(3hb) Techno-Economic and Life-Cycle Assessment of State-of-Art Innovative Fast Pyrolysis Solutions in Bio-Economy Processes

My research interest lies in using process modelling and process systems engineering tools such as market analysis, techno-economics assessment, cost accounting, energy integration analysis, life cycle assessment, supply chain analysis, as well as large block analysis framework to put forward the most effective biorefinery strategies that fulfills the needs of different chemical industry.

Postdoctoral work:

Currently, I am involved in a project that evaluates the techno-economic and environmental performance of an Integrated Biorefinery System that employs an innovative state-of-art fast pyrolysis processes for the production of bio renewable fuels in the bioeconomy. A systematic design methodology is defined using process systems engineering tools to identify forward the most preferred biorefinery strategies that fulfill the needs of the forest industry partner considering best case scenarios and critical risk issues. My research interest lies in illustration of the effectiveness of a comprehensive technical and economic framework for the identification of innovative biorefinery strategies within an existing Canadian paper and pulp mill that represents an attractive investment, and at the same time is environmentally beneficial especially with regards to climate change.

Ph.D. Research:

Microalgae are often grown in open raceways or closed bioreactors by photosynthesis using carbon dioxide (CO₂) in flue gas. After being harvested, algae oil must be extracted before being transesterified to biodiesel. This process, which generates a renewable, liquid fuel, has been shown to be competitive with other liquid fuel sources. Herein, three foci in research improve algae-to-biodiesel processes by: (1) reducing high installation and energy costs in the CO₂ sequestration, cultivation, and harvesting stages; (2) improving oil extraction and biodiesel generation; (3) increasing utilization of omega-3 fatty acids for nutraceuticals and food supplements. A process is introduced that uses CO₂ microbubbles to lyse algae cell walls, releasing triglyceride oils, combined with their transesterification using methanol. Initial process designs are compared with conventional extraction/transesterification processes, showing the profitability advantages (reduced energy utilization and installed equipment costs) of the proposed intensification processes. The most profitable process flowsheets and temperature/pressure operating conditions were selected by carrying out more reliable multiphase equilibrium calculations to predict the phase distribution (often vapor-liquid-liquid) using the RK-ASPEN and SAFT equation-of-state (in ASPEN PLUS), augmented with some new experimental data. This permits the use of an extended kinetic model to compute biodiesel production rates. A cash flow analysis was performed for the entire carbon sequestration-to-biodiesel production train, yielding a biodiesel selling price of about $4.00/gal. The environmental impact of biomass production in outdoor raceway systems were evaluated by carrying a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment using SimaPro 8.0.3.14 software package. These analyses show that the current bottlenecks for the large-scale production of biodiesel are cultivation techniques and extraction operations.

Research experience and Awards:

• MITACS-Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship: I am working with Prof. Paul Stuart in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Polytechnique Montreal, Canada. Simultaneously, we are working for our industrial partner-North America’s leader in pulp and paper for the development of a commercial scale integrated biorefinery.
• Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellow- I worked with Prof. Warren D. Seider from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. We have developed a CO2 intensified process for the extraction of algal oil and its conversion to biodiesel using microbubbles. The techno-economics and life cycle analysis of the process was investigated using aspen Plus Process Analyzer.
• Newton-Bhabha Fellow- I worked in the laboratory of Prof. William Zimmerman at the University of Sheffield, UK in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. The work involved use of CO₂ microbubbles generated by fluidic oscillator to strip ammonia off from the landfill leachate and using the processed leachate as inexpensive growth medium for microalgal cultivation and lipid accumulation.
• Benjamin L Van Duren Award

Teaching Interests: During my postdoctoral and doctoral research, I have supervised several undergraduate and post-graduate students, for their thesis dissertation work. I have also evaluated detailed laboratory reports of undergraduate students to assess and provide suggestions to improve their writing abilities.

Future Directions: As a faculty candidate I would like to apply the knowledge that I acquired in Process Modelling and Simulation of biofuel production processes through my research experience to various fundamental and industrial problems in the Chemical Engineering.

