Donald L. Campbell
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Donald Lewis Campbell | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 5, 1904 Clinton, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | September 14, 2002 (aged 98) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Iowa State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard Business School University of Michigan |
| Awards | Ronald H. Brown American Innovator Award; Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (1999) |
Donald Lewis Campbell (August 5, 1904 – September 14, 2002) was an American chemical engineer. He and his team of three other scientists are most known for having developed the
Early life
Donald L. Campbell was born in Clinton, Iowa on August 5, 1904. From an early age, he showed a great fascination towards invention and solving problems. At the age of 16, Campbell took part in a national essay contest, which was sponsored by the Department of War. Twelve million contestants participated to write on the advantages of joining the army. One of the judges was General John J. Pershing. Campbell won first place. The first line of his essay read: “As Horace Greely once said, ‘Young man, go West.’ We now say, ‘Young man, join the Army.’” He was awarded the prize May 4, 1920 in Washington DC.[2] Later, he began his higher-level education at Iowa State University, where he majored in chemical engineering and came first in his class. Afterward, he earned his master’s degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[3] He completed his education by attending Harvard Business School.[4]
Beginning of career
His intelligence and interest in chemical engineering eventually led him to work for Exxon. He spent 41 years of his life there, 25 of which he spent in the
Major invention
In 1942, while working at ER&E, the “four horsemen” developed a landmark creation in the field of chemical engineering known as fluid catalytic cracking (FCC). This crucial conversion process enables petroleum refineries to obtain gasoline, aviation fuel, and olefinic gases through the conversion of hydrocarbon fractions at high temperatures. Specifically, the system consists of using high temperatures to break down large molecules of hydrogen carbon into smaller ones. This method was patented as the “Method of and Apparatus for Contacting solids and Gases Catalytic Cracking” number 2,451,804.
Significance in WWII
During World War II, as the Allies were attempting to overpower the Axis in aerial warfare, the United States suffered a shortage of aviation fuel. At this time, the testing of this new system had been successful for three years. Consequently, FCC was used to increase the national output of aviation fuel by 6,000 percent, providing enough fuel for the war efforts. Many historians[who?] argue that the increase in the efficiency of acquiring petroleum contributed to the Allies’ air victory. In addition, this process caused greater production of synthetic rubber for petroleum, therefore making the US independent of Southeast Asia's unstable source of rubber.
Later years
Aside from his work, Campbell participated in other academic activities. For example, he shared thoughts with a group of academics from several fields, including filmmaking and other fields in science. He focused much of his inventive potential into the bridge games he so loved. He was a husband to Elizabeth Duff Campbell, a father to a son named Michael Duff Campbell and a daughter named Mary Louise Macom, a grandfather to eight grandchildren, and a great-grandfather to nine great-grandchildren.
References
- ^ a b c "Donald L. Campbell". National Inventors Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/npcc/01500/01519v.jpg [bare URL image file]
- ^ a b c d Martin, Douglas (2002-09-19). "Donald L. Campbell, 98, Dies; Helped Open Fuel Floodgates". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ "Donald Campbell, 98; Fuel Refining Pioneer". Los Angeles Times. 2002-09-20. Retrieved 2019-03-20.