(368d) Material, Reactor and Process Development for Clean Energy Applications

Carbon capture, Chemical Looping, Fluidization, Particle Technology, Scale-up

My research interests center on tackling climate change through decarbonization and developing sustainable technologies that impact the global community. I focus on the material, reactor, and process development of carbon capture and chemical looping technologies. I have extensive experience with reactor systems ranging from laboratory to sub-pilot scale while also leveraging fluidization techniques to intensify process efficiencies. I enjoy mentoring students across all academic levels, from K-12 to graduate programs, through teaching graduate-level particle technology classes, supervising undergraduate capstone projects, coordinating high school summer internships, and teaching STEM topics in local schools.

Part of my research focuses on capturing CO₂ from Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) plant flue gas streams. The burning of fossil resources for power generation releases significant amounts of CO₂, the primary greenhouse gas driving the pressing global issue of climate change. The objective of this study is to improve the carbon capture efficiency of the NGCC process by employing a magnetic field-supported fluidized bed to ensure good gas-solid contact. Solid sorbents based on potassium carbonate are cost-effective, possess high CO₂ sorption capacities, and are well-suited for post-combustion CO₂ capture due to their tolerance towards moisture in the flue gas. Implementing a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSFB) shows promise in increasing carbon capture efficiency by suppressing bubble formation, thereby enhancing gas-solid contact. This approach also reduces pressure drop across the bed, prevents sorbent carry-over at high flow rates, and minimizes sorbent attrition. The hydrodynamic study investigated the effect of magnetic field strength, Fe loading, and gas velocities on bed pressure profiles. Results showed decreased pressure fluctuations when the bed entered the stabilized regime compared to when no magnetic field was applied, validating bubble suppression and enhanced gas-solid contact. CO₂ capture from flue gas streams using K₂CO₃-Al₂O₃-Fe sorbent was evaluated across various reactor configurations—fixed bed, fluidized bed, and MSFB—at the same weight hourly space velocity (flue gas flow rate to the weight of K₂CO₃). Testing is further supported using characterization techniques like X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen Physisorption (BET), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). The MSFB reactor demonstrated higher carbon capture capacities due to the improved gas-solid contact achieved by suppressing bubbles, as observed in prior hydrodynamic testing. Compared to conventional fluidized beds, MSFBs also exhibited superior CO₂ removal fractions.

I have also worked on various chemical looping-based processes to convert diverse feedstocks into valuable products such as syngas and hydrogen. My experience ranges from lab-scale testing, including converting harmful NO_x to benign N₂, and toxic H₂S to valuable H₂, to sub-pilot conversion of renewable biomass into high-purity syngas.