Let's talk about some curious word in ChemEng.

Fermenters: This term refers to a reactor, where the transformation of susbtrates occurs thorugh the action of microorganisms (or simply an apparathus where fermentation takes place). We are highly linked to these processes, just think of each beer you have drank, each bread piece or in any yougurt that you have eaten for breakbast (if you are not a beer person, just imagine wine or champagne). 

The root of this word is clearly the term "fermentation". This word comes from the old French  verb fermenter, which is derived from Latin fermentare (to leaven, cause to rise or ferment) and  from fermentum (substance causing fermentation, leaven, drink made of fermented barley) but it could also be a contracted form of  fervimentum (fervere means to boil, seethe).1   

Fermentation process have been long used by humans, but the name of the specialised machines (used today to do it) has latin origins ( in different languages fermentador, fermenter, fermentatore, fermenteur in spanish, english, italian and french just to name some examples).



Membrane: These equipments are nowadays a promising technology, able to help in a huge variety of processes. The word might come from latin membrana,  "a skin, membrane; parchment (skin prepared for writing) and the etymological sense is "that which covers the members of the body." 2



Valve: they are an essential part of any industrial facility, but they are also present in our houses. It is difficult to imagine a world without valves so it could be said that they regulate the flow of our lives.

The word comes from Latin valva (plural valvae) "section of a folding or revolving door," literally "that which turns," related to volvere "to roll". 3