reactors in the Chemical and Petrochemical Industries”, T. M. Knowlton, Industrial Fluidization South Africa 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa, November 20, 2002.

“Scale-up of Fluidized Bed Hydrodynamics”, T. M. Knowlton, S. B. Reddy Karri and A. Issangya, American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana,November 3-8, 2002.

“Wall Solids Upflow and Downflow Regimes in Risers for Group A Solids”, S.B. Reddy Karri and T.M. Knowlton, Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Circulating Fluidized Beds, J. Grace, J. Zhu and H. de Lasa, editors, Page 310. Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada, May 5-8, 2002.

“Streaming Flow in Cyclone Diplegs”, S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton, Proceedings of the 10th International Fluidization Conference, W.-C. Yang, J. Li and M. Kwauk, eds. Beijing, China, May 2001.

“Tools and Techniques for Diagnosing and Solving Operating Problems in Fluidized Bed Systems”, Oil and Gas Science and Technology-Rev. IFP, Vol. 55 (2000), No. 2, pp.209-217, May, 2000.

“Standpipe Types and Modes of Operation”, T. M. Knowlton, Proceedings of the Society of Chemical Engineers, Sapporo, Japan, December 2-3, 1998.

“Development of a Standardized Attrition Test Procedure”, R. P. Davuluri and T. M. Knowlton, Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Fluidization, L.-S. Fan and T. M. Knowlton, eds. Durango, Colorado, May 17-22, 1998.

“Flow Direction and Size Segregation of Annulus Solids in a Riser”, S. B. Reddy Karri and Ted M. Knowlton, Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Fluidization, L.-S. Fan and T. M. Knowlton, eds. Durango, Colorado, May 17-22, 1998.

“Unique Problems and Solutions in Gas-Solids Flow”, T. M. Knowlton, Paper 20a, Presented at the 1996 AIChE Annual Meeting, Chicago, November 10-15, 1996.

“The Effect of Pressure on CFB Riser Hydrodynamics”, S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton, presented at the Fifth International Circulating Fluidized Bed Conference, Beijing, China, May 26-30, 1996.

“Increasing Solids Flow Rates Through a Hybrid Angled Standpipe Using a Bypass Line,” S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton. Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Fluidization, J. F. Large and C. LaGuerie, eds. Tours, France, May, 1995.

“L-Valve Feeding of a Mixture of Fine and Coarse Particles Into a Bubbling Fluidized Bed,” R. Abed, J. Reeves, T. M. Knowlton, J. Findlay, and I. Chan. Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Fluidization, J. F. Large and C. LaGuerie, eds. Tours, France, May, 1995.

“The Importance of Storage, Transfer, and Collection of Solids” T. Knowlton, J. Carson, G. Klinzing, and W.-C. Yang, Chemical Engineering Progress, April, 1994.

"A Comparison of Group A Powder Flow in Angled and Vertical Standpipes," S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton. Proceedings of the Fourth International Circulating Fluidized Bed Conference, A. Avidan, ed. Pittsburgh, August 1-6, 1993.

"The Effect of Fines Content on the Flow of FCC Catalyst in Standpipes," S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton. Proceedings of the Fourth International Circulating Fluidized Bed Conference, A. Avidan, ed. Pittsburgh, August 1-6, 1993.

"Reducing Solids Transfer Problems by Proper Standpipe Operation," T. M. Knowlton. Paper presented at the 1992 Annual A.I.Ch.E. Meeting, Miami, November 1-6, 1992. •"Comparison of Group A and Group B Solids Flow in Underflow Standpipes," S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton, in Fluidization VII, O. E. Potter and D. J. Nicklin, Eds., 345. New York: Engineering Foundation, 1992.

"Pressure and Temperature Effects in Fluid-Particle Systems," T. M. Knowlton, in Fluidization VII, O. E. Potter and D. J. Nicklin, Eds., 27. New York: Engineering Foundation, 1992.

"Modification and Operation of an Advanced Multipurpose Research Reactor for Bench- Scale Testing of the PFH Process," J. G. Findlay, T. M. Knowlton, F. S. Lau, M. J. Roberts and D. M. Rue, in Proceedings of the 1990 Eastern Oil Shale Symposium, 342-50, Lexington, Kentucky, May 1991.

"A Practical Definition of the Fast Fluidization Regime," S. B. Reddy Karri and T. M. Knowlton. Paper presented at the Third International Conference on Circulating Fluidized Beds, Nagoya, Japan, October 15-18, 1990.

"Continuous Depressurization of Solids Using a Restricted Pipe Discharge System," T. M. Knowlton, J. G. Findlay and I. H. Chan. AIChE Symposium Series, No. 276, Vol. 86, p. 61, 1990.

"Operation of a Nonmechanical L-Valve in the Automatic Mode," I. H. Chan, J. G. Findlay and T. M. Knowlton. Paper presented at the Fine Particle Society Meeting, Santa Clara, California, July 1988.

"Gas/Solid Flow Patterns in a 30.5-cm-Diameter Circulating Fluidized Bed," R. Bader, J. G. Findlay and T M. Knowlton. Paper presented at the Second International Conference on Circulating Fluidized Beds, Compiegne, France, March 14-18, 1988.