W. Roy Penney
Professor

Email:rpenney@uark.edu
Phone:(479) 575-5681
Fax:(479) 575-7926
Office:3152 BELL
Address:Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering
3202 BELL
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201
(479) 575-4951

Dr. Penney’s primary research interests are in fluid mixing and process development and design. In the area of fluid mixing, Dr. Penney has investigated several phenomena including:

  • feedpipe backmixing in agitated reactors
  • scaleup methods for fast competitive reactions in agitated vessels
  • static mixers in recycle loops on agitated vessels to improve fast competitive reaction yields
  • interstage backmixing in compartmented mechanically-agitated staged columns
  • flooding in compartmented mechanically-agitated staged columns
  • vortex formation in partially-baffled agitated vessels
  • just suspended speeds for liquid-liquid dispersion in agitated vessels
  • solids suspension in agitated vessels
  • surface profiles, compartmental fractional fillage and mass transfer in a Vickers-Zimmer style polyester finisher
  • scaleup methods for fast reactions in pipeline mixers

He directed a DOE funded research program which developed a feasible process for recovering bitumen from tar sands.

Education

PhD, Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 1987
MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 1962
BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 1959

Selected Publications

Penney, W. R., J. R. Couper and O. T. Beasley, "The Chemical Process Industries Infrastructure," Marcel Dekker, New York, 2001.

Penney, W. R., L. J. Forney and H. X. Vo, "Scale-up in Plug-Flow Reactors: Laminar Feed," AIChE J., 47:1 (31), January 2001.

Penney, W.R. "Disposal of Cavern-Stored Ethylchloroacetate by Reaction with Caustic (NaOH)," AIChE National Student Design Competition Problem, 2004.

Penney, W. R., R.A. Taylor and H.X. Vo, "Scaleup Methods for Fast Competitive Chemical Reactions in Pipeline Mixers," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 44 (6095), 2005.

Penney, W. R., B.C. Xu and J.B. Fasano, "Interstage Backmixing for Single-Phase Systems in Compartmented, Agitated Columns: Design Correlations," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 44 (6103), 2005.

Penney, W. R, J.R. Couper, J.R. Fair and S.M. Walas, "Chemical Process Equipment - Selection and Design," 2nd Ed., Elsevier, New York, 2005.