Scaleup of Novel Processes For Subcritical or Supercritical Thermal Processing, Pyrolysis, Hydrolysis and Oxidation of Organic Wastes

I've had a fair bit to do with new technologies for high temperature and/or pressure processing of wastes (especially organic waste) over the years.

As so much of my practice nowadays is forensic, approaches which do not work may be rather over-represented, but as 98% of new processes do not make it through to a successful build, maybe not. What appears to be over-represented are processes which should have been spiked at an earlier stage.

This is almost invariably due to a lack of good engineering practice (GEP) of one kind or another, often traceable back to the project being led by a non-engineer who (if they know about them at all) considers the checks and balances of GEP to be piffling concerns which should not stand in the way of a visionary such as themselves.

However, as I have pointed out before. engineers are not the oompa-loompas of science, though this is a misconception common amongst Sheldon wannabees. They should consider Chesterton's fence:

"In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it. "