Publications:

1. Yadav, G., Fabiano, L., Soh, L., Zimmerman, J., Sen, R., Seider, W.D. 2020. CO₂ Process Intensification of Algae Oil Extraction to Biodiesel. AIChE Journal (Submitted).
2. Stokes, J., Tu, R., Peters, M., Yadav, G., Fabiano, L., Seider, W.D. 2020. Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Algae produced Biodiesel. Algal Research (Submitted).
3. Yadav, G., Dubey, B.K. and Sen, R., 2020. A comparative life cycle assessment of microalgae production by CO₂ sequestration from flue gas in outdoor raceway ponds under batch and semi-continuous regime. Journal of Cleaner Production, p.120703.
4. Yadav, G., Sharma, I., Ghangrekar, M. and Sen, R., 2020. A live bio-cathode to enhance power output steered by bacteria-microalgae synergistic metabolism in microbial fuel cell. Journal of Power Sources, 449, p.227560.
5. Yadav, G., Meena, D.K., Sahoo, A.K., Das, B.K. and Sen, R., 2020. Effective valorization of microalgal biomass for the production of nutritional fish-feed supplements. Journal of Cleaner Production, 243, p.118697.
6. Yadav, G., Dash, S.K. and Sen, R., 2019. A biorefinery for valorization of industrial wastewater and flue gas by microalgae for waste mitigation, carbon-dioxide sequestration and algal biomass production. Science of the total environment, 688, pp.129-135.
7. Yadav, G., Fabiano, L.A., Soh, L., Zimmerman, J., Sen, R. and Seider, W.D., 2019. Supercritical CO₂ transesterification of triolein to methyl-oleate in a batch reactor: Experimental and simulation results. Processes, 7(1), p.16.
8. Yadav, G. and Sen, R., 2017. Microalgal green refinery concept for biosequestration of carbon-dioxide vis-à-vis wastewater remediation and bioenergy production: Recent technological advances in climate research. Journal of CO₂ Utilization, 17, pp.188-206.
9. Subramanian, G., Yadav, G. and Sen, R., 2016. Rationally leveraging mixotrophic growth of microalgae in different photobioreactor configurations for reducing the carbon footprint of an algal biorefinery: a techno-economic perspective. RSC advances, 6(77), pp.72897-72904.
10. Yadav, G., Karemore, A., Dash, S.K. and Sen, R., 2015. Performance evaluation of a green process for microalgal CO₂ sequestration in closed photobioreactor using flue gas generated in-situ. Bioresource technology, 191, pp.399-406.
11. Yadav, G., Singh, A., Bhattacharya, P., Yuvraj, J. and Banerjee, R., 2013. Comparative analysis of solid-state bioprocessing and enzymatic treatment of finger millet for mobilization of bound phenolics. Bioprocess and biosystems engineering, 36(11), pp.1563-1569.
12. Singh, A., Kuila, A., Yadav, G. and Banerjee, R., 2011. Process optimization for the extraction of polyphenols from okara. Food Technology and Biotechnology, 49(3), pp.322-328.
13. Yadav, G., Seider, W.D., Soh, L. and Zimmerman, J., 2018. Process Intensification of Algae Oil Extraction to Biodiesel. In Computer Aided Chemical Engineering (Vol. 44, pp. 1699-1704). Elsevier.
14. Yadav, G. and Sen, R., 2018. Sustainability of Microalgal Biorefinery: Scope, Challenges, and Opportunities. In Sustainable Energy Technology and Policies (pp. 335-351). Springer, Singapore.
15. Karemore, A., Ramalingam, D., Yadav, G., Subramanian, G. and Sen, R., 2015. Photobioreactors for improved algal biomass production: analysis and design considerations. In Algal biorefinery: An integrated approach (pp. 103-124). Springer, Cham.
16. Yadav, G. and Sen, R., 2018. Fermentation Techniques in Bioenergy Production. In Marine Bioenergy: Trends and Developments (pp.111-134). CRC Press.