The Computer Aided Process Engineering (CAPE) is a Working Party of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE). The Working Party was established in 1966, under the Chairmanship of Professor H. Brusset and with the title “Programmes de Calculs de Routines et Emploi des Ordinateurs Electroniques”. The Working Party prosecuted the activities under the name “The Use of Computers in Chemical Engineering” up to 1992 and, then, changed its name in “Computer Aided Process Engineering”, CAPE, as still today is intended the European Community of process systems engineering.

Past presidents who served the CAPE Working Party are:

  • 2015 – 2018, Professor Jiri Klemes, Hungary
  • 2012 – 2015, Professor Jiri Klemes, Hungary
  • 2009 – 2012, Professor Rafiq Gani, Denmark
  • 2006 – 2009, Professor Rafiq Gani, Denmark
  • 2003 – 2006, Professor Andrey Kraslawski, Finland
  • 2000 – 2003, Professor Andrey Kraslawski, Finland
  • 1997 – 2000, Professor Boris Kalitvenzeff, Belgium
  • 1995 – 1997, Professor Boris Kalitventzeff, Belgium
  • 1994 – 1995, Professor Sauro Pierucci, Italy
  • 1994, Professor David W. T. Rippin, Switzerland
  • 1992 – 1994, Professor Sauro Pierucci, Italy
  • 1989 – 1992, Professor Sauro Pierucci, Italy
  • 1980 – 1989, Professor Dominique Depeyre, France
  • 1973 – 1980, Professor Bignon, France
  • 1966 – 1973, Professor Henry Brusset, France

Since 1996 and international symposiums every year on CAPE related topics, computers are now routinely applied throughout the entire spectrum of process and product engineering activities covering chemical, petrochemical, bio-chemical, pharmaceutical industries and thereby, reflecting the success of the energy and success of the Working Party’s activities.

In its current form, the Working Party is known as the CAPE WP and aims at:

  • Acting as a focal point for discussion fori, in education for interaction within CAPE and related fields with other EFCE Working Parties and with national and international bodies, e.g. IChemE, IFAC and AIChE.
  • Promote good industrial practice by encouraging the development and use of CAPE methods and tools, by sharing of experience in the application of existing CAPE methods and tools, by providing strategic reviews of the ongoing needs of the profession and by identifying the potential opportunities for beneficial CAPE developments.
  • Encourage and promote CAPE research by providing a European forum for the presentation and debate of new ideas and developments, by preparing state-of-the-art reviews of CAPE methods and tools, by stimulating new projects to meet identified needs and opportunities, both present and future.

The above mentioned activities focuses on the application of a systems approach to the study of processes and products from the viewpoints of development, synthesis/design, control/operation and integration of processes, methods and tools.

The organization of the CAPE-WP consists of a chairman, a secretariat and a board consisting of a maximum of two delegates from each member country.

Currently, for the 2018-2020 term, Professor Flavio Manenti is the chairman of the CAPE WP and the board consists of 39 members representing 23 countries and 10 Guest Members. Professor Edwin Zondervan is the deputy chairman and Professor Giulia Bozzano is the Secretary.