Richard Herman Wilhelm (January 10, 1909 – August 6, 1968) was an American chemical engineer notable for developing a new method of fluid separation called chemical parametric pumping.
[1] Wilhelm was also notable for pioneering in the development of fluid beds, which according to Princeton University "revolutionized the petroleum-cracking process".
[3] Wilhelm was a member of the National Academy of Engineering [3][4] Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,[2] and a chairman of the department of chemical engineering at Princeton University.
[1][2] Princeton University called Wilhelm "an authority on chemical reaction engineering".
[4] He then spent his all of his career at Princeton University until his death in 1968, becoming chairman of chemical engineering department in 1954.