Frank Morton (chemical engineer)
Encyclopedia
Frank Morton MScTech, PhD, AMCT, DSc, FRIC, (born Sheffield
1906, died 21 January 1999 Rhos-on-Sea
) was a noted professor of chemical engineering
, instrumental in the creation of UMIST
and commemorated in a sports day and medal named after him.
at Manchester Municipal College of Technology
where he was also a very active sportsman, followed by a PhD in 1936. He then worked in Trinidad
and was involved in expanding the oil refinery
facilities during the Second World War.
In 1946 the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham
was formed and he became one of the first lecturers, rising to a Professor in 1951. In 1956 he was appointed the first head of the newly formed Department of Chemical Engineering
at Manchester College of Science and Technology (later UMIST, now the University of Manchester
), UK. The Pilot Plant is now named the Morton Laboratory.
His research publications were in the field of mass transfer
in distillation
and liquid-liquid contact columns.
In 1961 he instituted a sports competition between the departments of Chemical Engineering at Manchester and Birmingham. This has now expanded to include all chemical engineering departments in the UK and is an annual event, known as the Frank Morton Sports Day
.
He was President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
in 1963-1964. His presidential address was entitled "Chemical Engineering Manpower - a critical survey".
In 1964 he took over as Acting Principal of the Manchester College, while the Principal, B. V. Bowden occupied a position in the Wilson
government as Minister for Education and Science. It was at his initiative that college changed its name to UMIST.
When the UK began to consider using North Sea Gas as a domestic fuel, Frank Morton headed a government enquiry into its safety.
In view of his particular interest in, and contributions to, the education of chemical engineers, in 2001 the Institution of Chemical Engineers
awarded the first Frank Morton Medal "for excellence in chemical engineering education".
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
1906, died 21 January 1999 Rhos-on-Sea
Rhos-on-Sea
Rhos-on-Sea also known as Llandrillo-yn-Rhos in Welsh, or Rhos or Llandrillo , is a seaside resort in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,110 in 2001. It is a mile to the north but effectively a suburb of Colwyn Bay, on the coast of North Wales...
) was a noted professor of chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, instrumental in the creation of UMIST
UMIST
The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...
and commemorated in a sports day and medal named after him.
Career
Morton left school at 14, but took evening classes and then a first class degree in ChemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at Manchester Municipal College of Technology
UMIST
The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...
where he was also a very active sportsman, followed by a PhD in 1936. He then worked in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and was involved in expanding the oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
facilities during the Second World War.
In 1946 the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
was formed and he became one of the first lecturers, rising to a Professor in 1951. In 1956 he was appointed the first head of the newly formed Department of Chemical Engineering
School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Sciences, University of Manchester
The School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Sciences University of Manchester was formed by the merger in 2004 of the former UMIST departments of Chemical Engineering, and DIAS - the Department of Instrumentation and Analytical Sciences - and the Centre for Process Integration...
at Manchester College of Science and Technology (later UMIST, now the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
), UK. The Pilot Plant is now named the Morton Laboratory.
His research publications were in the field of mass transfer
Mass transfer
Mass transfer is the net movement of mass from one location, usually meaning a stream, phase, fraction or component, to another. Mass transfer occurs in many processes, such as absorption, evaporation, adsorption, drying, precipitation, membrane filtration, and distillation. Mass transfer is used...
in distillation
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
and liquid-liquid contact columns.
In 1961 he instituted a sports competition between the departments of Chemical Engineering at Manchester and Birmingham. This has now expanded to include all chemical engineering departments in the UK and is an annual event, known as the Frank Morton Sports Day
Frank Morton Sports Day
The Frank Morton Sports Day is an annual sporting competition between the students of chemical engineering departments from UK universities. The event is held on one of the campuses of one of the competing universities, normally in the second week of February, when there is less academic pressure...
.
He was President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
Institution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
in 1963-1964. His presidential address was entitled "Chemical Engineering Manpower - a critical survey".
In 1964 he took over as Acting Principal of the Manchester College, while the Principal, B. V. Bowden occupied a position in the Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
government as Minister for Education and Science. It was at his initiative that college changed its name to UMIST.
When the UK began to consider using North Sea Gas as a domestic fuel, Frank Morton headed a government enquiry into its safety.
In view of his particular interest in, and contributions to, the education of chemical engineers, in 2001 the Institution of Chemical Engineers
Institution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
awarded the first Frank Morton Medal "for excellence in chemical engineering education".