KU Chemical Engineering PhD Candidate Featured on Journal Cover for Innovative Refrigerant Research
Kevin Turner, a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kansas, was recently recognized by the Journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research (I&EC Research) for his outstanding scientific and collaborative work. His article, “Methodology Development for the Measurement of Refrigerant Flammability Limits,” was selected for the journal’s cover and highlights a successful research partnership between the University of Kansas and Hudson Technologies to advance the safe and sustainable use of next-generation refrigerants.
The research, co-authored by Turner, Arthur Benson, Michael Lundin, Ed Atchison, and Dr. Mark B. Shiflett from KU, along with collaborators Dave Watson, Steve Campbell, Brian Finney, Glen Khlebutin, and Riyaz Papar from Hudson Technologies, presents a new approach to precisely determine the flammability limits of refrigerants—critical data for ensuring the safe use of low-global-warming-potential refrigerants in next-generation cooling technologies.
The cover art, designed by artist Gil J. Ortiz, highlights Turner’s commitment to developing new refrigerant methodologies grounded in safety and precision.
Turner conducts his research in the Shiflett Research Group within the Wonderful Institute for Sustainable Engineering (WISE) at KU, led by Dr. Mark Shiflett. He is also part of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology (EARTH), a National Science Foundation funded Engineering Research Center, also directed by Dr. Mark Shiflett, where he works to develop safer and more sustainable refrigerant technologies.
The article appears in Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. (2025) with DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.5c01453
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